A letter to a younger me newly diagnosed with MS
Dear younger self, As I sit down to write this letter, I can’t help but tear up at the thought of you. First and foremost, you’re an amazing soul, full of life and…
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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My mom has been my advocate as I’ve been living with MS
I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis at 17 years old, during my senior year of high school. At that time, the diagnosis was the least of my worries because my top priorities…
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My little brother is my hero in life with multiple sclerosis
My mom always wished for a son and a daughter. Ten years after I was born, her dream became a reality with the arrival of my baby brother, Michael. Because I was the only…
My graduate studies help me better understand the effects of ableism
In previous columns, I’ve shared that I’m a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, but what exactly does that entail? Almost every time I tell someone I’m pursuing a doctorate…
Weak hands are a problematic MS symptom for a graduate student
As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I’m now pursuing a doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Given that work, 99.9% of my day revolves around typing, despite my…
Reflections on the meaning of authenticity while living with MS
Recognizing and valuing authenticity is an aspect of life I began to grasp only a few years ago. During the peak of quarantine restrictions due to COVID-19, I was forced to move back home…
Learning to say no takes practice, but it’s essential in life with MS
Many of my personal breakthroughs and discoveries occurred during college, when I was living in a new city as a young adult with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). One of those “aha!” moments was…
Learning to manage cognitive impairment with multiple sclerosis
Upon commencing my undergraduate studies at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, I pursued a major in prehealth neuroscience. I had decided to pursue this degree shortly after my diagnosis of…
How a support system helps me persevere on my MS journey
My graduation ceremony at the University of Texas at Austin had just ended, and there were swarms of people everywhere I looked. I was sweating profusely in the summer heat and overstimulated by the…
Unraveling my ‘authentically human’ multiple sclerosis story
My adolescent years can be characterized by a series of naps, long-lasting migraines, always being sick, and never being able to donate blood, which my family and I never understood. My journey with…
