‘When I feel worried, I just have to believe in myself’: 14-year-old boy battles MS – KETV Omaha

Multiple sclerosis is a disease with no cure and the reality for one 14-year-old boy from Lincoln. Conner Root is still determined to enjoy life like any other kid his age.Conner is like most teenage boys. He loves football, especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Kansas City Chiefs.""I like to play outside, play my Xbox and watch TV," Conner said, adding, "I want to be in high school football, too."But for as long as he can remember, Conner has had health issues."(His) left eye is actually a glass eye," said his mother, Cassandra Gerih. "He is blind in his left eye."In early 2019, Conner started to struggle with his balance."I kept seeing him miss steps and bump into the wall," his mother said."I couldn't run in P.E. and I (kept) falling because my legs were tripping me," Conner recalled.Gerih said her son's condition gradually worsened. One day, his school called her, concerned."By the time I picked him up from school, he could barely walk," Gerih told KETV Newswatch 7. "His nurse and I basically had to carry him to the car."After several scans, Conner was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis."Is he going to walk when he's 30? It just seemed so young for a chronic, lifelong illness," Gerih said.Doctors say only 5 percent of MS cases are seen in people under 18, and they still don't know what exactly causes the disease."It is an autoimmune disease, meaning the host immune system is attacking the central nervous system," explained Dr. Rana Zabad, Conner's neurologist.Zabad said Conner has relapse-remitting MS. The symptoms will flare up during an attack or a relapse, followed by a period of remission."He has times where he's a normal 14-year-old boy and then he has times where his balance is off (and) he gets the headaches," Gerih said."If the inflammation is in the back of the brain, the person can develop imbalance, nausea, vomiting, double vision," Zabad said. The disease isn't life-threatening but relapses can eventually cause long-term disabilities such as loss of mobility, blindness and trouble speaking."The not knowing is one of the worst parts," Gerih said.There is no cure, but treatments varying from shots to pills and infusions can help the body recover from attacks. Conner gets a treatment similar to chemotherapy every six months. "I feel like we really have to try to live life to its fullest because I don't know what his life is going to be like in 10 years," Gerih said.Despite not knowing what his future holds, Conner said he is determined to stay positive."When I feel worried, I just have to believe in myself and believe that the medicine will help me to stay normal," Conner said.Conner has a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for medical expenses. If you'd like to help, go here.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease with no cure and the reality for one 14-year-old boy from Lincoln.

Conner Root is still determined to enjoy life like any other kid his age.

Conner is like most teenage boys. He loves football, especially the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Kansas City Chiefs.

""I like to play outside, play my Xbox and watch TV," Conner said, adding, "I want to be in high school football, too."

But for as long as he can remember, Conner has had health issues.

"(His) left eye is actually a glass eye," said his mother, Cassandra Gerih. "He is blind in his left eye."

In early 2019, Conner started to struggle with his balance.

"I kept seeing him miss steps and bump into the wall," his mother said.

"I couldn't run in P.E. and I (kept) falling because my legs were tripping me," Conner recalled.

Gerih said her son's condition gradually worsened.

One day, his school called her, concerned.

"By the time I picked him up from school, he could barely walk," Gerih told KETV Newswatch 7. "His nurse and I basically had to carry him to the car."

After several scans, Conner was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

"Is he going to walk when he's 30? It just seemed so young for a chronic, lifelong illness," Gerih said.

Doctors say only 5 percent of MS cases are seen in people under 18, and they still don't know what exactly causes the disease.

"It is an autoimmune disease, meaning the host immune system is attacking the central nervous system," explained Dr. Rana Zabad, Conner's neurologist.

Zabad said Conner has relapse-remitting MS. The symptoms will flare up during an attack or a relapse, followed by a period of remission.

"He has times where he's a normal 14-year-old boy and then he has times where his balance is off (and) he gets the headaches," Gerih said.

"If the inflammation is in the back of the brain, the person can develop imbalance, nausea, vomiting, double vision," Zabad said.

The disease isn't life-threatening but relapses can eventually cause long-term disabilities such as loss of mobility, blindness and trouble speaking.

"The not knowing is one of the worst parts," Gerih said.

There is no cure, but treatments varying from shots to pills and infusions can help the body recover from attacks. Conner gets a treatment similar to chemotherapy every six months.

"I feel like we really have to try to live life to its fullest because I don't know what his life is going to be like in 10 years," Gerih said.

Despite not knowing what his future holds, Conner said he is determined to stay positive.

"When I feel worried, I just have to believe in myself and believe that the medicine will help me to stay normal," Conner said.

Conner has a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for medical expenses. If you'd like to help, go here.

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'When I feel worried, I just have to believe in myself': 14-year-old boy battles MS - KETV Omaha