June 29, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Living with MS is not just ‘all or nothing,’ but I kind of wish it were A few — OK, many — years ago, I played the lead in a production of “Oklahoma!” Don’t get excited; it wasn’t on Broadway or anything like that. It was a high school production, and I suspect I…
June 22, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister The right support is essential when you have multiple sclerosis I didn’t seek support immediately after my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). To be fair, MS was just an annoyance to me at the beginning. It was simply a set of symptoms, and I was initially…
June 15, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister It’s not what I expected, being a parent with a disability Einstein said that time is relative, and as I age (gracefully, I hope), I’ve found that to be true. For example, I frequently find myself referring to events that occurred a decade or more in the past…
June 8, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister The best lessons on MS come from the experience of people with MS In the not-too-distant past, a friend shared a video clip from a competitive event with a few of us. One of the competitors had a shock of gray hair and was slowed by a noticeable limp. “Watch how smooth…
June 1, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With MS, giving it your ‘some’ adds up to enough Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) — a training program for entry into the U.S. Army Special Forces — is rare, even among military courses. It has grueling physical aspects, but the majority of it is mental. It’s…
May 25, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple sclerosis deserves to be complained about My shoelaces keep coming untied, my compression socks are bunched up, I bumped my shins with the vacuum again, and the shower was too hot this morning. Confused? Don’t be. I’m just getting in the spirit of…
May 18, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple sclerosis is unique and requires personalized care I’ve always liked the phrase “go with what you know.” I suppose I understood it to mean “stick to what you’re good at” or simply, “stay in your lane.” Recently, though, I stumbled on a slightly different meaning that…
May 11, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple sclerosis and speech are not on friendly terms for me I used to sing — a lot. Don’t worry, I didn’t miss my true calling. I could carry a tune, but that was about it. I was loud, and just like arguing, volume can make up for a lack…
May 4, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Fatigue from MS is hard to both explain and understand Everyone’s multiple sclerosis (MS) is unique to them. The different disease types, lesion loads, and lesion locations are a few reasons why our symptoms are so variable. We with MS all live in the same neighborhood,…
April 27, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Our treatments for multiple sclerosis aren’t cures, but vital time-buyers Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab). Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Tomorrow morning, I’ll have my 13th infusion of…
April 20, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple sclerosis requires a different kind of can-do motivation I’m pretty good at doing what I’m told. You probably think that’s because I was in the Army for 22 years. You might even think it’s because of all the medical authority figures that have come with nine years…
April 13, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Multiple sclerosis might be the ‘uncanny valley’ of diseases I recall a conversation I had with an acquaintance soon after my diagnosis. I hadn’t progressed to a wheelchair yet, but my limp was noticeable, and he’d heard talk from mutual friends. “What is it that you…
April 6, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Being seen is an incredible thing when MS makes you feel invisible The kids had their spring break last week, so we loaded up and drove to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. I promise this column won’t be a review of the theme park and its accessibility (which was great,…
March 30, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister There’s no point in playing the blame game after the disease is diagnosed In a previous column, I wrote about the journey to my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS). In it, I mentioned that the neurologist had praised me for “taking this well.” I suppose I did — at first.
March 23, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With multiple sclerosis, it’s hard to stop saying ‘I’m sorry,’ but you should Even if I resolved to improve my cardiovascular health by taking the stairs more often, I can’t. Mobility problems brought on by my primary progressive multiple sclerosis force me to use a wheelchair. Using a wheelchair, in turn, means…
March 16, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister When multiple sclerosis invades even my dreams I may not be able to turn in circles like a dog anymore, but I still have a few bedtime routines. Before I had an intrathecal baclofen pump, multiple sclerosis-induced spasticity would wake me up multiple…
March 9, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister An MS diagnosis can be confusing when it doesn’t fit your lifestyle A little over three years passed between my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and my medical retirement from the U.S. Army. Even before the diagnosis, I knew something was wrong and had taken a desk job while searching…
March 2, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister The responsibility for raising MS awareness goes both ways Every once in a while, I wake up prepared to swing my legs over the side of the bed and get moving. That sleep-induced forgetfulness evaporates as soon as the reality of multiple sclerosis (MS) reminds me that…
February 23, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Learning to love — and accept — that person in the photograph We had family portraits made a few days ago. With a family of five, this never goes perfectly, so there was a little pre-photo briefing beforehand. There were some veiled threats, a promise of dinner after as a reward…
February 16, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Could decluttering your living space improve life with MS? I am not by nature a very neat person. I want to be. I like order, but I lack the discipline to maintain it. People tend to think that time in the military makes you neat and orderly for…
November 30, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister Is multiple sclerosis everywhere, or am I just more aware of it now?
