Keeping Positive in Challenging Times

Posted on April 27, 2020 by MSAA

Hope is made for the day that tries your understanding, when your blessings can’t be counted and the sky has changed to darkness.

By Penelope Conway

Living with multiple sclerosis can be challenging. Add the required social distancing and it can make life a bit more complicated and interesting. My groceries are now delivered to my front door making it a bit more challenging to put everything away on my own, my doctors appointments are taking place on the phone keeping me on my toes to remember everything we need to talk about, physical therapy is Continue reading →

Being an M&M

Posted on April 20, 2020 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

They call THESE challenging times, huh?

Well they don’t know squat about those of us with multiple sclerosis!

They don’t know challenging until they button a shirt with MS “fumble fingers.”

They don’t know challenging until they enter a place with a door that opens out—while sitting in a wheelchair. Continue reading →

Keep the Piles Small and Reach Out in This Challenging Time

Posted on April 17, 2020 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

It’s tough right now living through a pandemic. I assume I’ll live through it, but many will not. I appreciate hearing from people who are having a hard time, because I’m glad they’re expressing themselves. I think the silent ones are sometimes the ones to worry about most.

When I think of everything I need to figure out, solve and do, it’s overwhelming: work while adapting to a state of emergency, isolate physically, help others in need, maintain Continue reading →

Pink Sparkles with Unicorns – Finding Connection

Posted on April 8, 2020 by MSAA

By Lauren Kovacs

Well here we are forced to be hermits with this virus going around. While embracing our inner hermit is just part of some MSers lives already, it is different when your inner hermit is forced to be a hermit. Having a choice to be a hermit is now not our choice.

In light of this, connections and support are essential. Sanity is imperative. Online or phone connections are all the rage. Face-to-face is Continue reading →

Recipe for Mind-Body Wellness

Posted on March 20, 2020 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

Wee-Ha! Phew, it has been cray–zee celebrating MS Awareness Month! Wait, what? You want MY recipe for mind/body wellness? Oh, I don’t know, we are all so very different. What works for ME might not work for YOU.

It’s like a recipe for chocolate chip cookies—everyone makes them a tad bit differently. Well, sure. If you are okay with it, here is my personal recipe for mind/body Continue reading →

Blame it on the Brain…

Posted on March 20, 2020 by MSAA

By Scott Cremeans

The knee bone is connected to the thigh bone; the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone, and it is all connected to the brain bone. Ok, so the brain is not a bone, but that line sounds better poetically. The mind-body connection is often ignored and overlooked, especially if there is nothing wrong. When something does go wrong, many people bury it deep in their psyche, like a squirrel that hides his nuts for the winter. This disguise over Continue reading →

Rock Climbing and MS

Posted on March 16, 2020 by MSAA

By Amanda Bastien, PT, DPT

Exercise is medicine. As a physical therapist, I believe that, and I teach my patients the benefits and opportunities that exercise can grant them daily. As a person with MS, I am grateful that I am able to exercise unencumbered by symptoms at this time. I know that someday, that might change, but for now, I’ll enjoy every minute of it.

I started rock climbing the year I was diagnosed with MS, which was also the hardest year of my life in school. Climbing was Continue reading →

A Healing Mindset

Posted on March 13, 2020 by MSAA

By Alene Brennan

When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, I immediately went into action in changing my diet. As a nutrition coach, it’s how I knew how to heal.

That approached served me well. It helped me to significantly reduce my symptoms – specifically brain fog and fatigue.

However, what I mistakenly overlooked was the way Continue reading →

Coronavirus, Multiple Sclerosis, Health Fears, and Lessons

Posted on March 11, 2020 by MSAA

By Stacie Prada

With the current coronavirus spreading, wellness is at the forefront of the news. I live in Washington state where the first confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19 (the coronavirus) in the United States occurred. My neurologist’s office is in Kirkland, the epicenter of the US outbreak. We have a confirmed case in my community, and others are pending test results.

I’m writing this on March 8, 2020, and news updates are frequent. By the time I hit publish on this post, Continue reading →

The New You

Posted on February 26, 2020 by MSAA

By Doug Ankerman

Here is my car. My loyal steed. Thirteen years old with 145,000 hard-earned miles on the odometer. Showing more than its share of bumps and scrapes. Door dings. And a couple of rust spots. Inside the carpet is worn in places while the driver’s seat has a stain of a long, forgotten fast-food burger.

“Wait a minute, what does this have to do with MS?” you ask.

Well hear me out. Continue reading →

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