By Charlie Bermant
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Treasurer acknowledges her multiple sclerosis symptoms might increase over time but does not expect them to stand in the way of a long public service career.
“I love my job and my career and feel that I’m good at it,” said Stacie Prada, who was elected to the office in 2014 as Stacie Prada Hoskins with no opposition.
“I will do my best, and if I’m not able to do my job, I’ll probably be the first to know.”
Prada, 45, believes she could serve four terms, the same as her predecessor, Judi Morris.
Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a long-lasting disease that can affect the brain, spinal cord, and the optic nerves. It can cause problems with vision, balance, muscle control, and other basic body functions, according to a definition from WebMD.
Disease effects
The effects differ. Some people have mild symptoms and don’t need treatment while others have trouble getting around and doing daily tasks.
Prior to her election, Prada had worked at the county Department of Community Development since 2005, working her way up to planning manager.
She had not hidden the condition from her colleagues since her 2008 diagnosis at the age of 38. She announced it to the public at a 2014 campaign forum.
Blog writer
The truth was out there for anyone running an Internet search. She has written a blog titled “Keep Doing What You are Doing” viewable at http://stacie prada.blogspot.com/.
She went public “because I didn’t want anyone to be able to use this against me,” she said.
“I don’t want to hide things or live in fear,” she said.
Prada’s MS affects the spine rather than the brain, so she is more likely to suffer physical rather than mental setbacks as the disease progresses.
She doesn’t think that a sporadic loss of memory will become a hindrance.
“It’s normal, as you age, to lose your train of thought, but I don’t get anxious about that anymore,” she said.
“Considering the average age around here, if I hit some of these issues early I’m still ahead of the game.”
Prada started the blog mostly for herself after writing a sporadic journal following her diagnosis to create a manual for dealing with her own challenges.
“The blog helped me to capture the things that helped me cope,” she said.
“I often go back to the older ones to see what has helped me.”
The topics include responding to uninformed comments, understanding that one size does not fit all and using pictures and media to preserve memories, which can apply to people who don’t have MS.
“I try not to write anything that I’ve seen out there,” she said.
“I address topics that are new that I feel compelled to write down.”
She writes about 12 entries a year, she said, although there were fewer when she was running for office.
Each gets about 50 views, but she has increased her audience with the reposting of her blogs to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
Preparing for challenges
In the future, she hopes to write about what challenges she expects to face and how to prepare for them.
She might get more involved legislatively, concerning MS in particular and other autoimmune diseases in general.
“If we start working on one of them, it will help us learn about all the diseases that are currently incurable,” she said.
She feels safe in her county job. It provides thorough insurance and job security.
“Under ADA they can’t fire me if I’m doing my job,” Prada said, adding that the only people who can actually fire her at this point are the voters.
She channels her energy and plans for stressful times by resting beforehand, a balance that has worked so far.
“You can have moments of vulnerability and still be good at what you do,” she said.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
