It’s funny how multiple sclerosis (MS) has a way of silencing me. Since my diagnosis in 2016, I’ve felt as if something else has been speaking, moving, and living through me. Although I’ve been present in my own body, it often feels like I’m simply waiting on the sidelines.
Authentically Human - Desiree Lama
Desiree Lama is a 20-something-year-old PhD student living in Austin, Texas. She was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis during high school at only 17 years old but began experiencing symptoms at 14. Since a young age, she has found a safe haven in writing because her grandma fostered her love for words and learning. Desiree lives her life through being authentically human in a superficial world. In this column, she will share personal memos of being a disabled, bisexual Mexican woman in an overcritical world. Desiree hopes that this column will encapsulate the captivatingly burdensome feelings of human existence, especially for those with MS.
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When I was a little girl, I spent many days at my grandmother’s house while my parents worked. We tended to her garden, gossiped on the front porch, and baked together in the kitchen. I reminisce about those days with love, happiness, and comfort, as they are some of my…
There is something about the promise of autumn that makes August feel even hotter. Every year, as summer winds down, I look forward to cooler mornings, changing leaves, cozy sweaters, and the unmistakable feeling of a new season. But here in Central Texas, autumn can feel more like an idea…
A headache can come and go. You take a break, drink some fluids, and eventually it fades away. But a migraine is not that kind of a headache. Migraines are not “bad headaches.” They are a neurological condition that can affect how someone sees, thinks, feels, and functions. A…
For many people, summer is synonymous with freedom. It’s the season of beach vacations, backyard barbecues, outdoor concerts, and long evenings spent soaking up every last ray of sunshine. Social media is filled with pictures of pool days and tropical getaways, making it seem like everyone is eager to spend…
The most dreaded part of my year has arrived yet again: MRI time. Since I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2016, I have undergone at least one MRI every year to monitor my disease and evaluate the efficacy of my disease-modifying therapy. Although I…
Raised by a single mom, I always knew I had someone in my corner, encouraging my wildest dreams, while supporting me through my journey with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). For as long as I can remember, I’ve been driven by a desire to challenge myself and embrace new…
One of the most exhausting parts of living with multiple sclerosis (MS) isn’t always the symptoms themselves. Sometimes, it’s the constant guessing game. Every ache, twinge, headache, moment of fatigue, or lapse in memory can send me down a mental rabbit hole. Is this MS? Am I experiencing a…
Because multiple sclerosis (MS) is so unpredictable, many of us experience a silent battle of grieving what was, while simultaneously navigating what will become of our lives. It might seem to an outsider that the sorrow comes from mourning only the loss of major milestones, but we also deal…
During my sophomore year of high school, my class schedule was changed against my wishes, resulting in me having to enroll in a theater class for the semester. Although I had dabbled in choir during middle school, band was where my heart resided. I had no interest in pursuing other…
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