My Identical Sister Has MS Too
Dani Darling and Jacqui Blue, who are triplets along with another sister, have both been diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:15
Dani Darling
When I found out that my sister Jacqui had MS, I was devastated because I had just been diagnosed, so I knew what was happening, and I felt like having gone through it, that was the last thing I wanted was for anyone to go through what I went through.
Jacqui Blue
We are two of three identical triplets.
Dani Darling
Yes, I’m the oldest by one minute.
Jacqui Blue
And I'm the middle, and the oldest of Nikki, our last sister,
00:00:27:15 - 00:00:55:04
Jacqui Blue
by 30 seconds.
Dani Darling
We started making music together
Jacqui Blue
in the womb. [laughing] No, I’m kidding. Like three.
Dani Darling
Before we could even do complete complex sentences, we were harmonizing.
Jacqui Blue
We were singing.
Dani Darling
As triplets, there were a lot of things that we didn’t want to share like, you know, when you’re a kid, you have to split your cake and blow your candles out together. So there’s things that you just don't want to share,
00:00:55:04 - 00:01:15:09
Dani Darling
and I think MS was one of those things.
Jacqui Blue
Dani was diagnosed in September, and then I was diagnosed that next February,
Dani Darling
about six or seven months later, but the thing that we found out was that we’d both had it for years.
Jacqui Blue
Yeah.
00:01:15:11 - 00:01:36:07
Dani Darling
What Nikki has is called RIS, and Jacqui has multiple sclerosis, and I’m not sure when or what her story would have been, or what her diagnosis would have been like if I hadn’t been the first one to find out that I had that. Before we both had it, you were like coaching me in resiliency, like, Jacqui’s a music therapist.
00:01:36:12 - 00:01:59:00
Dani Darling
She was like “You’re going to be OK.” That was actually the most important, I think, factor to me, being able to pick myself up and keep going was that, like, resilience training that you gave me.
Jacqui Blue
Yeah. That’s true. There are steps you can take, and it’s very important, and reaching out for help is one of them. Be honest with your feelings and talking things through.
00:01:59:00 - 00:02:22:22
Jacqui Blue
Stay active mentally and physically active. There are steps you can take to bounce back, and so we are — we’re doing them.
Dani Darling
I’m Dani Darling, and I have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Jacqui Blue
I’m Jacqui Blue, and I have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Along with another sister, Dani Darling and Jacqui Blue are triplets. They also share a love of music — Dani performs with a band, and Jacqui is a music therapist. In the past few years, both Dani and Jacqui also were diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).
“As triplets, there are a lot of things we didn’t want to share,” explained Dani. “MS was one of those things.” As they told their story, both sisters emphasized the importance of resiliency and mutual support. “That’s the most important factor,” Dani said, “being able to pick myself up and keep going.”
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