Judy has been living with MS for 13 years. She remains amazed at the array of symptoms that this chronic degenerative disease of the nervous system may cause. The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is reported to have said, “The only thing constant is change.” Judy has found this to be particularly true living with MS. She will explore the varied MS symptoms and manifestations, and most importantly, the rainbow of creative adaptations, coping mechanisms, and remedies available for MS patients to try.
My coming trip to Spain has me in research mode. After making a list of my travel questions last week, I decided to obtain the answers to just a few each week. Baby steps for this novice planner. Before I decide whether to take my AFO, cooling vest, trekking…
In my younger years, I took great pride in my far-flung spontaneity, and unfairly judged those I perceived to be too thoughtful and prudent. Age, with its attendant wisdom and experience, moved me slightly inland. In 2003, MS arrived with a smart little bag full of practical necessities,…
What do pot brownies, shoe shopping and bladder control have in common? These are just a few of the varied MS self-help support group discussion topics in which I have enjoyed participating. I have been an attendee and group leader of two National MS Society self-help groups. I also…
Interferons (Beta and Alpha) are the oldest of the disease-modifying treatments, or DMTs, for people with MS. Interferons include Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, and Plegridy. This column won’t get into the pros and cons of each of these treatments. Instead, I’d like to focus on one of the more…
January 2017 has proven to be a bit of a cluster, if you know what I mean. Holiday recovery, out-of-town trips for work, budget cuts, extreme weather and, of course, the social and political “chaos climate” all conspired to make me itchy, twitchy and tense! This past Thursday, as…
In August I sold my home of 18 years and downsized to a small one-bedroom rental “in town.” For weeks I tripped over boxes, packing paper, out-of-place furniture, the dog, the cat, the dog chasing the cat, size 11 tennis shoes and dirty socks. I shared my efforts to…
At the time of my MS diagnosis I was a full-time graduate student with plans to obtain a joint Masters of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. After six years as a stay-at-home mom and military spouse, I was anxious to complete this next stage of my education and return to…
Cookies and veggie tray in tow, and trepidation in check, I ventured to a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house. Since my diagnosis of MS, New Year’s Eve has been celebrated at home with Dick Clark, and then Ryan Seacrest, to keep me company. In Winter…
The glory days of multitasking may be fading. More and more research points to the fact that our brains actually cannot multitask. Rather, the brain shifts rapidly (it’s all relative) back and forth between tasks as we attempt to do multiple activities at once. Like many people with MS,…
Our daylight hours continue to get shorter, as we get closer and closer to the winter solstice. At 4:15 p.m. I close the curtains and blinds, uncomfortable sitting on display in my living room as I continue to work until 5:30 most evenings. It’s difficult to motivate myself to leave…
Several weeks ago I wrote about the benefits of time outdoors and my desire to learn to kayak properly, so it can be an option when my legs won’t carry me into nature. I recently completed the final of three indoor kayak lessons. The course was actually called “Kayak Roll.”…
Multiple sclerosis is so weird. Sometimes I just put up with a strange sensation or painful problem because I do not know how to describe it to the doctor without sounding crazy. I hope the problems will just go away, and sometimes they do. Maybe I am a little…
Traveling with multiple sclerosis (MS) is challenging for a number of reasons. There are many symptoms a person may need to consider, such as accessibility, temperature control, and medication management, to name a few. While packing for a recent extended trip, I realized that my one-week pill box wasn’t…
“I can come over and stab you, if Gramma can’t do it,” read the Facebook post from my oldest son. “Aw … thanks, kiddo,” I replied. Some things seem more interesting when taken out of context! Of course, most of you will realize that my son was offering to…
One presenting symptom of my multiple sclerosis (MS) was severely slowed and slurred speech. There were several other disturbing outcomes of my back-to-back, initial exacerbations, but it was the speech that was my greatest fear. After my second MRI, the neurologist explained that the dysarthria, or trouble speaking, was…
I live in a part of the country with beautiful green forests, mountains, abundant freshwater, and saltwater. If you have seven hours to spare, you can drive across the state and experience desert, orchard, mountain, alpine meadow, rainforest, and the Pacific Ocean. This beautiful land also comes with some…
Our days have gotten shorter since June 20, but somehow I managed not to notice until a few weeks ago. Perhaps it is because we had a late summer here in the Northwest, and could comfortably leave home without a coat until late September. That’s also the time that…
I work full time in public health, and some days are spent ‘out in the field’ visiting clients in their homes. It requires careful planning to ensure that I have adequate water, food, medications, and layers of clothing for homes that are too hot or too cold. I research…
It’s definitely autumn here in the Pacific Northwest. Misty, gray mornings give way to breezy sunshine in the afternoon … for a couple of hours anyway, until the evening rain arrives. This is the time of year that the weather forecasters compete to see who can come up with…
It was while catching up with friends at a favorite Thai restaurant Saturday night when my fresh spring roll reminded me of something: I had signed up for a Beginning Kayak Roll course as the next of my series of outdoor activities with MS. “Why don’t you just take…
My children will be the first to tell you that I struggle with new technology. In fact, I’ve just returned home from dropping off my youngest son at college and realize that I forgot to have him write instructions for the television. Netflix may come in handy now that…
When my physiatrist diagnosed my MS “foot drop,” she wrote a prescription for vehicle hand controls. I was both elated and terrified. Could I drive long distances again? Arrive pain-free, able to do a short hike? Could I regain the freedom of knowing I would not have to…
When I first heard about MS “foot drop,” I assumed that the manifestation of this symptom would be a sudden and obvious inability to walk properly. I knew many people with MS who used canes and walked with significant stiffness or a “dragging” limb. I filed “foot drop” away…
I often watched “The Brady Bunch” as a kid. In one episode, Peter’s voice changes right before the talent show and he isn’t able to sing his chosen song. His replacement song has been playing on repeat in my head for two months! “When it’s time to change, you’ve got…
In the two years following my diagnosis, I had many bouts of chest pain, breathing difficulties, and sharp stomach pains. I worried that some other terrible illness was right around the corner. Four EKGs, three ultrasounds, two pulmonary function tests, and one colonoscopy later I had a surprisingly good bill…
Editor’s Note: MS Patient Specialist and Columnist Judy Lynn writes from her unique and engaging perspective as an MS patient reflecting on the challenges that the disease presents and how to cope with them in her daily life. In her debut article for her new Column “You’ve Got Some Nerves,”…
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