Art for Our Sake
One of the great things about living in Atlanta is that there is always something new and exciting going on in town. Sure, we have our fair share of sporting events, but on any given night, you can attend…
A Life in Letters — Jamie Hughes
Jamie A. Hughes is a writer-editor living in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, two sons, and a trio of very needy cats. She was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2004 when she was just 25 years old. A lover of words since birth, she wasn’t about to let two little letters get her down. They don’t get the last word. And that’s why she writes her column — to help those dealing with MS to live more thoughtful, hopeful, and inspired lives.
Featured Post
Switching to an Oral MS Medication Is a Hard Pill to Swallow
In one of my favorite scenes of the 1970s movie “The Goodbye Girl,” Paula McFadden (played by Marsha Mason) begs Elliot Garfield (played by Richard Dreyfuss) to quit playing the guitar late at night when he can’t…
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It’s No Puzzle: Play Is Good for Your Brain
I don’t know why, but for some reason, two people in my family decided to get me puzzles for Christmas this year. Granted, one is a rad picture of 30 or so classic book covers, and the other is…
Feeling Overwhelmed? Wander Under the Stars
If you read my last column, you know that my Thanksgiving was eventful, to say the least. Well, it looks like Christmas is shaping up to be another banger. My father-in-law is back in the hospital, still trying…
Do What You Can Do (And No More)
I don’t know about you, but last week passed in a blur. I typically enjoy Thanksgiving, but this year, things were a little wonky. My husband’s grandfather passed away a month or so ago, so we weren’t about to…
‘Once More, With Feeling’: How Singing Can Benefit MS Patients
A few weekends ago, I had what I’ve described as a mini midlife crisis. Things with the kids were a mess, my husband was out of town again (to help with a building project on the family farm), and…
No Wasted Moments
A friend of mine recently recommended a book to me by the multitalented Brian Doyle called “One Long River of Song.” Doyle, a devout Catholic (though I don’t think you need to be a Christian to appreciate his…
When Is a Wall Not Just a Wall?
As is usually the way with books I put on hold at the library, three of the novels I’ve been looking forward to reading all came in at the same time. (Why does it always happen that way?) I…
Curing Headaches, Pain, and Stress, One Gizmo at a Time
Though I have fewer headaches than I used to thanks to acupuncture, I can usually count on at least one whammer a month. While I do take my fair share of over-the-counter pain pills, I don’t like taking…
Kintsugi Reminds Me That Living With MS Isn’t Something to Hide
This week, I had a conversation with my eldest son about the importance of saying “I’m sorry,” and making amends when you harm someone or have done something you shouldn’t have. He had made a mistake, spoke words in…
MS and the Beauty of Changing Seasons
I walked outside a couple days ago and something amazing happened. The heat didn’t slap me in the face. The humidity didn’t sit on my chest like some sort of weird, invisible lead weight. (And let me tell you,…
Just Put One Foot in Front of the Other
I’ve been working on my health this last year or so, trying everything from a vegetarian diet to visiting an acupuncturist to help with muscle tension and headaches. All of it has been just wonderful. But the…
Celebrity or Not, You Matter to the MS Community
Christina Applegate, star of classic ’90s films like “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” and TV shows like “Married with Children,” announced last week that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age 49. She didn’t share…
Being Prepared Can Help Us Succeed
This week, my sons returned to school. Both are now in middle school, and let me tell you, this freaks me out deeply as a mother. When we adopted them, the younger boy was only beginning kindergarten, and today,…
Permanent Ink: My Tattoo Serves as an Important Reminder
On July 10, I did something I never thought I’d do: I got a tattoo! I’ve always been fascinated by body art, and any time I see someone with ink I admire, I always ask a ton of questions…
Listening to My Body as I Experiment With a New Diet
For the last year and a half, my husband and I had been following the high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet with some success. I lost 25 pounds, and my spouse (as is often the way with men) lost double…
You Don’t Always Need to Fix It
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most people don’t like a problem without a solution. If something isn’t working correctly, they’d rather fix, alter, or throw it out and start all over than live with “wrongness.” Now, that’s…
Making the Most of Both Good Days and Bad
If you have multiple sclerosis, no matter how long you’ve lived with it, you likely know it can be unpredictable. It can hit in weird ways you’re not expecting, even after years of learning how to deal with it.
A Time for Decision-making
One of my favorite moments in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” involves a stolen fountain pen. If you’ve not read — or better yet, seen — the play, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a story about…
When in Doubt, Make a Mixtape
Spring is here, a time we’d normally be out and about getting some sun and recharging our souls after a long winter. I certainly look forward to working in the yard, hiking, having outdoor picnics, and taking…
To Love Living Things, and to Let Them Go
In her poem “In Blackwater Woods,” Mary Oliver concludes with 10 breathtaking lines: “To live in this world/ you must be able/ to do three things:/ to love what is mortal;/ to hold it/ against your bones knowing/…
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