DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

September 15, 2020September 11, 2020

The Surprising Reasons You Might Be Bloated

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) struggle with intestinal issues. There is evidence of the link between gut health and MS.  Bloating is a common result of these issues. ... Read more

September 8, 2020September 4, 2020

5 Surprising Ways to Stay Cool Without an Air Conditioner

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

People outside the U.K. might not understand this column, but that’s OK. Not long ago, we had an entire week with temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) in ... Read more

September 1, 2020August 27, 2020

What Does ‘ENabled Warrior’ Mean to You?

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

After I received my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, my nurse handed me a leaflet explaining how to tell those at my workplace I’m “DISabled,” and what that means, and ... Read more

August 25, 2020August 24, 2020

How Much Caffeine Are You Consuming?

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Your alarm sounds at 7 a.m.  You grunt, smash the snooze button, and turn over. Ten minutes later, your alarm sounds again.  You smash snooze.  And repeat another five ... Read more

August 18, 2020August 13, 2020

A Simple Hack to Access Better Treatment by Doctors

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“What was the date of your last relapse?” the neurologist asked while peering over her glasses at me.  I stared back blankly and then shrugged with a sheepish smile. ... Read more

August 11, 2020August 4, 2020

Things People Say When You Tell Them About Your Diagnosis

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

After you receive a diagnosis and are coming to terms with a new way of life, the next part is especially tricky.  You have to tell others.  “Ugh, I ... Read more

August 4, 2020July 30, 2020

3 Ways People Respond to Your MS Diagnosis — and 3 Alternatives

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

After you get a new diagnosis and are coming to terms with a new way of life, the next part is especially tricky. You have to tell others. “Urgh. ... Read more

July 28, 2020July 23, 2020

Managing Expectations on Your Wedding Day

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Rose petal confetti — made from the roses my dad had given me a few days before — rained down as the people I cared about most in the ... Read more

July 21, 2020July 20, 2020

‘You Look OK to Me’

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“You look OK to me.” He stood, towering over me, his big belly billowing from his shirt as he straightened up and lifted his chin, glaring down at me ... Read more

July 14, 2020July 9, 2020

Do You Wish You Could Return to the ‘Old’ You?

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I saw this question asked in a group somewhere not long ago and it got me thinking. Would I go back to the way I was before my multiple sclerosis ... Read more

June 30, 2020July 23, 2020

3 Things to Do If You’re Freaked Out by Blood Tests

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Note: This column was updated July 23, 2020, to remove erroneous information about red blood cells. We regret the error.  When I was newly diagnosed seven years ago, one ... Read more

June 23, 2020June 19, 2020

Being Free from Symptom Flares Makes Me Feel Like a Fraud

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I’m a fraud. Or at least I feel like one.  When writing for a site about multiple sclerosis and setting up a business focused on my diagnosis to help ... Read more

June 16, 2020June 12, 2020

Advice for Helping a Loved One Through a Diagnosis

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Last week, the U.K. marked Carers Week, which got me thinking about how a chronic illness diagnosis often affects a patient’s entire family.  I also was reading how the ... Read more

June 9, 2020June 5, 2020

How to Go on Holiday Without Leaving Your House

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Who wants to go on holiday?!  I know, I know, we can’t physically go anywhere right now, but what if I told you that you could go anywhere you wanted while ... Read more

June 2, 2020May 29, 2020

Starting a Podcast: How I Fought Past Mental Barriers to Help Others

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

You’re chronically ill, super anxious, crazy shy, unconfident, and have no interviewing skills. To some, that recipe may sound like a terrible concoction to start a podcast. However, for ... Read more

May 26, 2020May 22, 2020

We Are What We Tell Ourselves

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

There’s something we need to address, right here, right now. Not all of you will like it or agree with what I’m about to say, and that’s OK. I ... Read more

May 19, 2020May 15, 2020

The Importance of Connecting with Family

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“You can’t say that!” Screams erupted over our Zoom chat resulting in infectious laughter. Admittedly, it was rude, too rude to mention, especially considering the unexpectedness of who said ... Read more

May 12, 2020May 8, 2020

Do You Speak Candidly with Your Partner About Your Diagnosis?

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I hate needles. Being told I’d need to do injections was the worst news ever, second only to my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.  Sitting in the neurologist’s office with ... Read more

May 5, 2020May 1, 2020

3 Techniques to Help You Overcome Anxiety and Stress

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Bookmark this page! Why? Because in this column, I’ll give you three techniques to help manage your anxiety.  Anxiety and stress are unhelpful for anyone’s mind or body, particularly ... Read more

April 28, 2020April 28, 2020

What Will Our ‘New Normal’ Be When the Crisis Is Over?

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

What will the future look like after this coronavirus craziness is over?  One thing is certain: The world can’t go back to being “normal.” This time in isolation has ... Read more

April 21, 2020April 28, 2020

MS Patients Face Additional Barriers Due to the Coronavirus

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Well, this is super weird. Being told to stay home and leave our houses only for food, medication, or exercise is bizarre for those of us in England. It’s ... Read more

April 14, 2020April 10, 2020

An April Fools’ Joke that Wasn’t Very Funny

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“I can’t move my head,” I thought.  It was 5 a.m. on April 1, and the realization of my full bladder prompted my wakening. But I soon realized I ... Read more

April 7, 2020April 1, 2020

How to Maximize Productivity While Working from Home

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I’m grateful that I’ve worked from home for a long time. I imagine that, for many people, working from home for the first time is a difficult adjustment. How ... Read more

March 31, 2020April 28, 2020

How to Cope and Thrive During a Challenging Time

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Living through this unique time is nothing like I’ve ever experienced before.  There’s so much doom and gloom around lately. I don’t know about you, but the constant government ... Read more

March 24, 2020April 28, 2020

Tips for Traveling the World from the Comfort of a Couch

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Following my previous column titled, “5 Free Activities You Can Do at Home During COVID-19 Hibernation,” I thought it would be fun to share some more free things you ... Read more

March 17, 2020May 12, 2020

5 Free Activities You Can Do at Home During COVID-19 Hibernation

Columns, Covid-19, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I don’t watch or listen to the news, but luckily, fellow Multiple Sclerosis News Today columnist Ed Tobias does. I’ve found that avoiding the news has helped to improve ... Read more

March 10, 2020March 6, 2020

Many MS Symptoms Are Invisible: We Need to Share Our Stories

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Like many people with multiple sclerosis, my symptoms are mostly invisible. Many days, fatigue overwhelms me and I have pain somewhere. I tingle all over. I have weird sensory ... Read more

March 3, 2020March 2, 2020

Using Social Media to Challenge Perceptions About Disability

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I recently interviewed filmmaker Celestine Fraser on my podcast. Fraser produced a documentary about chronic illness called “ill, actually.” We touched on some interesting topics, including how people with chronic ... Read more

February 25, 2020February 24, 2020

Reflecting on What Makes Me Rare

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It comes with a new medical language to learn, a plethora of lengthy appointments, an ... Read more

February 14, 2020February 14, 2020

A Detailed Description of What to Expect During an MRI Scan

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can be an odd experience for those who have never had one before. Knowing what to expect beforehand can calm the nerves, so ... Read more

February 11, 2020February 7, 2020

5 Things You Should Do When Traveling with a Chronic Illness

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Traveling is great! We love traveling, seeing new sights, eating different foods, and experiencing new things. But when you have a chronic illness, traveling can also be a nightmare. ... Read more

February 4, 2020February 5, 2020

5 Hacks to Help Manage Your Fatigue

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

One of the most annoying MS symptoms is fatigue. It’s as unpredictable as the British weather and a constant balancing act. On energetic days we tend to do too ... Read more

January 28, 2020January 24, 2020

‘You Can’t Park There, You Are Not Disabled’

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

To those who judge me for using my disabled parking permit when I seemingly look “healthy and well,” please consider your words. There are people out there who “call ... Read more

January 21, 2020January 17, 2020

One Way to Be More Successful in Life with Multiple Sclerosis

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to be able to do so much in a day, despite having some type of ailment, while others seem to be ... Read more

January 14, 2020January 10, 2020

Dispelling 5 Common Myths About MS

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“I will have to use a wheelchair.” That was my first thought when I received a multiple sclerosis diagnosis. After I got my ticket to the weirdest whirlwind weekend ... Read more

January 7, 2020January 6, 2020

‘DISabled to ENabled’: How I Lost Control of My Body

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

“My arm feels dead.” Not the worst thing in the world, you would think. But what it meant changed my life forever.  I’m Jessie Ace, an English writer from ... Read more

December 10, 2019December 6, 2019

5 Things You Should Avoid Saying to Someone with a Chronic Illness

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

After having multiple sclerosis for six years, I’ve decided there are five things “healthy” people might not understand about the disease, and it really drives me crazy.  So, I’ve ... Read more

December 3, 2019November 27, 2019

Can My Mind Control My MS Symptoms?

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

Can your mind control your illness? You might think, “No, of course not, the illness will do what it’ll do. I have no control over that.” What if I ... Read more

November 26, 2019November 22, 2019

From New Hope Emerged an Old Nightmare

Columns, DISabled to ENabled – a Column by Jessie Ace

I was bruised, broken, and in pain. I had been struggling with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) side effects for over a year, ever since my diagnosis. It was the first ... Read more