Positivity, MS and AI?

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Kate

By: Kate Durack

This month we are focused on staying positive while living with MS. I’ve written in the past about the positive outlook MS has provided me and I thought it might be interesting to pick the brain of someone (thing?) else on this topic to see if it generates anything new for me. So, I asked our new friend ChatGPT its thoughts on the matter. Here’s what it dished out:

Kate:

Why is it important to stay positive when living with multiple sclerosis?

ChatGPT:

Staying positive when living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is important for several reasons:

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Nancy Garcia – June 2024 Artist of the Month

Posted on June 3, 2024 by MSAA

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 Nancy Garcia as June’s Artist of the Month. Nancy is from Chicago Heights, IL.

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Motherhood and MS

Posted on May 31, 2024 by Alexa Moreno

We all know a mother or mother-like figure in our life who demonstrates selflessness, resilience, and strength in all that they do. Mothers with multiple sclerosis especially, take on the unique challenge of navigating symptoms and flare ups, while also balancing being a mom.

Overcoming challenges as a mother with multiple sclerosis can be demanding, but also rewarding. It can become a balancing act between self-care and caring for your family, leaning on support, and being adaptable to accommodate flares and symptoms.

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Navigating Life with MS without My Mother

Posted on May 29, 2024 by MSAA

By: Stacie Prada

This is my truth. If my mom hadn’t died when she did, she would have been a comfort and helper when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and felt so alone. She would have made a difference in millions of ways, but I’ll focus here on how being motherless relates to my MS.

I was diagnosed 15 years after my mom died. In hindsight, I’m certain that following her death I had an MS exacerbation characterized by extreme fatigue, depression, and surprising clumsiness. At the age of 23, I was executrix for her estate. It was a monumental responsibility organizing her funeral, managing her finances and legal affairs, selling her home, and dealing with everything a life suddenly cut short entails.

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Reflections on Motherhood & MS

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Kate

By Kate

My journey to motherhood was pushed into warp speed when I was diagnosed 8 years ago. In 2014, I had just gotten married and started having vision and grip issues which led to my eventual diagnosis of MS. Before any treatment was considered, my initial doctor (a lovely human) asked what it was I wanted for my life. I told him I wanted to be a mom. His response: “GREAT! You have 8 months to get pregnant, and if you don’t, I suggest we start treatment and reassess how and when to stop treatment in order to try again in the future.” This was good news, but like, no pressure, right?

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Advice for Friends and Family Supporting Someone Receiving an MS Diagnosis

Posted on May 6, 2024 by MultipleSclerosis.net

When a loved one receives a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), learning how to support them is vital. To learn what type of support people living with MS most value, we asked the MultipleSclerosis.net community:

“What advice would you give to friends and family who want to support someone receiving an MS diagnosis?”

The community shared lots of helpful insights!

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Ask the Expert – Fatigue

Posted on April 30, 2024 by MSAA

Featuring Barry A. Hendin, MD

MSAA’s Chief Medical Officer

Barry Hendin, MD

Question: What symptom affects up to 80% of people with MS and can worsen as the day goes on?

Answer: Fatigue.

Question: What are your recommendations for people with MS who are experiencing fatigue?

Answer: Fatigue is the most common symptom of multiple sclerosis. Although fatigue occurs in the general population, it’s more common and often more problematic in people with multiple sclerosis. The first approach should be to investigate the cause of fatigue with your clinician or neurologist. When MS is the only cause for the fatigue, it is labeled primary fatigue.

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Connecting with Nature for Mental Well-being

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Claudia Chavez

Nature is such an important part of our world. While I am not fond of the bugs that call it home, I appreciate the beauty and all the resources nature provides. Did you know that nature can help us with stress management? This is known by a variety of names, including nature therapy, ecotherapy, and green therapy. Regardless of the name, it refers to the therapeutic benefits of spending time in nature.

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Exercising and Moving With MS

Posted on April 24, 2024 by MultipleSclerosis.net

So much can change in the body following a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis. The toll MS takes on moving the body is significant. A forum on MultipleSclerois.net asked members for their insights to several questions:

How has MS impacted exercise or bodily movement for you?
Are there exercises or movements that seem to work really well for you and, alternatively, some movements that are difficult to do now?
Have you had to modify any movements? If so, how?
How do you set yourself up for success when moving your body?

There were many valuable responses!

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Beat The Stress

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Teena Palathanam

We are living in a fast-paced world and to fit ourselves in society, we dive right into the whole rigamarole often forgetting that stressing over something that we cannot control is not going to improve the situation. Everyone has their threshold of handling stress. When you start noticing subtle signs like changes in appetite, breathing, energy levels, sleep, etc., that is your body’s signal to slow down. Don’t let stress take control over your life, rather figure out ways to combat it. It is rather easy to get overwhelmed, so the next time you feel bogged down by stress, keep these tips handy:

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