Columns

April 9, 2021April 7, 2021

Can You Care Too Much? Er, Maybe!

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

One of the conditions of being released from the hospital a couple of weeks ago was that I had carers come to my home four times a day for six ... Read more

April 9, 2021April 7, 2021

An Update on My Lemtrada Journey, 3 Years After Round 2

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Where has the time gone? It’s been three years since I completed my second round of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) infusions. So, it’s time to take another look at where this journey ... Read more

April 6, 2021April 2, 2021

Rediscovering My Passion for Running Helped Me Regain Control of My MS

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Sunlight flooded my bedroom. My tired eyes slowly pulled apart. Realization set in: It was Saturday. Yes! I love Saturdays.  As I got out of bed and glanced outside my ... Read more

April 5, 2021April 5, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Nasal Spray Treatment, Anxiety Management, POMS, PoNS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

SPMS Patient First to Be Treated With Antibody Given via Nasal Spray How great is this? As someone who gave himself an injection in his thigh for many years and ... Read more

April 2, 2021March 31, 2021

The Beginning of Spring Reminds Me That the World Is So Wonder-full

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

The daffodils are in full bloom. There are leaves on my Japanese red maple tree again. Seeds are going into the garden. Yes, the cruel season known as winter is ... Read more

April 2, 2021April 2, 2021

To Have a Persistent UTI or Not? That Is the Question

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

If you read last week’s column, you’ll know I’ve just been through hell — which is a pretty big statement for an atheist. Of course, if there is a hell, ... Read more

April 2, 2021March 31, 2021

Why We Still Need to Wear Masks, Socially Distance, and Wash Our Hands

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

“I’ve had my shots, so I’m protected,” a friend recently told me, referring to the COVID-19 vaccine.  My wife and I also have received our COVID-19 vaccines. More than a ... Read more

April 1, 2021March 30, 2021

To Define My Reality With MS, I Choose Optimism

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I am an optimist in a pessimistic world. A fish out of water. I hold hope to ward off messages of defeat. In a world rife with suffering, hope is ... Read more

March 30, 2021March 26, 2021

Sharing the Experiences of Others During MS Awareness Month

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

It’s nearly the end of MS Awareness Month.  Previously, I spoke about helping out with the 31 Days of MS initiative by MS News Today and its parent company, BioNews, ... Read more

March 29, 2021March 29, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: COVID-19, UK ‘Mega-trial’, Pilates, Rituximab

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Certain Factors Worsen Outcomes in MS Patients With COVID-19 The worse your MS disability is, it seems, the worse the outcome if you’re infected with the novel coronavirus that causes ... Read more

March 26, 2021March 24, 2021

The MS Astronaut Returns After a 10-day Hospital Stay

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

So, where off Earth have I been? Nothing as adventurous as a space flight, I’m afraid, but a more prosaic litany of mishaps. First, I did crash, but that was ... Read more

March 26, 2021March 26, 2021

Ocrevus and PML: Should We Be Worried?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

The journal JAMA Neurology recently reported that a 78-year-old man with progressive multiple sclerosis died after being diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a brain disease. The man, diagnosed with ... Read more

March 25, 2021March 23, 2021

Management Through Meditation: Balance Can Happen With MS

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

Expectations equal resentment. It’s simple logic, yet profoundly true. Each time I set an expectation for myself or someone else, I set myself up for a potential letdown. Resentment happens ... Read more

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021

How an MS Episode Gave Me Mental Strength and Clarity

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” The other night I watched the movie “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and seeing the portrayal of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury as ... Read more

March 22, 2021March 22, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Ponvory, Ocrevus, COVID-19 Survey, Ampyra

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Ponvory (ponesimod) Approved for Adults With Relapsing Forms of MS Add one more medication to the disease-modifying therapy (DMT) arsenal. Ponvory is a once-a-day pill that aims to reduce immune ... Read more

March 19, 2021March 17, 2021

‘I’d Prefer Not To’: Confronting the Tasks We Don’t Want to Do

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

For a week, I’ve spent my afternoons painting our enclosed garden. When we built it last spring, the wood was new and lovely, but rain and sun have taken a ... Read more

March 19, 2021March 17, 2021

The MS Immune System: Suppressed, Compromised, or What?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Lately, I’ve seen a lot of incorrect information on social media about how multiple sclerosis affects our immune system. Some of it seems to be prompted by concerns that MS ... Read more

March 18, 2021March 16, 2021

Excising the Complaints in My Life Helps Me Manage MS

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I failed the complaint challenge. The goal was to go 24 hours without complaining — no complaining about anything. Yet while the objective is commendable, a win is nearly impossible. ... Read more

March 16, 2021March 11, 2021

How I Find Certainty While Living With an Unpredictable Illness

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I glanced at the clock: 15:51. I was relieved. For some reason, I’ve been obsessed with time lately. I’m not sure if it’s due to lockdown anxiety or the ups ... Read more

March 15, 2021March 15, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Cure Connections, PIPE-307, Temelimab, EHP-101

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

NeurologyLive, CMSC Launch Expert Video Series ‘Cure Connections’ This series of 13 videos, designed for healthcare professionals, focuses on diagnosing MS, its psychological impact, managing symptoms, and treatments. Quality-of-life issues, ... Read more

March 12, 2021March 8, 2021

My 2nd COVID-19 Vaccine Shot Caused No Harsh Side Effects

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Last week, my wife and I were back in Bowie, Maryland, for our second shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. It was a sunny and warm afternoon after a windy, ... Read more

March 9, 2021March 5, 2021

On Difficult Days With MS, Try Shifting Your Focus to Gratitude

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

We often focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. This doesn’t just apply to our relationships, but to everything: our carers, our careers, our children, our ... Read more

March 8, 2021March 8, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: COVID-19 Vaccines, Benign and Aggressive MS, Cog Fog, Diet

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

All of the stories this week are from the ACTRIMS 2021 Forum, an MS research conference held virtually Feb. 25–27. #ACTRIMS2021 – COVID-19 Vaccines Safe for MS Patients, Minimally Affected ... Read more

March 5, 2021March 2, 2021

This Is What Love Looks Like

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Last night, as I was grumpily prowling through a pile of overpriced red and white striped hats looking for one that would fit my fifth grader, I asked myself, Why ... Read more

March 5, 2021March 3, 2021

I Had a Stupid, Scary Spill, but It Could Have Been Much Worse

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

“Ooooops!” Actually, I spit out a shorter, one-syllable word as I took one of the scariest tumbles I’ve had in 40 years of living with MS. But this is a ... Read more

March 4, 2021March 2, 2021

Learning to Ride Along With the Ebbs and Flows of Multiple Sclerosis

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I am uncomfortable amid ambiguity and unknowns. I find myself searching for rationale when, at times, none exists. I crave clarity yet mostly exist amid the fogginess of MS. I ... Read more

March 2, 2021February 25, 2021

MS Is Like Having a Winning Ticket to a Club You Never Wanted to Join

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Recently, I was given the exceptional honor of finding stories for MS News Today‘s upcoming “31 days of MS“ initiative. I loved the challenge, and used it as an opportunity ... Read more

March 1, 2021March 1, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: POMS and Sunshine, Music Therapy, Tysabri, Socioeconomic Status

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Stories marked #ACTRIMS2021 are by members of the Multiple Sclerosis News Today team, who reported on this annual conference of MS researchers, held virtually this year due to COVID-19. #ACTRIMS2021 ... Read more

February 26, 2021February 24, 2021

After a Full Dose of Steroids, I’m Still a Little Old Man at 63

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

“Let’s go for a walk,” my wife, Jane, chirpily suggested. This was a bit of a nightmare. I had to put on trousers. I perhaps cheekily get away with only ... Read more

February 26, 2021February 25, 2021

The Disturbing Trend of Caregiver Abuse in the MS Community

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

This is disturbing and, unfortunately, not surprising. More than 50% of people with advanced multiple sclerosis reported they’ve been mistreated by a family member or friend who cares for them, ... Read more

February 23, 2021February 23, 2021

Why It’s Important to Promptly Address Changes in MS Symptoms

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Tingling fluttered down my spine and into my butt.  “What on earth was that?” I thought. I bent my head forward again, and the same thing happened.  “OK, that’s weird.” I ... Read more

February 22, 2021February 22, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: Tysabri, Evobrutinib, Diet Study, Rituximab

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Drop in PML With Tysabri Use in Sweden Likely Due to Risk Management Plan I’m JCV-positive, so I’m at risk for PML if I’m being treated with Tysabri. And I ... Read more

February 19, 2021February 17, 2021

Miracles From a Pile of Broken Glass

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I’ve recently been sucked into watching “Blown Away” on Netflix. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s a reality TV show in which 10 master glass artists ... Read more

February 19, 2021February 17, 2021

Here’s What Our Alternative Valentine’s Day Is Like With MS

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

Ah, timing. It was early Saturday afternoon on Feb. 13, and my wife, Jane, had just flushed the toilet for me. The doorbell rang — my flowers had arrived. An ... Read more

February 19, 2021February 17, 2021

Are You Having Trouble Paying for Your MS Medications?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

If you’re having trouble paying for your MS medications, you’re not alone. I regularly see social media posts from people whose insurance has changed or whose insurance company has suddenly ... Read more

February 18, 2021February 16, 2021

On Rare Disease Day, I’m Celebrating Being Extraordinarily Ordinary

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

Rare – adjective Not occurring very often; uncommon Unusually good or remarkable On Feb. 28, the world will celebrate international Rare Disease Day. A rare disease is one that affects ... Read more

February 16, 2021February 11, 2021

Virtual Reality Could Play a Role in the Future of Our Health

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

This week, I went to Tokyo, saw elephants up close in Africa, flew over New York, and watched a stage show, all in one day. How was it possible? Virtual ... Read more

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: DMTs and COVID-19 Vaccines, Better Trials, Ocrevus, Spinal Lesions

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

National MS Society Urges DMT Dosing Changes for COVID-19 Vaccinations The National MS Society has revised its COVID-19 vaccine recommendations first issued about a month ago. The guidelines still say ... Read more

February 12, 2021February 11, 2021

Britain Leads the World in Two Types of Jabbing

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

I was 6 years old when British boxer Henry Cooper knocked Cassius Clay on his bottom. (It was that long ago, folks — 1963. This was before Clay’s religious conversion ... Read more

February 12, 2021February 10, 2021

The First COVID-19 Shot Is Finally in My Arm

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

It’s a good thing my wife, Laura, is persistent. Thanks to her tenacity, we’ve both been able to get our first shots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. According to the ... Read more