The Monster’s Identity Revealed

By Lauren Kovacs

I was only 16 and the MS monster tried out its first attack. Optic Neuritis was the flavor it chose for nine months. At the age of 21, the monster awoke again. Numb from the neck down and several bewildered university sports medicine doctors pushed me to seek help from another doctor.

The doctor told me it was a stroke, gave me muscle relaxers, and sent me back to campus. Being a pretty smart college student, I knew muscle relaxers and a stroke were not the answers.

I went and saw our old neighbor, also a family doctor. I was directed back to the neurologist from my optic neuritis days. I was not sure how my eyeball related to my numb legs.

After tests, he said it was MS. The monster had revealed its identity. He said not to research it. I was only 21 and I was not going to research it?

The university library became my new home. Because you could not see it, many of my teammates accused me of faking it to miss our long practices. I sat day after day watching my team practice for UCA Nationals without me. Still confused, I just kept reading books about MS. The internet was still new.

Now, I read anything and everything MS related. I read about alternative therapies. I visit blogs. Prayer is also still a big shield.

I write down new drugs I am taking. I keep track of side effects. I write down how new medicine makes me feel. I take charge of the MS. I am the boss.

I had to change doctors because, after five years on one treatment, it was the only way for me to change medicines. Another one, I swear, made me feel like I was making it up. You are in charge. After five neurologists, I finally found a great one. She works with me instead of feeling like I was sent to the principal’s office.

Wheelchairs, walkers, and leg braces are part of me. The internet has been the new library. I read about suggestions on everything, not always MS related. No MS topic is off limits or embarrassing either. If there is a short cut to anything, I try it.

Reading and taking charge are ways I keep the MS monster calm. I have days where I cry a lot, but chocolate is my cure. I don’t let MS rule my life. Even if I am unsure about a medication, I talk to my doctor openly about it.

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Coping With an MS Diagnosis And What Helped Me

By: Stacie Prada

Everything can feel urgent when you’ve just been diagnosed with an incurable disease. Remember that you’ve likely had MS for years. You may have increased symptoms and be in the midst of an exacerbation, and you don’t know if your symptoms will dissipate or be your new reality. My advice is to try to relax. I know, it’s easier said than done.

I remember the pervasive fear I had of not knowing if what I was doing was unknowingly worsening my MS. Wondering how I was going to learn to live with MS and what my future now held overwhelmed me. The lack of control over my body rattled me. It felt like I’d been sucker punched.  While I looked the same on the outside, my waking thoughts were now consumed with, “I have MS.”

Coping with an MS diagnosis is a lonely experience, and I can’t think of any other life lesson that prepares you for it. When I was diagnosed with MS, I’d already lived through and recovered from a 110 mile per hour impact car accident, I’d lost my mother in a plane accident, I’d experienced and healed from family drama and trauma that affected me deeply. And yet, being diagnosed with MS required me to pursue healing in a new way. The threat was within me, and it wasn’t a one-time event. This was something that would continue and likely progress. I lost all sense of control and the stability of feeling like I could trust my body. My mantra became, “I don’t know how I’ll learn to live with this, but it will happen.”

My path to making sense of things and being at ease with them will differ from others. All I can share is what I see in hindsight helped me and what I use today to maintain my health and sanity.

  • If you’re able to, find a counselor you like and see them regularly until you feel like you’ve found some stability. My thought process at the time of diagnosis was that I wanted to have a counselor on deck that knew me and would be available if I needed them in the future. The person I saw validated my feelings, allowed me to vent on things that might have injured relationships if shared with the people involved, and helped me cope with a huge life shift. I can’t stress enough that the counselor needs to be a person you trust and feel comfortable with. Don’t push it. If it doesn’t feel right, find someone else.
  • Look to people with attitudes about adversity that inspire you. For me, two exceptional people who gave me hope were Kris Carr and Cami Walker. Kris Carr has successfully lived with Stage IV liver cancer, used diet and attitude to keep progression at bay, and was living a full, productive life. Cami Walker wrote the book, “29 Gifts,” and describes how she found a way to accept MS and see her value in life through giving.
  • Non-profit groups like MSAA provide a wealth of information on MS symptoms, treatments, and medications. Search their site for specific symptoms you’re experiencing, and try the suggestions that fit with your lifestyle.
  • Patients Like Me, patientslikeme.com, is a site that allows you to create a profile and track your symptoms and have access to other people with MS in an anonymous format. This site is terrific for learning about other people’s experiences with medications, knowing methods for their success in treating symptoms, and tracking your own health. Entering medications, symptoms, exacerbations, and general health information is invaluable for monitoring my own health. It’s important to know that this information is used to help researchers try to further the understanding of diseases, assist in treatments, and hopefully find cures. Some people aren’t comfortable sharing this information, but I’ve found it to be useful and confidential in my experience.
  • Local MS Self-Help groups are a tremendous resource for building relationships and sharing information. These groups involve meeting people who have experienced my challenges and can share their advice. While the information they provide is helpful, I find that meeting people who have lived through the challenges I’m facing and thrived despite symptoms that scare the heck out of me is a huge benefit beyond the suggestions and advice. These people inspire me and reduce the fear I have for potential disability.  They provide an understanding ear when I need to talk, they encourage me when I’m nervous, and they share the humor in living with MS.
  • Facebook groups that focus on people with MS are a more recent addition to my ongoing education and inspiration since they didn’t exist when I was diagnosed. These groups may be public or require you to be added to a closed group. Join to the level that you’re comfortable and that won’t jeopardize your career.
  • Accept that you’ll likely need a medical team, not just one doctor. In addition to your primary care physician and MS neurologist, it’s helpful to have additional specialists available. When you’re newly diagnosed, you don’t need to fill out the team immediately. Just know that one provider isn’t going to be an expert on every issue you’re experiencing, and they won’t be able to help in every instance. When your neurologist or primary doctor can’t help you with something, consider adding people with expertise in other areas like a physical therapist, counselor, naturopath, or urologist. Tell every provider you see about every issue you’re having. I’ve been pleasantly surprised when my physical therapist was able to solve issues I thought my neurologist would solve but couldn’t.

Be cautious when interacting with people who have MS such as in groups like Patients Like Me and Facebook, and try not to take it personally when people are harsh or say something that feels hurtful.  It helps me to remember that other people in these groups are struggling, may be experiencing depression, and may just have terrible communication skills. None of these resources and sources of support will fill every need I have in dealing with my MS. It’s helpful to learn which ones help me in different circumstances depending on my mood and needs.

Overall I don’t expect everyone in my life to understand what I’m going through. Instead I have a menu of resources and a list of people I turn to for support depending on the issue.  It’s taken years to create this list, and I keep adding to it.

I realize that my suggestions may be overwhelming. I’ve only taken on one thing at a time since my MS diagnosis.  I’ve read suggestions and followed what made sense at the time given my biggest issue. I also discard comments or things I read that don’t fit with my experience.

Other than increased numbness, fatigue and clumsiness, the only thing that changed immediately after my diagnosis was that I knew what was causing my symptoms.  It helped me to remember that my health hadn’t changed; only my knowledge of it had.  It took me time to learn what helped me, and giving myself permission to take time to adjust helped ease the stress.

*Stacie Prada was diagnosed with RRMS in 2008 at the age of 38.  Her blog, “Keep Doing What You’re Doing” is a compilation of inspiration, exploration, and practical tips for living with Multiple Sclerosis while living a full, productive, and healthy life with a positive perspective. It includes musings on things that help her adapt, cope and rejoice in this adventure on earth. Please visit her at http://stacieprada.blogspot.com/ 

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Stories to Inspire: MS Client Swims for MS and More

By Peter Damiri

“I actually hugged my doctor when I found out I had MS,” explained Simone Sanders, 29, of Seaside, California. “After having so many symptoms for so long, I was relieved they found out what was wrong with me and that something could be done to help. But then, I was also frustrated that I had a chronic illness that had no cure.”

Simone struggled with a myriad of unexplained medical issues since her early 20s. Following the onset of several severe exacerbations, she underwent MRI testing and received the official diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

“I lost my vision, couldn’t walk, and lost my job,” recalled Simone. “I couldn’t drive or go anywhere, wasn’t active, and became very depressed. But I found support from MSAA as well as talking with others who have MS. They pulled me out of my depression and helped me realize that I can accept my diagnosis of MS but do not have to be crippled by it.”

Now married to an Airman First Class in the United States Airforce and looking to start a family, Simone has since regained the majority of her vision and ability to walk, but still struggles with daily fatigue and a variety of periodic MS symptoms. However, rather than focusing on the negative, Simone maintains a powerful fighting spirit as she strives to improve her physical and emotional wellbeing through diet, exercise and a deep, personal commitment to help others with MS.

“I try to be as active as I can, running 5K charity races with my cooling vest from MSAA – which has been a lifesaver. I’m always looking for new ways to help the MS community and was happy to find Swim for MS,” said Simone.

“I had a passion for swimming ever since I was eight-years-old and was really good at it. After my diagnosis, it made sense to go back to swimming and exercising in the water, especially when I had access to a pool. Then when I heard about Swim for MS I said, this really fits with my interests and passion and it’s for a good cause for people like me.”

With the goals of swimming 1,000 laps in three months and raising $1,000 for MSAA, Simone began her Swim for MS challenge in late March. She bases her ambitious goal on her average swim of 10 laps per day, but also recognizes this can fluctuate due to her struggles with fatigue and other MS factors.

“Some days are really bad days and even some weeks are bad, but when I’m in the pool I know that I can push myself to do my best,” said Simone. “The coolness of the water helps keep me from being overheated and I can float to rest when needed.”

Recognizing the benefits she receives from her cool suit, Simone would like to dedicate donations from her Swim for MS fundraiser to help support MSAA’s Cooling Program as well as other vital services. She recently enlisted the support of her mother to help recruit donations from family members and plans to promote her Swim challenge to her new military family as well.

“Even though my goal is to swim 1,000 laps, I feel accomplished no matter how many I finish because in spite of everything I’ve been through, I’m still able to swim,” Simone said. “I tell myself every day to have courage and have faith. Have the courage to get up in the morning and have the faith to get through the day, and do the best you can.”

MSAA would like to thank Simone for granting us this interview, choosing to support the MS community through Swim for MS, and inspiring all of us to stay positive and keep fighting every day. To visit Simone’s webpage and support her Swim for MS challenge, please visit: http://support.mymsaa.org/goto/simoneswim. For more information on aquatic exercise and MS or how to start your own Swim for MS fundraiser, please access www.SwimForMS.org.

Simone Sanders - Copy

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Relapses: Not Always Easy to Define or Diagnose

With a majority of MS patients diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, the idea of defining and recognizing the signs of relapse becomes very important. This topic can cause both MS patients and neurologists to debate the issue, and some of the lines can be blurry, to say the least. The official definition of a relapse is as follows:

“During a relapse, inflammation is occurring along the nerves and the myelin, causing patients to have a temporary worsening or recurrence of existing symptoms and/or the appearance of new symptoms. This can range from a few days in duration to a few months, followed by a complete or partial recovery (remission). Acute physical symptoms and neurological signs must be present for at least 24 to 48 hours, without any signs of infection or fever, before the treating physician may consider this type of flare-up to be a true relapse.” (MSAA, 2016.)

The new physical signs and symptoms must be separated from a previous relapse by at least one month. As you can see, this definition leaves a great deal of room for interpretation, and every neurologist responds to relapses in very different ways.

Some neurologists treat each relapse with steroids, and do not perform MRIs each time. Steroids are anti-inflammatory medications, almost like “Mega Ibuprofen.” Steroids are very effective at calming the inflammation that causes MS symptoms, but they come with a load of side effects that always need to be considered and weighed. Treatment can be done with IV steroids (Solu-Medrol,) or with oral steroids such as Prednisone. Other neurologists insist on performing MRIs before ordering steroids. Some neurologists prefer to save steroids for only the most severe relapses such as weakness and vision loss, and do not use them for sensory symptoms such as numbness and tingling. It is very much a matter of opinion, and there truly is no “right or wrong” answer in this area.

My own neurologist does not perform MRIs for my relapses, because he does not believe that there is a clinical correlation between the MRI and clinical symptoms. A clean MRI does not necessarily indicate that we are not experiencing relapse, and vice versa. It is also possible that we may be experiencing a pseudoexacerbation. Pseudoexacerbations are temporary increases in symptoms caused by external factors such as heat, which go away after a short period of cooling off. These can also be the result of infections and fever.

I have had RRMS for almost 7 years, and in that time I have experienced very active disease. On a daily basis, I experience new and varying symptoms, ranging from buzzing/tingling/numbness, to burning/pain/spasm, to weakness/vision loss/bladder issues/cognitive issues. These symptoms come and go very unpredictably, and it is truly maddening. The one thing I have learned is that I can’t allow myself to panic if I experience something new, because most often these symptoms with leave as quickly as they appear, within a few hours. However, if they do persist beyond 24-48 hours, make sure you contact your neurologist and get advice, because if there is something you can do, you should! I am always grateful to get my neurologist’s advice in these situations, because it can be very difficult to assess our own symptoms in an unbiased way. Don’t ever hesitate to ask for advice in this area, because it can be very confusing for even the most experienced MS patient!

*Meagan Freeman was diagnosed with RRMS in 2009, at the age of 34, in the midst of her graduate education. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Northern California, and is raising her 6 children (ranging from 6–17 years of age) with her husband, Wayne. She has been involved in healthcare since the age of 19, working as an Emergency Medical Technician, an Emergency Room RN, and now a Nurse Practitioner. Writing has always been her passion, and she is now able to spend more time blogging and raising MS awareness. She guest blogs for Race to Erase MS, Modern Day MS, and now MSAA. Please visit her at: http://www.motherhoodandmultiplesclerosis.com.

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Meet New MSAA Guest Blogger Lauren

By: Lauren Kovacs

My name is Lauren Kovacs and I am 41. The stress of moving from California to rural Virginia poked the MS monster for the first time at age 16. My official diagnosis didn’t show up on stage until I was 21.

I was a pediatric patient with optic neuritis. This meant no learning to drive, no depth perception in gymnastic, and crashing into hall walls at school. I was not in a good place, but the MS monster had only stirred.

After nine months, my vision returned. Life went on. I went to college and made the university’s cheer team. MS was never the diagnosis at 16.

I worked part-time, took a full load of classes, and was a college athlete. The summer before my senior year, after a very tiring and hot week at cheer camp, I got sick. I rode home on the floor of the student-athlete van. I unknowingly had poked the monster again.

The next day, I went numb from the neck down. So began my quest for an answer. Some thought it was a virus and others thought I had been dropped in cheerleading camp and had a slip disc. I stumped all the athletic doctors for the university’s athletes. Cool. The best was a civilian doctor who told me I had a stroke and sent me back to campus with muscle relaxers.

I went back to my original neurologist. An MRI and other tests came back showing MS. The doctor told me not to research it. I was sent back to school. Confused, alone, angry, and tired was the casserole I was served. Newly diagnosed and alone, questions swam in my head and some chocolate in hand, as comfort.

I didn’t make it to nationals for UCA and I felt my teammates were more worried about re-doing the routine without me than my devastating diagnosis. Some even accused me of faking in order to skirt practice.

I kept going. I pushed on. I graduated, got a job, and married my sweet heart. I saw a new doctor who put me on Avonex. I had baby boy one. Four months later, I was hit with a horrible flare leaving me numb from the neck down again. After slithering around on the floor with a new baby, IV steroids were prescribed. Life went on. I did Appalachian clogging and was very active. I started figure skating instead to combat the heat.

Baby boy two arrived without any MS issues at all, except my fall down the stairs, which I can blame on MS. He was premature with health issue. A toddler and a sick infant meant stress. I finally changed doctors, after five years, because he refused to prescribe anything, but Avonex. He kept telling me I would get used to it.

The new doctor prescribed Copaxone, not long before we moved to North Carolina. I took Irish dance lessons, once we moved. The two boys were doing well. Heat, fatigue, and stress were manageable. The monster appeared to be contained.

Baby boy number three arrived and that began my slow decent. The monster was waking up. I was able to nurse for eight months. I was thrilled. IV steroids forced me to end that scene. However, they did their job and I changed doctors again. That is five neurological, if you are counting.

I had a new doctor who finally believed three healthy boys and me. Life was good, too smooth really. When my youngest was four, rocks were being thrown onto my path. The Betaseron was no longer working and I began sporting a cane. The monster was fully awake.

No worries, I can adapt, I thought. We took a Disney cruise with friends and when I had trouble walking onto the boat, I knew things were changing. I sat and waited for a cast-member to get a wheelchair. I held back tears, but the cast-member said I would enjoy my trip more. I did, but I felt crushed.

By the time my youngest was in first grade, I used a walker. I was also head cheerleading coach at their school. I was officially handicapped and life was getting tougher.

Here I sit, now. I only use a walker in the house. I crawl on my hands and knees, if I am not steady. I have the kids make dinner and there have been times I instruct from face down on the floor. But, I do it and I fight.

MS is a battle and you must never give in. Being realistic and humor go hand in hand with MS.

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You and Your Neurologist: One of the Most Important Relationships

By: Meagan Freeman

Finding an excellent Neurologist is one of the first things we need to do after diagnosis with MS. It can be very difficult to choose a random name from a list of covered providers from our insurance companies, and without a solid recommendation from someone we know, we often need to take a “test drive.” Patients and providers are much like any relationship we have in life: Some personalities are a perfect blend, and others will never work together. It is incredibly important to seek out a provider who is not only medically competent, but also a good fit for your personality.

I find that some providers are cold and distant, only seeing patients as a disease process. What about the mind? We are so much more than a body. Providers should always see the patient as a mind-body unit, addressing the full scope of chronic illness. Psychological and emotional symptoms are common, and no one should leave an appointment feeling dismissed.

I am a family nurse practitioner, and we are trained from day one to see the humanistic side of medicine, to view the patient as a whole being, rather than the sum of the parts. The body cannot be healed without addressing the spiritual, emotional aspects of the human being. After being diagnosed with MS, I appreciated this manner of teaching more than ever before.

There is an intricate, indivisible connection between the body and the mind, and treating only one while ignoring the other will never prove effective. There is, what we call in medicine, an “emotional overlay,” to almost every physical issue. Whether this means that the condition is purely psychological, or whether the mind is reacting to a physical issue (anxiety, panic attacks, depression,) the mind must always be taken into consideration when treating every patient.

Our society is very quick to assume that modern medicine has all the answers, a secret book of treatments, available only to those who have attended medical school. This magic book contains all of the recipes for treating illness, and is kept hidden, under lock and key. The providers of the world are assumed to have the ability to fix anything, treat anything, and if they do not offer a fix, they are assumed to be withholding treatment intentionally.

I can tell you, this is not the case. One of the most shocking things I learned while transitioning from a registered nurse to a nurse practitioner was the absolute limitation in options we have as providers. We only have a few things to offer, a few laboratory tests, an x-ray or two, a few medications that may or may not be effective. Most medications also go along with an enormous list of potential side effects that have to be taken into consideration. Many prescription medications are not necessary, and can lead to a variety of new problems. The risk versus the benefit of any treatment needs to be considered. Treating physical illness is not only a science, but also an art; and sometimes, providers simply run out of ideas. Every possible treatment option has been exhausted, and there is simply nothing further to offer. I find that patients are shocked when this is the answer. “What do you mean, there is nothing left to do?” Sometimes, the answer is just that, and we are left trying to cope with our “new normal,” whether it is pain, numbness, weakness, or any other symptom.

When you visit your provider, keep in mind that they may not have an answer for every question you have. Your provider is doing their best, I am sure; but the answer “I do not know,” is an acceptable one sometimes. I always trust providers who admit that they do not have an answer, because this is honesty. If your provider says, “Well, if you really want to take something you can try this…” this is code for- “you really do not need this.” Sometimes, in medicine, less is best. The minimalist approach to treatment is wise, and so many patients have been “overtreated” in recent years. Too many medications, wasteful, unnecessary diagnostic testing, and the resulting side effects and anxiety are major issues in medicine currently. Patients and providers need to take a moment and ask themselves, “Is this really a necessary test or treatment?”

Trust your body to be able to handle most minor issues. Your body is an intricate, well-constructed, dynamic machine that is much wiser than we are as health providers. Now and then, the body might need an extra hand at combating an infection, but not always. Listen to your body! Prevention is the key! Get your immunizations, get some exercise, eat healthy foods, and obviously avoid smoking and alcohol. MS aside, we all need the same basic advice on remaining healthy and living the best life possible.

Questions to Ask Your Provider at Appointments:

1. Do you feel that my disease is well controlled with my current medication?
2. If not, are there other medications available that you would recommend?
3. Do you recommend any other treatments for my current symptoms (alternative or traditional?)
4. How often do you recommend appointments and MRI?
5. Is there any new research that has become available since my last appointment?

Try to develop a relationship with your provider, and if you feel dismissed or ignored, it may be time to consider a change. Like any relationship in life, some people just don’t “click.” But in this case, your health is at stake; so don’t be afraid to find the right fit for you.

*Meagan Freeman was diagnosed with RRMS in 2009, at the age of 34, in the midst of her graduate education. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Northern California, and is raising her 6 children (ranging from 6–17 years of age) with her husband, Wayne. She has been involved in healthcare since the age of 19, working as an Emergency Medical Technician, an Emergency Room RN, and now a Nurse Practitioner. Writing has always been her passion, and she is now able to spend more time blogging and raising MS awareness. She guest blogs for Race to Erase MS, Modern Day MS, and now MSAA. Please visit her at: http://www.motherhoodandmultiplesclerosis.com.

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My Life with MS

by Shannon Loftus

I am a stay at home, work at home, home-schooling mom to the world’s most awesome child – my son Nathaniel. Yes, I have multiple sclerosis, and it does rule my life. But, every day that I wake up and can see my son and husband, can move my limbs, even if in pain, is another day I am thankful for.

I was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall of 2009, although the symptoms had been ongoing since I was a freshman in high school. With this diagnosis, I also found out I had a brain tumor that, of course, during all the diagnostic testing was the only other option for the symptoms I was experiencing. Fortunately, the tumor is on the pituitary gland, benign, and not growing. I recall that on the day I was diagnosed I had a laugh-attack right there in my neurologist’s office. Multiple sclerosis is not funny by any stretch, but I found the double diagnosis to be downright morbidly hysterical at that moment. What luck! Shortly thereafter came the diagnosis of epilepsy, followed by spinal stenosis. Despite all of these diagnoses, I struggle through it all with my head held high (sometimes), staying at home, working at home, and home-schooling my most precious gift that keeps me going – my son. I am also a co-leader of a multiple sclerosis support group here in my hometown. It is a pretty fun bunch of folks, MS aside!

MS has thrown a lot at me. I have been blind in one eye and half blind in the other, at the same time. I have been nearly unable to walk, hobbled and I use a cane more often than not. I have been hospitalized, and I can no longer function as the field archaeologist that I once was. I am losing the use of my left arm, and have left side weakness. The stenosis of my spine has made walking for more than a hundred yards nearly impossible. Standing, sitting, laying down are all painful.

I have adapted, not by choice, but out of necessity. MS sets the pace, so I shifted to private consulting from home, and while not my dream job, I am rewarded with a gift that I know I will be forever grateful for – as much time spent with my son as possible, the opportunity to watch him grow while my eyes still work, and the special time we get to spend snuggling up while he still thinks mom is cool, hanging out at the movies, and hitting the pool in the summer.

I have also experienced depression. I once laughed at the notion of MS and depression going hand in hand. I was so wrong and I was very humbled by my year and a half long journey through a tunnel of personal darkness. I now have immense compassion for those suffering depression, no matter the cause.

I am honored to be able to share with others my journey of life with MS. It is not always fun, but it is what it is. I try to find the humor in life, and frankly the trifecta of illnesses I live with provides a bottomless well of material in that regard. I would love to share the ups and downs, ins and outs, and the overall experience of what it is like to have MS. The disease affects each of us very differently, and I believe it is only through sharing our experiences that each of us finds comfort, solace, and the ability to keep fighting.

Be Thankful for the Day!

-Shann-

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My MS Journey

By: Matt Cavallo

As an author and speaker, I have had the privilege of meeting people living with multiple sclerosis at MS events across the country. One of the ties that binds us is that we’re all different. Sure, we experience similar symptoms, whether they be vision, balance, memory related, or other, but each of our journeys is unique.

Whether you are just starting out as recently diagnosed person living with MS or are a seasoned traveler living with the disease for many years, there is a website available with resources to help assist you on that journey, My MS Journey.

My MS Journey organizes MS resources in a central location to help assist you with where you are at in your MS journey. The resources are categorized in an easy-to-use, searchable format. The following blog is step-by-step instruction of how to find information on the site.

5 Steps for Navigating My MS Journey

Let’s say for example that you were newly diagnosed and wanted a resource on how to talk to family and friends. My MS Journey can help using the following steps:

1. Enter the following link into your internet browser: https://mymsaa.org/journey/
2. Click on the picture or heading for your particular journey, in this case Just Starting Out:

MyMSJourney

3. Click on the section header to expand the section, and then click on the hyperlink to open the resource that you would like to select.

juststartingout 4. A new browser window will open up displaying the resource information that you were seeking.

includingfamilyandfriends 5. When you have finished accessing the information, you can either close the tab or click the My MS Journey tab to return to the main site.

Additional Functionality
While My MS Journey is categorized into sections with content and resources to assist you in each step of your journey, the home page of My MS Journey has additional functionality relevant to everyone living with MS.

A. Site Preferences – allows you to control your font size preferences, access keys, and print options to make the site more accessible for you.
B. Helpful links – these links provide tools and resources to help you better manage your MS, like the MS Resource Locator and Prescription Assistance Programs.
C. MS Trivia – impress your friends and family with how much you know about MS by participating in the trivia section. Once you make a selection, the right answer will be displayed along with how others answered.

The front page also allows you to share this site on social media. Sharing this site is important because of all the great resources provided by MSAA to help each one of us living with MS on our journey. Sharing resources that help each of us on our journey helps strengthen the MS community. Thank you for reading and I hope you take advantage of all the great resources that MSAA and My MS Journey have to offer!

*Matt Cavallo was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. Matt is an MS blogger, author, patient advocate, and motivational speaker. Matt also has his Master’s degree in Public Health Administration. Matt is the proud father of his two sons, loving husband to his wife, Jocelyn, and best friend to his dog, Teddy. Originally from the Boston suburbs, Matt currently resides in Arizona with his family. To learn more about Matt, please visit him at : http://mattcavallo.com/blog/

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My Silent Hero

By: Sheryl Skutelsky

After years of having every part of my body in pain at various times through my twenties, I’ll never forget the day in October 2001 when I finally heard those words, “You have multiple sclerosis.” I didn’t yet really know what those words meant, but I was relieved to finally have a name for what doctors had been telling me for years was just stress.

I went home that day to look MS up on the computer, and I have never stopped learning. Knowledge is power, and I truly believe that my attitude has a great deal to do with how I live my life with MS.

I was very excited when I was offered the opportunity to write for MSAA because it meant I could reach more people with the valuable lessons that I’ve learned over the years.

I’ve been blogging about MS now for years, having covered topics that range from explaining what MS is all about to how to deal with summer heat. However, I have never written about the person that has been my rock through all my ups and downs.

My partner not only has to imagine what it’s like each day for me to deal with pins and needles, numbness, shooting pain, aching, dizziness, nausea, and overwhelming fatigue, but she also has to live with the same uncertainty of waking up each day and not knowing if we can do the things that we had planned. She is the only one that truly understands how I can look so good on the outside and feel so miserable on the inside. She gets it when I have to cancel plans because I did too much the day before.

When we met, I was relatively healthy. She did ask me what hurt every day. It got to the point where she asked me if my left earlobe hurt because she was just trying to find some part of me that didn’t hurt, but she didn’t sign up for a chronic disease. That news came as a shock to both of us.

Thanks to MS, I’ve learned to truly take one day at a time. I wake up grateful for each day that I can walk, but I also wake up grateful that I have someone in my life that will stand by me no matter what. It would do us all good if we remembered to let our significant others know how much we appreciate all that they have done for us by sharing in living with the uncertainty of life with MS.

*Sheryl Skutelsky, diagnosed in 2001, has learned how to live positively with multiple sclerosis. Sheryl’s passion has always been graphic design. Her symptoms have become an inconvenience to her work, so she now uses her skills and creativity to reach out to others about MS. Sheryl is a patient advocate speaker for Biogen Idec. She also writes for Healthline.com, and she is an Internet radio host with her own show, Fix MS Now. Check out her Fix MS Now page on Facebook which has more than 10,000 followers. You can help raise MS awareness one “like” at a time by visiting: http://www.facebook.com/fixmsnow.

 

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Adding Up MS: Hey, What Does That Number Mean?

Two doctors looking at brain MRI

Did you know that estimates indicate that as many as 2.5 million individuals across the world may be living with MS currently? MS is generally referenced as a “rare” disease, but that number doesn’t seem small to me!

Where you are living in the world will determine a number of factors, including what diagnostic tools are available to accurately evaluate and diagnose a person with MS. After all, those figures might be harder to estimate in countries that do not have trained neurologists, MRI equipment, and other supportive medical testing. If people are not diagnosed or seeking medical care, then they are unlikely to be “counted” or projected into estimates.

Another major challenge is that many countries – including the United States – do not have an official MS Registry, which is a legislated or mandatory accounting of each person diagnosed with a particular condition within a particular country (or other geographic area such as a state). Without a registry, scientists and epidemiologists must rely on other factors to try and “guestimate” how many people in any particular area may be diagnosed with MS. These types of disease registries do exist in the United States for other conditions, such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

Countries such as Denmark do maintain an MS registry. Since the 1950’s Denmark has collected specific information on anyone diagnosed with MS. This type of registry has provided Danish researchers and scientists of other countries valuable information for clinical research and prospective studies. Hopefully someday the United States legislature may agree that a national MS registry could bring many benefits to individuals living with MS.

So, when you see that 2.5 million number, think of all the people who don’t see a doctor because they can’t access one or cannot afford medical care. Think of all the people who are diagnosed with something else because their physicians don’t have appropriate diagnostic equipment. Yes, researchers have tried to extrapolate an “accurate” number, but who is being left out?

When I hear that figure, I think, what does that number really mean, and how does that number impact the MS community? Does the lack of a registry leave researchers without critical information which could be collected to better understand the MS process and who is diagnosed with MS? Is less funding spent on MS research, including causes, treatment options, and individual quality of life and well-being because MS is perceived as “rare”? These are questions that cannot be answered because the true number of people living with MS is unknown, but it is still important to pose the questions.

For more information regarding projected figures of individuals living with MS around the world see the Atlas of MS 2013.

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