Wisconsin Woman battles not only 7 summits, she does it with Multiple Sclerosis

Eagle River- MyFox Wausau - Lori Schneider is the only woman to complete the 7 Summit's Challenge with a disease that often causes people to lose the use of their legs.

It was during Lori Schneider's first summit climb in Africa that the first signs of Multiple Sclerosis started.

She says, "I was experiencing some numbness and tingling in my fingers, toes and lips. But, I didn't know back then that was associated with MS."

But it was and 6 years later the diagnosis came.

Schneider says, "My leg was numb. The whole side of my body as if someone had drawn a line, one side was numb."

By now Lori was training for her second summit. This one in South America.

"When I got the diagnosis, I was devastated. It scared me so badly that I didn't even tell my family for 6 months. I didn't tell anyone outside the family for a whole year."

But once she finished it she was ready to tell everyone.

"When I stood on top of that mountain I thought, if you are strong enough to stand here girl, you are strong enough to tell people you have MS."

And she has and has since finished climbing the 7th highest peak in the world. This one the biggest, MT. Everest in Asia, standing more than 29,000 feet tall. It was a climb she never thought she'd make.

"I didn't know if I'd be mobile in a year or 2. I thought maybe I'd be in a wheelchair."

She says she used the fear that came with that thought to push her, step by step, up every mountain. She gained strength mentally and physically with every step.

"I feel stronger inside because now I'm not ashamed to talk about it. In fact, I think my experience talking about it has helped me but also people with MS. They've called me, e-mailed me, write me and say I want to try something too. Maybe my life is not over."