The holiday season can be filled with so much excitement. Families gather to celebrate, many take pride in decorating their homes, cooking becomes a marathon event, and last-minute shopping can be unavoidable. I truly enjoy the holidays because it brings people together and kind gestures are plentiful. The generosity seen during the holiday season is inspiring, and no act of kindness is too small. It is easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and lose track of the true meaning behind our traditions.
Team MSAA includes a wide community of people whose lives have been touched by MS. In fact, our fundraising runners, walkers, and swimmers come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. The upcoming runDisney weekend has perhaps our youngest participant yet – 8-year-old Berkley Keene, running with Team MSAA in January’s Walt Disney World® Marathon Weekend’s 5k!
MSAA features the work of many talented artists affected by multiple sclerosis as part of our annual MSAA Art Showcase. Each month we share these artists’ inspiring stories and beautiful artwork with you as our Artist of the Month. This month, we celebrate Ben Lang-Roma as the November Artist of the Month. Ben is from Lynnwood, WA.
Enjoy the weather. The heat is gone, and the mosquitoes are dead. I don’t think they came from the same place. Rejoice. Hallelujah. Just those two things being gone are enough to make me dance.
Sit back and relax. Ladies you can shave your legs less and cover up the cuts with pants. Even electric razors cut. Thought the electric razor would save me from bleeding out. I was wrong and I often still get cuts.
Now I can cover them with pants and not be boiling hot.
Fall means no snakes here in NC too. I don’t have to worry about the dog having an ego trip, if I let him out back. Pumpkin pie and coffee are good at breakfast too. Took me years to enjoy pie at breakfast. Why not? We are adults.
Hoodies are great, but wear zip up hoodies. There is a reason why older folks wear cardigans. Easy on and off is vital for many. I find body temperature regulation is better dealt with when you dress in layers.
MS requires more thoughtful planning. Dressing is no exception . We can easily overheat. Layers are the way to go. Try zip off stuff. Pullovers can be an issue.
I once got stuck in a sweatshirt trying to get it off. It is funny now. I learned from it at least. I learned hard wood floors can be napped on. I also found a love for zip up sweatshirtsEnjoy fall. Lots of perks.
Featuring Barry A. Hendin, MD MSAA’s Chief Medical Officer
Barry Hendin, MD
Question: How does psychological therapy, either alone or in conjunction with medication, make a difference for someone with MS who is experiencing depression?
Answer: This question highlights the fact that there is more than one approach to treating psychological problems. Anyone may experience depression, but this symptom is more common in people with MS. Much of this is biologically determined, meaning that depression in MS is often caused by changes in the central nervous system (CNS), but we’re also aware that situational problems may occur in anyone’s life, including those with MS.
Antidepressant medications from a psychiatrist (or other appropriate clinician) can be very helpful for the biological aspects of depression. But for many people, an additional benefit may be derived from psychotherapy or “talk therapy” with a psychologist or counselor. This psychological support can help individuals to develop strategies to navigate complex situational issues.
Beyond these professional interventions, there are several things that people with MS are able to do independently. For many, exercise can reduce depression. For others, mindfulness, yoga, or meditation may be helpful. And for everyone, focusing on the other aspects of wellness, which include maintaining a healthy diet and healthy social relationships, can’t be emphasized enough!
Please note that anxiety may occur along with depression and is also more common in the MS population. Many of the approaches to treating depression are also useful in reducing anxiety, but as with depression, this symptom should be diagnosed by a professional and treated accordingly.
Barry A. Hendin, MD is a neurologist and Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Arizona. He is also Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at Banner University Medical Center and Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Arizona Medical School.
As a tribute to one of my favorite Halloween movies of all time, Hocus Pocus, and with the new release of Hocus Pocus 2, I thought it would be fun to create a simple Halloween treat for all ages to enjoy!
For those of you who haven’t seen the movie and have no idea what I’m talking about, these brownies are still delicious, nevertheless.
My inspiration was Winifred’s Spell Book. See how cute they turned out!
I remember the day like it was yesterday. September 24, 2012. I remember the smell of the room. I remember what the ring of the phone sounded like when I got the call in the MRI waiting room. I was 22 years old. I had just graduated from college. I was working at an NBC affiliate news station, living out my dream of being a sports reporter. It was all happening for me, or so I thought.
It turns out that a lot was happening in my brain and spine as well. It was a crisp fall day, and my favorite day of the week: Football Friday! I had been assigned to cover three high school football games that night. It was my very first game of the season. I was confident in my scripts; live camera hit and tag out. The live camera hit came and I looked up at the scoreboard to recite the score, then turned back to the camera and forgot what I had just looked at, a second ago. Luckily, I recovered from that fumble (ha) and recovered fine throughout the rest of the night. However, that slight hiccup had my mind racing. Why did that happen? Is this normal? Am I sick? The intrusive thoughts would not stop coming.
One of the hardest parts of living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is feeling like doctors do not fully understand or appreciate the extent of your symptoms. This is especially true if they consider only your MRI results. Sadly, this experience is common. Many people living with MS have worsening symptoms even when their MRI results stay the same.
To find out more, we reached out on the MultipleSclerosis.net Facebook page. We asked community members, “Have you ever had an MRI checkup that showed no noticeable changes, however you felt as if your MS was worsening?”
Nearly 400 community members responded! Here is what they shared.
For me, autumn elicits memories of a new school year, football games, raking leaves, carving pumpkins, and pressing apples for cider. Prepare for winter with home tasks and wardrobe shifts. Move sweaters, boots and winter wear from boxes or the back of the closet to the front for easier access. Suggestions for weatherizing homes and belongings are prevalent and specific, but they are less so for personal health and well-being.
Often, I experience recurring and seasonal symptoms before I realize I have a method that helps me cope. I’d love to be able to avoid the suffering it causes if at all possible. I decided to create and follow a seasonal list of tasks to proactively address my health needs. It has an emphasis on issues that Multiple Sclerosis challenges or creates for me each year.
Step outside and you’ll notice the change. Temperatures beginning to dip. Breezes blowing a tad harder. Trees morphing from green to an artist’s palate of reds & yellows.
My once vibrant flowers now pots of muddled blandness. Fall sucks the life out of everything once bright and lively. A looming forecast of what’s to come.
Fall is gnarly…Err wait, what? No, no fall is good!
