Beyond the diagnosis: Reclaiming life after years of medical uncertainty

Joel Yoder, 61, of State College, keeps a small gym in his basement. On good days, he goes down there and works through his physical therapy exercises. On bad days, he doesn't have the energy, but he goes anyway.

It's how he moves ahead with multiple sclerosis — a diagnosis that took 12 years to finally uncover.

The long road to “why”

For years, Mr. Yoder ran his own outdoor business, renting canoes and kayaks, selling backpacking gear and bikes. He played music, hiked and lived with his 92-year-old father. Then the back pain started.

His doctor called it spinal stenosis. Mr. Yoder had MRIs, nerve testing and regular appointments. 

Still, “things kept getting worse and worse. I thought, there's something else going on," Mr. Yoder recalls.

Before long, he couldn't work anymore. He quit his job, hoping rest and physical therapy would help, but they didn't.

A birthday turning point

In early 2025, Mr. Yoder's sister came to visit. She took one look at him and knew something was seriously wrong.

“She said, ‘You have to go to the hospital. 'I think you're having a stroke,’” Mr. Yoder recalls. “I couldn't walk, and I was really weak.”

At the hospital, doctors ran MRIs and ultrasounds but couldn't figure out what was wrong. So, they transferred Mr. Yoder to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville on his birthday. He received a catheter at 5 a.m. "Which was a wonderful present to get," he says.

Care that felt personal

At Geisinger, the team ran more tests, including MRIs, ultrasounds and spinal taps, that uncovered lesions on his brain and spine. In early May, he had a brain biopsy to rule out a tumor. When it came back negative, they had their answer: multiple sclerosis.

The brain biopsy was an unusual step in diagnosing MS, but Mr. Yoder's case required it. Divya Arya, MD, his neurologist at Geisinger, explains that the complexity of his symptoms meant ruling out other serious conditions first.

"Given his age of 61, we had to consider other possibilities like a stroke or even a tumor. Because of that, we went ahead with the biopsy to rule those out, especially since his symptoms were progressing." Dr. Arya says.

The diagnostic journey was exhausting, but what stayed with Mr. Yoder was how the nursing staff treated him.

"I was on the 4th floor of neurology at Danville, and every single nurse was just amazing," he says.

It wasn't just the clinical care — though that was thorough. It was the compassion, the personal attention and the way his whole care team asked about who he was and what he was going through.

"They made me feel like I was their only patient," Mr. Yoder says. 

Lana Maniakhina, DO, would wake Mr. Yoder at 5:30 each morning just to say good morning and return later to say goodnight. And his primary care physician, Shane Newhouser, DO, has been with him through it all. Mallory Ellis, a clinical pharmacist in neurology, also provided crucial support and understanding throughout the treatment. "They were all incredible," Mr. Yoder says.

The strength to adapt

These days, Mr. Yoder has a routine. He sees Dr. Arya in Wilkes-Barre through telemedicine appointments. He's had one MS infusion treatment, with another scheduled soon. The treatment is working. 

"Last time I saw him… he had full strength in his upper and lower extremities, and just some weakness in his hip areas," Dr. Arya says. 

It's measurable improvement — the kind that shows up in daily life. Mr. Yoder works out and looks forward to walking outside in good weather. His hands are too weak to play music right now, but he hasn't given up hope.

His disability application was approved in 2 weeks with help from his care team, and that support made a difference.

The care team's respect changed something in Mr. Yoder. "Since they respect me so much, I should respect them and take care of myself and do the best I can for myself," he says.

Next steps: 

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Learn about neurology care at Geisinger
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