LENOX — The symptoms were there. For Dan Jordan of Lenox it was hard to go up and down the stairs. His knees would lock up and hands would fall asleep at the steering wheel.

Jordan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2008.

“I would just as soon stand than sit down, because it was hard to get up,” Jordan said.

The disease was even starting to affect Jordan’s professional life. The 51-year-old owner of Jordan and Son’s Farm Drainage couldn’t function like he used to. He would have trouble working in a ditch or being on his knees.

Most cases of MS differ from patient to patient. There is no known cure for MS.

“Basically, with MS you go to neurology,” Jordan said. “You go out, and they say ‘how you doing? You know, well, we’ll see you in six months.’ They don’t do nothing for you.”

However, Jordan was not about to give up hope. He started doing research. Through the Internet and friend Scott Dalton, an operator of a bulldozer who was diagnosed with MS in 2004, he heard about the research of Dr. Paolo Zamboni.