Posts by: Judy Lynn

Judy Lynn

Judy has been living with MS for 13 years. She remains amazed at the array of symptoms that this chronic degenerative disease of the nervous system may cause. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is reported to have said, "The only thing constant is change." Judy has found this to be particularly true living with MS. She will explore the varied MS symptoms and manifestations, and most importantly, the rainbow of creative adaptations, coping mechanisms, and remedies available for MS patients to try.

April 4, 2018April 3, 2018

2 Great Things that Go Great Together: Calcium and Magnesium

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

While Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are the true “two great things that go great together,” calcium and magnesium take first place for those with MS. Many proponents of special diets ... Read more

March 14, 2018March 13, 2018

Why I Climb Trees

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

In March 2003, I found myself suddenly unable to drive or even walk a straight line through the house. MS had arrived with several active lesions in my brain, including ... Read more

February 21, 2018February 20, 2018

‘Something On Our Minds’: A Book by and for Those with MS

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Frigid winter weather keeping you indoors? Laid up with the flu? If you’re looking for something to do while you power through this cold slog of February, allow me to ... Read more

February 7, 2018February 8, 2018

Carded at Costco

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

I was carded while at Costco with my son just before Christmas. Normally, I’m flattered when asked for ID, but this time was different. The request wasn’t from the cashier ... Read more

January 24, 2018January 23, 2018

Hopping Down the Symptom Trail: Myofascial Release

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

It seemed to be such a harmless rabbit hole. After last week’s column on Rolfing — and a response divided between those who thought it sounded like terrible torture and ... Read more

January 17, 2018January 16, 2018

Rolfing and MS: Bliss or Pain?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Invisible symptoms can create an isolating experience for people with MS. I recently was reminded of the power that lies in finding community and shared experience. Last month’s column discussed the ... Read more

December 20, 2017December 19, 2017

Free Your Fascia!

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

One of the most frustrating aspects of my MS is a frequent feeling of tightness and pain. The sensations may be in my arms, legs, or even in the trunk ... Read more

November 29, 2017November 28, 2017

Exercise and Benefits of an Online Personal Trainer

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

We all have heard that physical activity is important for maintaining health, strength and well-being. It may be even more important for people with MS. Exercise has been shown to improve ... Read more

November 8, 2017November 7, 2017

Show Your Immune System Some Love

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

This weekend, as I turned back the clocks, searched for my Happy Light, and stared in dismay at the first snowfall of the season, I was reminded that it is ... Read more

October 25, 2017October 24, 2017

Friendships and MS

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Maintaining friendships can be challenging for those with a chronic illness. It may be difficult for friends to understand the changes that take place because of MS. Some changes are ... Read more

October 11, 2017October 10, 2017

MS and Employment: Asking for Reasonable Accommodations

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

For those of us in the workforce, our MS can sometimes make a workday challenging. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows for an employee to request reasonable accommodations from their employer. Included ... Read more

September 20, 2017September 19, 2017

Sensory Overload Occurring: Please, Do Not Disturb!

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

The past two weekends found me venturing off on my own for some mini-road trips. Two weeks ago, I volunteered at Bike MS a hundred miles away from my house. ... Read more

September 6, 2017September 6, 2017

Will You Try an Anti-Inflammatory Diet for Your MS?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

The role that diet and lifestyle have on the course of MS is a matter of debate. There is a great deal of conflicting information on the topic, and patients ... Read more

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017

Is MS Pain Giving You Ants in Your Pants and Bees in Your Bonnet?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

It took two years and many doctors to finally receive my MS diagnosis. Frequent painful sensations, such as burning, itching, stabbing, and tingling in my arm and shoulder, led my ... Read more

August 23, 2017August 22, 2017

Building Toward Optimism: The ‘Tetris’ Effect

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

In the video game “Tetris,” players fit falling puzzle pieces together in order to create the most complete picture. As the game continues, the pieces fall faster. Creating order and ... Read more

August 9, 2017August 8, 2017

Mitigating that Pesky Canadian Particulate Matter

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Last week saw much of the Pacific Northwest blanketed by smoke from wildfires in British Colombia. As I pondered the gray haze Thursday, I recalled a piece from a fellow ... Read more

July 26, 2017July 26, 2017

Cruising to Vacation Success with Adequate Preparation

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Earlier this month, I was fortunate to enjoy a beautiful cruise through the inside passage of Alaska. Having done my due diligence (see “Cruising Solutions“), I was prepared with an ... Read more

July 19, 2017July 19, 2017

Find Your Strength and Adjust Your Mindset

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

The second module in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s positive psychology program, “Everyday Matters,” is called “Adjusting Our Mindset,” or “the fulcrum and the lever.” In science, the law of the lever ... Read more

June 28, 2017June 27, 2017

Can You Cultivate Happiness as a Habit?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Last week, I shared details of Everyday Matters, a program by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This self-directed, multi-week program uses the principles of positive psychology. The readings, lessons, and exercises need ... Read more

June 21, 2017June 20, 2017

Everyday Matters: A Positive Program for People with MS

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Many years ago, not long after my MS diagnosis, my cousin gave me a “gratitude journal.” At that time, I was all too aware of what I was not grateful ... Read more

June 14, 2017June 14, 2017

My Bad Attitude About Lassitude, the Clunky Term for MS Fatigue

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Fatigue is a topic I have not wanted to write about. It’s not because the subject isn’t important. As I hemmed and hawed about this week’s column topic, fading in ... Read more

June 7, 2017June 7, 2017

Cruising Toward Solutions for the Other MS — Motion Sickness

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

This summer I will venture out on an Alaskan cruise with my mother and older sister. The beautiful trip through the Inside Passage is on our collective bucket list and ... Read more

May 31, 2017May 30, 2017

Saving Money, Disabled Style: A Response to Invisible Costs

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

A few weeks ago, I wrote about some of the invisible costs of living with MS. Writing that column really got my mind thinking about all the ways that my MS ... Read more

May 17, 2017May 17, 2017

Taming Grumpy Gut

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Many people with MS experience symptoms related to digestion. According to the Pittsburgh Institute for MS Care and Research, “Nearly two-thirds of MS patients have at least one GI symptom that ... Read more

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017

The Hidden Costs of Multiple Sclerosis

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

MS is sneaky. It is expert at evading detection and diagnosis, and often brings a host of invisible symptoms that may come and go at random. MS also brings invisible ... Read more

May 3, 2017May 3, 2017

Unsure Which Way to Turn? Let an MS Navigator Guide You

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

A few years ago, after a fairly stable decade, my MS decided to shake things up. What began as occasional tripping over my own feet soon turned into chronic shin ... Read more

April 5, 2017April 4, 2017

If We Took a Holiday (from Our Meds) It Could Be So Nice!

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

I was a teenager during the 1980s and cannot say the word “holiday” without Madonna’s song playing briefly in my head. For most holidays the perky music seems okay, but ... Read more

March 29, 2017March 29, 2017

The Anniversary Effect: How Do You Remember Your Diagnosis Date?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Editor’s note: Marking the second MS diagnosis anniversary of our columnists in one week, Judy Lynn writes about the “Anniversary Effect.” This week marks the 14th anniversary of my MS diagnosis. ... Read more

March 22, 2017March 21, 2017

How Well Will MS and Jet Lag Play Together?

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Diligent research and planning have left me confident in my ability to enjoy upcoming travels, while managing  MS and health concerns. Decisions have been made regarding luggage, medications, airport travel, ... Read more

March 8, 2017March 8, 2017

Making Careful Travel Plans for MS Medications and Supplies

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

If I were playing “Chronic Disease Bingo,” I’d be a winner! In addition to MS, I have three other chronic health conditions. While that may sound bad, it’s not unusual ... Read more

March 1, 2017March 1, 2017

Tips for MS Travelers Include Diligent Packing Prep and Carrying a Bright Suitcase

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

My coming trip to Spain has me in research mode. After making a list of my travel questions last week, I decided to obtain the answers to just a few each ... Read more

February 22, 2017February 22, 2017

Travel Plans Actually Require Planning These Days, Thanks to MS

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

In my younger years, I took great pride in my far-flung spontaneity, and unfairly judged those I perceived to be too thoughtful and prudent. Age, with its attendant wisdom and ... Read more

February 15, 2017February 15, 2017

MS Support Groups: Pot Brownies, Shoes, Bladders — and Inspiration

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

What do pot brownies, shoe shopping and bladder control have in common? These are just a few of the varied MS self-help support group discussion topics in which I have enjoyed ... Read more

February 8, 2017February 8, 2017

Interferon Hangovers: Managing Treatment Side Effects

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Interferons (Beta and Alpha) are the oldest of the disease-modifying treatments, or DMTs, for people with MS. Interferons include Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, and Plegridy. This column won’t get into the ... Read more

February 2, 2017February 2, 2017

Using the Outdoors to Recalibrate, Forget MS for a While

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

January 2017 has proven to be a bit of a cluster, if you know what I mean. Holiday recovery, out-of-town trips for work, budget cuts, extreme weather and, of course, ... Read more

January 18, 2017January 18, 2017

Cancel the Uber; I’m Staying in This Old, New House (and Body) After All

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

In August I sold my home of 18 years and downsized to a small one-bedroom rental “in town.” For weeks I tripped over boxes, packing paper, out-of-place furniture, the dog, ... Read more

January 11, 2017January 12, 2017

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Can Help You Find and Keep a Job

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

At the time of my MS diagnosis I was a full-time graduate student with plans to obtain a joint Masters of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. After six years as a ... Read more

January 4, 2017January 4, 2017

Party with MS: Tips for Staying Aware, Carefree on the Dance Floor

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Cookies and veggie tray in tow, and trepidation in check, I ventured to a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house. Since my diagnosis of MS, New Year’s Eve ... Read more

December 21, 2016December 21, 2016

Multitasking vs. Mindfulness

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

The glory days of multitasking may be fading. More and more research points to the fact that our brains actually cannot multitask. Rather, the brain shifts rapidly (it’s all relative) ... Read more

December 7, 2016December 16, 2016

Winter Is a Time to Recharge Amid Nature’s Quiet

Columns, You've Got Some Nerves - A Column By Judy Lynn

Our daylight hours continue to get shorter, as we get closer and closer to the winter solstice. At 4:15 p.m. I close the curtains and blinds, uncomfortable sitting on display ... Read more