Navigating pain is a consistent challenge with multiple sclerosis (MS). Nights are often not restful. Many with MS wake in pain. It is challenging to move first thing in the morning.
MultipleSclerosis.net members recently engaged in a discussion about morning pain. Here are some of the insights they shared.
The change in season can bring about so many wonderful things, like the feeling of a fresh start, new experiences, and the opportunity to partake in certain activities that only occur during certain parts of the year – like pumpkin picking, haunted hayrides, and attending fall festivals. Although I am a big fan of season change and participating in its many exciting aspects, I can also fall into the feeling of decreased energy or motivation, under or over stimulation around the holidays, and fatigue from lack of sunlight or shorter days. When feelings like this arise, I find comfort in activities that allow me to express myself in new and creative ways. Here are some fall and winter activities that bring me joy that I encourage others to try!
Continue readingLiving with multiple sclerosis (MS) can feel lonely. It is hard for others to understand the spectrum of MS symptoms. Fortunately, there are communities to connect with others navigating MS! It makes the journey feel less isolating.
MultipleSclerosis.net recently posted the following:
“Fill in the blank: ______ is something that only someone with multiple sclerosis would understand.”
This question clearly resonated, as there were over 350 responses! Among the comments, some common themes emerged.
Four years ago, Ashlei Brown ran her first endurance event as part of Team MSAA. The view was about as good as it could get – EPCOT.
In July, Ashlei shared her struggles with a severe MS flare that she experienced in 2020.
“2020 I was in the biggest episode of my life, hardly able to walk. I was stressed about moving my family across state lines from Florida to Tennessee into unfamiliar territory with no extended family to lean on… in the middle of COVID. My MS is completely under control now, thanks to the amazing people at @VUMChealth.
I think it’s time to run again for @MSassociation”
We wanted to hear more about Ashlei’s journey with Team MSAA, and what inspired her to run again at Disney.
Continue readingTravelling with MS can be overwhelming, especially if you are travelling to a new destination. Not knowing where the restrooms are or having a place to relax when your legs give way can cause a lot of anxiety for individuals with MS. The unpredictability that comes with MS adds to the stress. Although unexpected hiccups can happen to anyone, planning your itinerary ahead of time will eliminate a great deal of anxiety. Below are some tips to keep in mind when you are planning for a vacation:
Continue readingOne frustrating symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) is the cognitive impact. Those of us with MS often struggle with memory, recall, and speech. When words vanish, we get creative in communicating!
MultipleSclerosis.net posted the following prompt to the community:
“MS can mess with our word recall and speech function, making remembering the names of people, places, and things difficult. If only there was 1 word for it all. We want to know, what would your word be? Example: ‘Can you please hand me the _____ over there?’ Philadelphia natives might throw the word ‘jawn’ in there!”
There was a lot of engagement with this topic!
Completing a 10k endurance event last year wasn’t enough for Team MSAA participant Tiffany McCahill. She’s doing it again, but this time raising the bar and taking on the half marathon!
Las vacaciones en casa o cerca de casa pueden ser agradables y económicas. Aunque a menudo se considera que carecen de aventura o son aburridas, no es así. Las vacaciones en casa pueden ofrecer experiencias únicas llenas de aventura. Unas vacaciones en casa bien planeadas pueden ser prácticas, creativas y ahorrarnos estrés y dinero.
Continue readingAs I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m a single mom of two young boys (5 & 6) and we live in St. Augustine, FL. It’s hot here. Really hot. Typically, May through October are well into the 90s, and bouncing from one airconditioned space to another is essential even for my non-MSers brethren. To be fair, I like to escape north to the Blue Ridge Mountains when I can, but that only happens once or twice a summer, so I’ve had to get creative on how to spend all of that indoor time. I’m not great at generalizing how I think you should fill your time, so I’ve decided to list out a few things I’ve found to be highly enjoyable as an artsy nerd mom.
Continue readingMSAA 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 Lisa Doggett as August’s Artist of the Month. Lisa is from Austin, TX.
“Underwater World”
Continue reading