Faith of the Mustard Seed - a Column by Debi Wilson

Faith_of_the_Mustard_Seed

Debi is a retired admissions and marketing director residing in Oregon. She is a mother of three grown children and has three grandchildren. She was diagnosed with PPMS in 2010. With her column, “Faith of the Mustard Seed,” she hopes to help and inspire others who are also dealing with MS.

Losing Our Independence Due to Multiple Sclerosis

Losing our independence due to multiple sclerosis is a profound loss. With that loss comes the grieving process and inevitable change. On Grief.com in “A Message from David Kessler,” he discusses the fiveĀ stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I have experienced all of these…

Calming the Hidden Beast of Silent Inflammation

The inflammation in our bodies can be very sneaky. I am not talking about the good inflammation, also known as the group of hormones called eicosanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids). This group of hormones provoke our immune system to fight diseases, viruses and other invaders and help in repairing tissues…

Hypothyroidism and What It Shares with MS

In 2004, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a condition in which theĀ thyroid is underactive and doesn’t product enough important hormones. Six years later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Naturally, I became curious as to whether a link might exist between between hypothyroidism and MS. I am…

Address Primary Symptoms to Avoid Secondary Ones

Multiple sclerosis is a very complex disease that attacks the central nervous system. The symptoms MS generates are random, affect everyone differently, and are categorized either as primary MS, or secondary MS, symptoms. Primary MS symptoms are the direct result ofĀ the disease itself ā€” byproducts of the damaged…

A Game of Spin the Bottle, Then Mono, EBV and MS

A popular theory of what contributes to developing multiple sclerosis is a disease called mononucleosis (also known as glandular fever), which can be caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It is thought that the virus weakens our defenses in the blood-brain barrier, allowing white blood…

Is Ocrevus Right for Me? So Close, Yet So Far

History has been made because of a major breakthrough for multiple sclerosis sufferers everywhere. Ocrevus (ocrelizumab),Ā by Genentech, has been finally approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is the first drug treatment that includes my type of MS, primary progressive. This is what I’ve…

Serenity Now: Relaxation Techniques for MS, Part Two

My last column “Serenity Now: Relaxation Techniques for MS, Part One” offered some quick and easy suggestions on how to relax in times of stress. This columnĀ is a continuationĀ of that series. Movement, massage and applied pressure to the correct areas have many benefits. Massaging certain areas of…

Serenity Now: Relaxation Techniques for MS, Part One

Relaxation and serenity are both attainable with the correct calming techniques. When overwhelmed by stress, the skills that have been gained and practiced become second nature to be summoned as needed. The combination of stress and multiple sclerosis can wreak havoc in the body. It can lead to a…

An MS Exacerbation ā€” Did I Just Blow a Fuse?

When describing a multiple sclerosis exacerbation (also called a relapse, attack, or flare-up), comparing it to a home’s circuit panel is a good analogy to use. When a fuse blows on the circuit board the power is interrupted. During an MS attack, the myelin sheath that covers nerve axons…

Benefits of Music Therapy for MS

Music therapy has long been known for its healing powers ā€” its useĀ dates back to WWI, where it was used to help with the physical and emotional healing of the wounded. Music can also be of help to those of us with multiple sclerosis. An article from the…

Does your MS Fatigue and Energy Need a Boost?

Does your MS fatigue and energy need a boost? I know mine does; having multiple sclerosis drains my battery very quickly. Add to that a terrible cold I had recently, and my fatigue has doubled, and my energy has left the building! While looking for a magic…

How the Blood Brain Barrier May Thwart MS Progression

Lately, I have been reading more and more about the potential connection between the blood brain barrier and multiple sclerosis. I have been researching the blood brain barrier (BBB) to better understand it and share my findings with readers. The BBB is a network of endothelial cells…

Tips to Fend Off Invasion of the Common Cold

The common cold is upon me as I sit here laboring to breathe, with water-soaked eyes and a rumbling cough. I am under attack, an enemy has infiltrated my multiple sclerosis-weakened immune system. The antagonists have found a warm home and they are fighting to stay. It is…

Indeed, Laughter is the Best Medicine

“Laughter is the best medicine.” We may never know where this quote originated, but it’s a good one. The benefits of a loud, robust belly laugh are many! According to many internet sites laughter has great short-term effects. When you laugh, it doesn’t just lift you mentally, it…

Grief, Self-preservation and Multiple Sclerosis

Grief can weaken our immune system, elevate our blood pressure, and affect our overall health. During a loss, especially one ofĀ the magnitude of a loved one, self-preservation is not always a top priority. For those of us with multiple sclerosis, the mental anguish that isĀ grief can exacerbate our already…

Tinnitus and MS: An Annoying Combination

Loss of hearing symptoms such as tinnitus are not usually attributed to multiple sclerosis, but for those with MS whoĀ do experience tinnitus, like me, they can be very annoying. The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) describes the symptoms as: “the perception of sound when no actual external noise is present.

High dose biotin protocol – my nine month update!

Nine months ago I started the high dose biotin protocol. I did so in an effort to slow the progression of my primary progressive multiple sclerosis. This is the link for my first article in August detailing the high dose biotin protocol and my results at that time.

Know which questions to ask your neurologist about MRIs

I’m sure all of us with multiple sclerosis have had at least one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Most likely, more than one. MRIs are designed to scan and provide detailed pictures of the body, the brain included. The test can reveal scars (plaque lesions) on the brain and the…

Feeling Motivated, When Your MS Isn’t!

Keeping motivated is a daily struggle, and honestly, most days I just don’t feel like moving. I feel better once I do, of course, but the motivation to move and be productive is lacking. Here are a few tips that I find helpful to help keep me motivated and…

When Accessibility Becomes a Question of “Why Bother?”

My first encounter with “Why bother?” was in 2011. My whole family had met in Maui to celebrate my daughter Amber’s wedding. It also was my first travel since my 2010 primary progressive multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and my first trip with a wheelchair. I didn’t realize when you fly…

I Am Very Thankful for My MS Diagnosis

  I am thankful for a lot of things in my life and my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis is one of them. Before learning it was MS, I was on a very long roller-coaster ride of unexplained symptoms. Test after test came back normal. Yet, I still had weak…

Pseudobulbar Affect and other rare MS conditions

Multiple sclerosis, as with other neurological disorders, brings a lot of changes to our bodies. Many changes and symptoms are much more common than others. It is the lesser-known conditions that MS evokes that sparked my interest for this column. Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA): is a rare condition reported to…

Us with MS – How Do People See Us?

Years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the administrator at my jobĀ assumed one day that I had been drinking or that I was on something. My balance was a little off and I bumped into a wall right in front of her. I didn’t think anything of it…

Avoiding the Black Hole of MS Depression

The black hole ā€” that is the name I have given to my MS depression (yep, I name my depression. Doesn’t everyone?). It’s so easy to become depressed when you have MS. The disease is always on our minds. We are always thinking aboutĀ how to maneuver our daily life…

Fall Is Here ā€¦ Not Literally, I Hope

Fall is here and things are a little more slick. Walking for most of us with multiple sclerosis involves weakened legs andĀ lack ofĀ balance. We have daily challenges getting around in good weather, let alone bad. Add a little rain, a few gusts of wind, and some bone-chilling cold and…

My MS and Faith of the Mustard Seed

I have written nine articles so far with shared ideas of what has helped me in this overwhelming battle with multiple sclerosis. My experiences and successes are shared in the hope that others will be helped as well. This 10thĀ article is about what comforts and sustains me the most…

Is Your MS Rocking Out on Heavy Metals?

The jury is still out on the role, if any, that heavy metals play in multiple sclerosis.Ā Many theories have been floating around for years regarding the possible connection between MS andĀ dental amalgams, pesticides, additives to food, lead paint in older homes ā€¦ and the list goes on. The National…