I have Parkinson’s and orthostatic hypotension and I have lived with it for 24 years.. Recently had DBS surgery and responded well to it.

Parkinson’s can have some symptoms that people with MS typically don’t have:

Slowed movement (your doctor will call it bradykinesia)
Feet drag or shuffle
Stiff, rigid muscles
Poor posture
Loss of control over how you blink, smile, swallow, or swing your arms when you walk
Small, cramped handwriting

I have MSA and the average number of years is now 7-10 after diagnosis, but the earlier diagnosis the better. However, people have lived as long as 15 years so never give up; we don’t know how long we have; that’s God’s department. Also, information has been flowing regarding the knowledge of the brain. Hope rings eternal unless one gives it up. God bless you both.

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's illness. One thing to keep in mind about multiple system atrophy is that everyone is different, including when it comes to disease progression. That's why some people call it the "snowflake disease" - no two cases are exactly alike. Also, there's a lot happening right now in the area of MSA diagnosis. Here's a link to the MSA Coalition's page that delves into that. I hope you find it helpful, and I wish you and your wife all the best. https://www.multiplesystematrophy.org/about-msa....

One of my first noticeable symptoms was my handwriting became much smaller and very messy. Sloppy. Check out her handwriting.
My hands tremors and I bumped into walls often. I hope this helps you.