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…
November 17, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias What I’m thankful for this Thanksgiving It wasn’t a good morning. I was dragging my cement-pillar legs around the kitchen and grew frustrated as I lurched from the refrigerator to the counter to feed the cat and the dog. I’d propped my two canes against the counter, but they’d slid to the floor ā not once,…
November 16, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Understanding multiple sclerosis’ ‘demotivational’ flash points I’ve warned you in previous columns that you might have to endure a rambling story or two from my military past. It’s just that there are so many lessons from the experience that pertain to my multiple sclerosis (MS). It was supposed to rain later that evening, so…
November 13, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: ATA188, biomarkers for MS progression 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 whatās been happening: ATA188 fails a big test ATA188 is an experimental cell therapy developed by Atara BiotherapeuticsĀ aimed at easing MS…
November 9, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister My multiple sclerosis has made me more suspicious As I’ve mentioned a time or two, my wife and I have three boys. Although they’re all under the age of 12, they’ve started to talk like the budding teenagers they are. As they mingle with peers more than their parents, their vocabulary in particular becomes less like ours every…
November 6, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Stem cell transplant, artificial intelligence 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 whatās been happening: Lemtrada or stem cell transplant? While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved stem cell transplants…
November 3, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias My bladder is doing much better these days, but why? I slept through the night last night. Recently, I’ve managed to do that on most nights. No 4 a.m. bathroom trips for me! That’s a big deal. There was a time when I’d get up two or even three times during the night for a bladder run. Sleeping seven or…
November 2, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With multiple sclerosis, the right caregiver is everything There are a lot of things that I’m afraid of. That seems to come with the territory when you have a chronic disease like multiple sclerosis (MS), or when you’re a parent. At the same time, I don’t have any phobias that I’m aware of. To date, I…
November 1, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker Dragged into my MS diagnosis, but now jumping for a cure: Part 4 Multiple Sclerosis News Today has been chronicling MS advocate and podcaster Mike Parkerās journey leading up to a skydiving jump he made on Oct. 29 to benefit the MS Society U.K. Learn more about Mike at mikesmsjourney.com. You can also donate to his fundraiser.Ā Last…
October 30, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: Dalfampridine, Neural Sleeve, vitamin D 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 whatās been happening: Dalfampridine side effects The side effects that might occur if you use dalfampridine (sold under the brand name Ampyra)…
October 27, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Drawn back to the Sunshine State, where my MS symptoms feel better I’m back in my happy place. My wife, Laura, and I, along with our Yorkie-poo and our Maine Coon cat, have made it back to our Florida home after 16 hours and about 1,000 miles of driving over two days. There were no traffic jams, we had a comfortable motel…
October 26, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Pretending to be well so we don’t look like we’re faking being sick Halloween is five days away, and if you have kids, you’re running out of time to have your costumes ready. My wife and our three boys have everything figured out, minus some finishing touches ā unless I want to dress up, of course. Fortunately, I wasn’t planning on it because…
October 25, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker Dragged into my MS diagnosis, but now jumping for a cure: Part 3 Multiple Sclerosis News Today is chronicling MS advocate and podcaster Mike Parkerās journey, leading up to a skydiving jump heāll make Oct. 29 to benefit the MS Society U.K. Learn more about Mike at mikesmsjourney.com. You can also donate to his fundraiser.Ā Third in a…
October 23, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias MS news notes: EBV, stopping a DMT, 3 treatment reports Welcome to āMS News Notes,ā a column where I comment on multiple sclerosis (MS) news stories that caught my eye last week. This week, the stories cover research presented at the joint meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and the…
October 20, 2023 Columns by John Connor This is what happens when I actually take the weekend off A few columns back, I wrote about my lack of time to get anything done. Sure, the way around it would be to get up infernally early ā well, early for me. But Iām most certainly not going to pay to be punished. And thatās the story Iāve always…
October 20, 2023 Columns by Ed Tobias Musicians living with MS find inspiration in their conditions “Iām so tiredThe hammerās coming down againIām hardwiredAll the signals cross and double backBroken insideThereās no fixing anythingHow do i explainIām fighting every day to do the simple things?” The lyrics to “Hammer,” written by singer Susie Ulrey and the band Pohgoh,…
October 19, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With a diagnosis of MS, you learn to expect the unexpected I try not to let my life revolve around multiple sclerosis (MS), but there’s no escaping the fact that the disease affects every part of it. That’s a bit of a conundrum and often frustrates me to no end. If there’s a bright side to be found, it’s that…