Top Doctors 2010: Doctor Becomes Lifelong Friend

In the summer of 1992, Michelle Johnston was newly married and just starting her nursing career at Minneapolis Children’s Hospital. Then suddenly, without any warning, she began to experience numbness in her legs and was told to see a neurologist. Dr. Sara Langer was on-call that day and able to see Johnston. They ended up talking in Langer’s office for more than three hours—an unusual amount of time in a busy doctor’s schedule.

Given the complicated nature of the situation, it wasn’t until 1994 that Langer diagnosed the new mom with multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s central nervous system. “We were able to try some treatments on her, but nothing was effective long term,” says Langer.

In 1995, due to insurance changes, Johnston had to quit being a patient of Langer’s. So when Johnston ended up in the hospital in 2000, she was surprised to see her old doctor walk into the room to treat her. Langer has been Johnston’s doctor ever since, and their relationship has only strengthened over time. “She really listens to me and values my input,” Johnston says. “She treats me as an equal.”

“We have both grown to trust one another over the years,” says Langer. “I feel that continuative care is really critical for someone with a complex neurological condition, and having someone who knows the subtle signs of your nervous system is really important.”

While there is no cure for MS, therapies are used to slow it. Though Langer no longer sees clinic patients, she continues to see Johnston regularly because of their history together. Johnston goes to Langer monthly for injections to help fight infections and stop the progression of the disease. She also has occasional flare-ups that require steroids. “I just try to save all of the energy I can,” says Johnston, who can take up to two hours to get ready for the day and sometimes has cognitive issues related to MS. “Right now we’re just trying to slow everything down.”