Some mornings with multiple sclerosis (MS) feel like being stuck in quicksand. Fatigue appears first, followed by aches, and then the fog that turns simple tasks into mini mountains. On those days, I ask one small question to get moving: What color is my hope today? Dressing for dopamine,…
Guest Voice
I am a 63-year-old psychologist, clinician, professor, and poster child for multiple sclerosis (MS). After more than 30 years with the disease, I’m still mobile, sometimes with a cane. My speech isn’t impaired, though my volume is, and my memory is taking a nosedive. I have no working taste…
I’ve been blessed with extraordinary caregivers and people who have made my journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) profoundly different. When I was diagnosed, my world collapsed. Everything I knew about myself, my body, and my future became uncertain. I had fatigue and strange sensations — my body…
Life wasn’t just good; it was great. I had the perfect balance of a successful career, a wonderful family, and great friends. After earning an engineering degree and a Master of Business Administration, I launched a rewarding career in the technology industry. I was a leader in my community, was…
We all have stomach or bathroom issues from time to time. Eat the wrong thing, catch a bug, drink too much coffee, and your body will let you know. That’s just life. But when you have multiple sclerosis (MS), digestive and urinary problems aren’t occasional; they become their own…
Donald Kushner, MD, is a retired physician, board certified in internal medicine and hospice and palliative care. He has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years and draws on his dual perspective as both doctor and patient to explore illness, identity, and adaptation. He’s writing…
Denise Schnieders is a wife, mom, teacher, volleyball coach, and passionate advocate living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Since her diagnosis, she’s become a powerful voice in the MS community, raising awareness, advocating for better healthcare policy, and pushing for more research funding. Through her platform, MSdopaminedressed, Schnieders shares…
Aranzazu Calzado, known to friends as Zazu, has lived in Houston, Texas, since 1996 after moving from Spain. She was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2021 and faces the challenge with resilience, faith in God, family, and friends as her support network. She finds joy in helping…
Aranzazu Calzado, known to friends as Zazu, has lived in Houston, Texas, since 1996 after moving from Spain. She was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2021 and faces the challenge with resilience, relying on God, family, and friends as her support network. She finds joy in helping…
Kevin Byrne grew up in Bronx, New York. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, he was struck by multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1999 while commanding an Army Air Cavalry Troop overseas. Now medically retired, he lives with his daughter, Rogue, in Portland, Oregon. Kevin works…
Anne Rosales is a mother of three grown children, grandmother, and community volunteer. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her mid-50s. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University and is a certified aging-in-place specialist. Rosales blogs about midlife health and wellness at…
Guest columnist Lori Lebson completed her PhD in neuroimmunology at the University of South Florida. After completing her doctorate, she continued her education as a National Multiple Sclerosis Society Neuroimmunology Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins. Lebson has more than 10 years of pharmaceutical experience and serves as the head of…