Ron Lokites and his wife, Terry, relax in their Silverdale home. He is the honoree of this year’s MS Walk, which takes place on April 9 at Klahowya Secondary School. - Photo by Celeste Cornish
Photo by Celeste Cornish
Ron Lokites and his wife, Terry, relax in their Silverdale home. He is the honoree of this year’s MS Walk, which takes place on April 9 at Klahowya Secondary School.

MS event honors stricken former Coast Guard officer


June 11, 2008 · Updated 1:40 PM 

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When Ron Lokites of Silverdale was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in October 2003, he was actually relieved. Lokites, who will be the honoree of the Bremerton/Silverdale MS walk on Saturday, April 9, at Klahowya Secondary School, had experienced some quirky, seemingly unrelated medical issues for about a year and a half.

Lokites, a retired U.S. Coast Guard officer who now works at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, noticed decreased vision in one of his eyes — he went to an optometrist and an ophthamologist; nothing was found.

“I let that ride,” Lokites said.

He also noticed he was easily fatigued, which he attributed to a thyroid condition. Then came the double whammy: When he walked for about a mile, he would develop drop foot, which means one of his feet would drag while he walked. At the same time he had drop foot, all of the fingers in one of his hands were numb.

That got his attention. Lokite headed straight to his personal physician, who

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