Getting Organized and Staying Organized: It’s a Lifesaver When Living with a Chronic Illness

Posted on April 17, 2019 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

I love being organized. I love containers and labels. I love having my finances organized and being able to find paperwork when needed. It brings me a sense of peace to plan things, be prepared and know what to expect. When everything has a place and is put away, it brings me joy. Living with a chronic illness like multiple sclerosis can be the exact opposite of that. It’s unpredictable, it disrupts plans, it can be invisible, and often it doesn’t have a logical reason behind the symptoms it brings. It can be manageable, but it’s not curable. Unlike my belongings, it can’t be fixed and controlled.

I know not everyone Continue reading →

To be organized or not to be?

Posted on April 10, 2019 by MSAA

By Lauren Kovacs

This is the question.

I used to be super organized. Years ago an older MSer told me that I will learn to conserve energy in my own way. She was right. Being organized can cause energy conservation.

With three sons and a husband, organizing consists of piles. They usually have no idea where something is. When they ask me I say Continue reading →

Staying Organized with Medicine

Posted on April 5, 2019 by MSAA

By Alene Brennan

Medicine, vitamins and supplements are crucial components to Continue reading →

Surrounding Yourself

Posted on March 27, 2019 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

Okay, I hear you saying “you got this”… “no problem”… or the hackneyed, overused phrase “I have MS but it doesn’t have me.”

Yeah, I hear you tough guy/tough gal.

I hear you because I used to say the same. When I was diagnosed back in 1996, I thought MS didn’t know what it was messing with. I didn’t need any help. Didn’t need advice. Didn’t need to talk about it and burden someone else with my belly-aching. Continue reading →

The People Who Surround Me: Those I Keep and Seek

Posted on March 22, 2019 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

As I age, I’m getting more intentional about who I spend time with and how I shape interactions. We can’t always completely avoid people who drain us, but we can shift how we approach our interactions. We can’t always spend enough time with the people we love, but we can shape our relationships to maximize our joy and connection. A lot of our daily lives involve acquaintances who with a small amount of attention can become friends. Our friends and family won’t always have the skills or perspective to meet our needs, but we can find circles of friends who will fill the gaps.

People who drain me: If I can Continue reading →

Who do you surround yourself with?

Posted on March 15, 2019 by MSAA

By Lauren Kovacs

It is tough when dealing with MS. You don’t want to be the burden and the boil on someone’s bum. But, you also don’t want to seem stubborn in not asking for help. The winds of MS are blowing at each other. I get it.

Sadly we have to buffer the winds. Bad hair days from those winds are common. Keeping calm in the wind storm is hard. MS is a strong contender. Being calm can help avoid a flare.

Not easy to please others by asking for help, keeping your Continue reading →

When You Get Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis So Does Everyone Close to You

Posted on March 13, 2019 by MSAA

By Penelope Conway

I woke up this morning thinking about the past five years of my life. I get discouraged sometimes thinking about everything that has happened. I have days when I feel as if multiple sclerosis has flipped my world upside down and inside out. That my life, plans, dreams, and hopes have all changed more than I ever thought possible and I wasn’t prepared for the changes.

Many people go through life wishing they lived a life much like a scene from a movie where everything falls perfectly into place. Where they have Continue reading →

Sometimes I Feel Guilty for Having MS

Posted on March 11, 2019 by MSAA

By Alene Brennan

Living with a chronic illness is not easy. Living with an invisible disease is not easy. Living with an unpredictable disease is not easy.

Living with MS is hard.

To add insult to injury, I sometimes feel guilty for the extra burden it places on my family and friends.

After my diagnosis I felt like I lost the certainty I believed I had over my health. Of course, none of us has a guarantee with health, but an MS diagnosis definitely Continue reading →

Load Your Quiver

Posted on March 6, 2019 by MSAA

By Scott Cremeans

A friend told me one time that life is war. It is a battle between good and evil a fight between right and wrong. If that is the case, then multiple sclerosis is a beefed-up war on steroids AKA Solu-Medrol. This situation means that you should not go into battle with just anyone by your side.

You should load your ranks with individuals who will Continue reading →

Yes, I Admit it, I Have Multiple Sclerosis and Sometimes I Cry

Posted on February 25, 2019 by MSAA

By Penelope Conway

I woke up in tears yesterday. No reason. Nothing bad happened to me in the middle of the night. I didn’t wake up from a nightmare, my goldfish didn’t die and I wasn’t in a lot of unbearable pain. My emotions just went haywire all on their own. I hate when that happens. I take meds to help keep my emotions stabilized, but yesterday’s dose must have been a dud.

Multiple sclerosis has this way of messing with a person’s emotions. Sometimes there’s a Continue reading →

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