Fighting Through Grief While Moving Forward
Overachieving is my jam. Go big or go home. I strive to be the best at whatever it is I…
Articles by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell
Seeking Permission to Escape
I have been living in the land of Netflix. It went from a place I would visit from time to…
Learning to Navigate Cog Fog
The cog fog (cognitive fog) is thick and heavy. I cannot seem to extract words from the alphabet soup…
Reclaiming Our Sexual Health
I am often so preoccupied with the daily maintenance of MS that I forget where the disease ends and I…
Restarting Rituxan: One Down, and a Lifetime to Go
Last week, I again started my twice-annual infusion of Rituxan (rituximab). After 384 days without my disease-modifying therapy,…
The Contrast Between Positivity and the Realities of MS
I am tired of having multiple sclerosis. I am just so tired of this disease. And you know what? That…
Sailing Beyond Fear With SPMS
I grew up sailing the San Francisco Bay. My summers were spent in sailing school. My father’s daughter, I…
A Dog’s Love in a World of MS
I am staring at my golden retriever, Abby, as she sleeps on the lawn, the afternoon sun dancing through…
Accepting a New Diagnosis
I have long preached the merits of acceptance. In embracing my MS, I have mitigated much of the accompanying…
How to Feed Your Soul and Find Positivity Amid MS
Our thoughts influence our being. The stories we tell ourselves frame our reality. They affect the decisions we make, our…
When You Become the Caregiver, You Must Push Past MS for Love
I like my husband. I like his generous heart, his humility, and his penchant for Tommy Bahama shorts, T-shirts,…
Laughter Is Good Medicine: Levity in an MS Life
If laughter is the best medicine, then I have a functional pharmacy. I love to laugh and enjoy humor. If…
Connecting Through MS on World MS Day 2020
May 30 was World MS Day 2020, an annual initiative for the MS community worldwide to unite. The…
Words to Live by: ‘I Am Fine’
“I am fine.” Three words I know as rote. I say them frequently and without hesitation. I utter them as…
Multiple Sclerosis and Melodies: Healing Through Music
Music is a spiritual experience. I love music in all of its forms. I grew up being serenaded by parents…
Finding Myself in Multiple Sclerosis: Loving the B-side
I lie on my stomach in a Downward Dog fail. I am doing yoga, or something like it. I open…
To Thine Own Self Be Kind: Spreading the Message of Self-care
I give freely of my heart and wear it proudly on my sleeve. Those who know me would say it…
Manifesting Change with SPMS
The state of our world lies heavy on my shoulders. I worry about and miss my family. Our geographical…
Zeposia Is Now Approved, But Expect Delays
Zeposia’s recent approval in the U.S. is exciting news for all in the MS community. Unfortunately, we will need to…
I’m Choosing to Let My Spirit Shine During the COVID-19 Crisis
We are living in unprecedented times. Years from now, references will be made to COVID-19. Numbers of those afflicted…
A Life Unscripted: Choosing Positivity During a Pandemic
Life is unscripted. It is messy and uncertain, with change being the only constant. Much like living with multiple sclerosis,…
An Outlier with MS, Coronavirus Nears as I Self-isolate
“It’s the end of the world as we know it.” — R.E.M. Welcome to the world of COVID-19.
I Am Beautifully Rare Despite SPMS
I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and I am rare. In honor of Rare Disease Day on Feb.
Finding My Way Through Sickness and Sadness with SPMS
I am hyperaware of the fragility of life. More specifically, the fragility of mine. Secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is…
Could Myeliviz, a New Imaging Agent of Myelin, Be a Game-changer?
Myelin is the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers and is damaged in those with multiple sclerosis. Quantifying the…
The Rise of Superbugs, Antibiotic Resistance, and MS
I am living with an unenviable reality. An antibiotic-resistant, hospital-acquired infection that I developed two decades ago has reappeared.
Traveling Without the Baggage of Fear
Traveling with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is challenging. International travel adds some extra lengthy steps. That said, I have…
Allowing Grief: The Importance of Letting Go
I sat stunned as tears welled. I gazed toward the pain in my knee. My pants were torn. Blood pooled,…
The 10 Years Since My Diagnosis Has Brought Many Blessings
Life is never how you expect or predict it to be. Things happen today that we couldn’t have anticipated. We…
Holding onto Joy and Sadness This Holiday Season
As a little girl, I loved Christmas. My parents went to great lengths to make the experience magical. Santa was…