March 18, 2024 Columns by Leigh Anne Nelson My nearly 20-year journey to get my diagnosis of MS Hi! Iām new ā not to having multiple sclerosis (MS), but to being a columnist. I’m a daughter, wife, mother of two young adults, dog mom, sister, aunt, friend, college professor, pharmacist, avid reader, nature lover, and an MS warrior. I was diagnosed with MS in 2014, although…
March 14, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister When you have multiple sclerosis, let assistive devices assist you Aside from a few unpleasant moments, I enjoyed my time as a medic in the U.S. military ā so much so that when I began to slow down noticeably, I decided to continue in that field by applying to become a physician assistant (PA). I initially wanted to…
March 13, 2024 Columns by Mike Parker Despite MS, I’m regaining the desire to get behind the wheel At the age of 40, I’ve never passed my driving test. I know that’s shocking. Here in the United Kingdom, we must pass two sections to be licensed to drive: a theory test and the practical test. I’ve passed the theory part three times but was never able to pass…
March 7, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister What do the principles of patrolling have to do with multiple sclerosis? The U.S. military loves abbreviations and acronyms. So many of these are learned during a soldier’s first year that, to civilians, a conversation between service members might sound like a foreign language. It can be amusing, but the intention of this method of condensing words is not to confuse. It’s…
February 29, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Your perception of multiple sclerosis probably isnāt my reality There are several good reasons why you won’t see me in television commercials for multiple sclerosis (MS)Ā treatments anytime soon. For one, I’m not much of an actor, despite my brief moment of high school fame. For another, even though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that…
February 28, 2024 Columns by Mike Parker MS awareness events are an opportunity to build understanding We’ve all heard comments from people who aren’t educated about multiple sclerosis (MS). Some that I’ve heard include “My friend had that and is fine now,” “Eating better will fix you,” and “Try a parasite cleanse.” I have to chuckle at these statements.Ā With March not far away,…
February 22, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister How to ask for help ā and offer it Just three years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), I was on what was to be my last overseas tour with the U.S. Army. One day while dozing during a lull in a mission, I was awakened by the sensation of someone standing over me.
February 15, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Caesar taught us about the importance of taking the next step Last month, I told you that while I’m not a psychologist, I’m fascinated by the subject. I should probably make a list of things I don’t do but still find interesting. One of those professions we can add to the list is historian. I enjoy reading and learning about…
February 14, 2024 Columns by Mike Parker Why I’m actually looking forward to a date with the MRI scanner As those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) know, every so often a call comes or a letter arrives telling us we have a date with an extraordinary friend: the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. For me, it seems that time has arrived again. Just a few days…
February 8, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister A decade with multiple sclerosis demands an anniversary celebration Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. If you haven’t gotten anything for your significant other yet, let me add to the holidayās commercialization by reminding you that time is running out. It really wasn’t my foremost intention to spur anyone into panicked action. This column isn’t even about…
February 7, 2024 Columns by Mike Parker Excursions require extra planning for those with mobility issues Summer planning has started for my family, which means trying to arrange trips and time together. Before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), we could simply book an excursion that looked enjoyable. But now, thanks to my mobility issues, planning is slightly tricker. In the…
February 1, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister How sleep apnea and multiple sclerosis cause me relentless fatigue I feel like I’ve written a lot of negative, maybe even depressing, columns lately. While multiple sclerosis (MS) can be a pretty negative and depressing subject, I’m normally a bit more upbeat. We’ve been having cold and gloomy weather lately, and I’d like to blame my low spirits on…
January 31, 2024 Columns by Mike Parker I’m struggling with mental health as MS causes major life changes Because multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed much of my life in a short amount of time, I’m now fighting mental health issues. Things have been especially tough since the start of the new year. Usually, I’d spend January working, planning holiday time, and looking at my calendar to…
January 22, 2024 Columns by BioNews Staff Celebrating the legacy of MS columnist Beth Shorthouse-Ullah My name is Dave and I’m Beth Shorthouse-Ullah’s husband. We had spoken about the possibility of writing a column that looks at the experiences of partners of people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). But instead of sharing a thought-provoking piece from another perspective, today I sadly announce that Beth…
January 18, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With multiple sclerosis, the lesser of two evils is the one you choose My father taught me to play chess when I was barely old enough to say the names of the pieces.Ā I wasn’t a child prodigy or anything like that. I never joined a chess club or competed in a single tournament. I simply enjoyed the game…
January 11, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister My nonprofessional take on the psychology of multiple sclerosis I’m not a psychologist, but if you’re a regular reader of my column, you know that I’m intrigued by the subject. I seem to be particularly drawn to unusual conditions and making amateurish comparisons to multiple sclerosis (MS). In my defense, MS has odd symptoms, so…
January 4, 2024 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister How good surveillance can help detect the early signs of MS About four years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), someone else inadvertently ādiagnosedā me. This person wasn’t medically trained, probably had no personal knowledge of MS, and didn’t actually use the words āmultiple sclerosis.ā Still, they gave me one of the best clues in my quest…
December 28, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister This New Year’s, I resolve to express more gratitude ā just not for MS The new year is nearly upon us, so if you’re planning to make any resolutions, you should probably narrow down the list. As I said last year, I’m not in the habit of making any, but I did resolve to foster a sense of hope. I still have what…
December 26, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker The perfect response: Endless support after my diagnosis of MS When my general practitioner first spoke about the possibility of a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in February 2022, I walked out of his office. I broke down in tears; I was terrified. At that instant, my first thought was, “OK, so how long do I have left?”…
December 21, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister When you have multiple sclerosis, be sure to cast the right shadow I’m not very good at this sort of thing, but depending on whether or not you count today and the 25th itself, we’ve got about four days left until Christmas. If I still needed to get my wife anything, I’d be entering shopping panic mode about now. Fortunately, I don’t…
December 20, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker Struggles and successes in my first full year since my diagnosis of MS Where has the year gone? As we move closer to Christmas and a new year, Iāve pondered what the past 12 months of change have brought to my life. At the beginning of the year, I was working full time and still coming to terms with the diagnosis of…
December 14, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister A lesson from my military days helps me manage holiday plans When I was in the military, I wore several different hats. A U.S. Special Forces team has only 12 soldiers, so we couldn’t afford for anyone to know just one trick, no matter how good that trick might be. In addition to each person’s primary job, everyone had to know…
December 8, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias After more than 7 years, ‘The MS Wire’ column is moving on This is my 823rd column for Multiple Sclerosis News Today. It is also my last. Over the past seven and a half years, I’ve written about multiple sclerosis (MS) fatigue and frustration, about treatments and travel, about neurologists (good and bad), stress,…
December 7, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With multiple sclerosis, a little guilt might be under the Christmas tree Counting today, there are only 18 shopping days left until Christmas. Unless you’re one of those annoying people who did all their gift buying months ago and won’t stop talking about it, the clock is ticking. I guess that makes me one of those annoying people who reminds you of…
December 6, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker To obtain an MS diagnosis, I had to overcome my MRI phobia Many years ago, I had an MRI scan on my right knee, and it didnāt go well. In fact, panic set in when I first looked at the scanner, as the tube seemed small. After I lay down and the operator started moving the table, I faced a…
November 30, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Is multiple sclerosis everywhere, or am I just more aware of it now? I encountered multiple sclerosis (MS) for the first time in a Valdosta High School math class. Before my geometry teacher was diagnosed, I had never known anyone with the disease and, in all likelihood, was completely ignorant about it. I would hear the name again about 10 years…
November 29, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker How I kept going after a discouraging diagnosis of MS Let me introduce myself: I’m Mike, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to share my story. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in August 2022. Since then, a lot has changed, including the loss of a 20-year career, worsening mobility problems, and the start of…
November 27, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Vumerity, herpes virus, caregivers Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at some of whatās been happening: A good report for Vumerity Final results are in from the EVOLVE-MS-1 clinical trial for patients with…
November 24, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias What it was like attending a Queen concert with a mobility aid For someone with multiple sclerosis (MS), going to a venue to see a concert or sporting event can be an experience filled with uncertainty ā especially if, like me, they’re using a mobility aid. For me to do it, I have to ask myself several questions: How will I…
November 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: COVID-19, MS blood tests Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. Hereās a look at some of whatās been happening. MS relapses and COVID-19 Since COVID-19 became a concern over three years ago, I’ve read many comments…