Multiple sclerosis makes it tough to deal with the heat of the dog days
I like to look up. No, I’m not referring to my disposition, although I do consider it to be an improvement over what it once was. I’m actually pretty sunny, if you happen…
Chairborne — Ben Hofmeister
Ben Hofmeister was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in 2014, ending a 22-year career in the U.S. Army, as both a Ranger and Green Beret. He gradually settled into a wonderful retired life in Anniston, Alabama, with his wife and their three boys. He couldn’t be happier. After being inspired by the writing of others with MS, he decided to add his own voice. His column is raw and honest, but sometimes sarcastic and pithy too. MS is a serious disease but a life with it doesn’t always have to be.
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Beep, beep. Who’s there? Just one of my MS problems, sounding off.
About 48 hours ago as I’m writing these words, I began to hear a strange, high-pitched tone. At first I thought it was one of the dog collars we use with our invisible fence,…
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As my kids head back to school, I must prepare for inevitable illnesses
This morning, at an unholy hour, our family awoke to the sound of alarm bells. Well, not bells, but rather the gentle yet insistent sound of one of Alexa’s alarms. Actually, we…
Why it’s strangely comforting that MS doctors don’t know everything
I’m not a doctor, just a patient. And depending on whom you ask, I’m not a very good one, either — unless you happen to be fond of lots of questions. I was a…
In life with multiple sclerosis, self-care is anything but selfish
About three years before my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and subsequent retirement, I found myself in Iraq preparing for a mission. I was going out with a different team from another branch of…
Multiple sclerosis has made my once-dominant hand less so
I am not left-handed! No, I’m not channeling Westley or Inigo from “The Princess Bride,” just clarifying a common — and fair — assumption. While I now do nearly everything left-handed, including…
With a disabling condition, seeking help is part of independence
I must look like I need help all the time. I don’t own a shirt or any other article of clothing that says so, and I don’t think I have a helpless look on…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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…
