It's hard to even have words for it. Nelson, who always dreamed of becoming a teacher, led Salt Lake City elementary classrooms for most of her 25-year career. She taught at Mountain View and Lincoln elementaries before coming to Highland Park four years ago. Last decade, her life took a turn. Nelson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system.
Symptoms range from mild numbness of the limbs to paralysis or vision loss.
The disease is unpredictable. Nelson recalls good days and bad days in the past 10 years. She used a walker and electric scooter to conserve energy walking long school halls or overseeing rowdy ones on the playground. That's the thing that I think makes me so angry and upset. You never know what the day's going to bring . . .