When Loss Is Expected, How Do We Cope?
It is hard to watch the decline in real time. It happens before my very eyes. Like “Groundhog Day,” I wake, I try, and I do. I persevere because that is who I am. I push past the…
Silver Linings — Jennifer Powell
Jennifer is the Brand and Marketing Manager for BioNews (Multiple Sclerosis News Today is a subsidiary of BioNews). Jenn is also the host of the Multiple Sclerosis podcast, as well as a featured columnist. An active advocate in the MS community, Jenn imparts her hopeful optimism into real-life challenges facing the MS community. Now with secondary-progressive MS, Jenn continues to elevate the patient voice to better the lives of those living with MS. When not writing, Jenn enjoys volunteering with her local golden retriever rescue, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Jenn resides in Orange County, California, with her husband and golden retriever.
Featured Post
I’m Giving Myself the Gift of Grace This Christmas
The ballerina twirls in the late afternoon light. As if on cue, Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker” suite begins to play. I’m lost in the dimly lit ornaments as my mind wanders. I fall into a deep nostalgia. My mind is a montage…
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Overcoming My Fear of Concerts With a Little Help From the Rolling Stones
As the music started, the crowd stood and cheered. I followed suit. Well, almost. I stood with more intention than balance. And as I did, I veered toward the person seated in the next row. Hello, secondary progressive MS.
Emotional and Physical Pain Are My Unwanted Sidekicks
Pain is the consummate four-letter word. I have felt pain in the most primal of ways. The emotional chasm of grief in my soul. The physical torture of pain in my body. Pain is unyielding in its relentless…
As My Disease Progresses, I Choose to Grow
I watch my multiple sclerosis progress. I see it progress in moments of defeat. I think of it when I fall. I curse it when I break or can’t open things. I grieve over it when my…
When Restless Legs Syndrome Won’t Leave You Alone
The light of the television screen illuminates the darkness. I want so much to sleep, but my body has other plans. After a hot shower and multiple medications, my legs continue to dance. The constant ache, twitch, and kick…
Next Time, Ask Me Why I Need an Accessible Parking Placard
To the person who left the note on my windshield: I wish you would have asked. I would have told you that I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that impairs my ability to walk. My MS…
MS Doesn’t Get to Decide Whether We Are Enough
“Change is the only constant in life,” a quote paraphrased from Greek philosopher Heraclitus states. This ancient wisdom still prevails today. Life is in a constant flux. We evolve, we grow, and we shift, and we are never…
Are You Prepared for a Fall?
I sit amid the flood of carpet stain remover. My left leg is elongated as my right leg is at a jackknife. The cool of the fluid penetrates my sweats. Shock dissipates into pain. I try to move, but…
I Am Proud of the Disability I Once Feared
I feared becoming disabled more than I feared multiple sclerosis. At the time of my diagnosis, I was moving about well enough. My mobility changed as my disease progressed. My severe foot drop, unsteady gait, and change in…
Choosing to Be Kind to Yourself Is as Easy as Making a Decision
Before turning away, I made sure to compliment my kind eyes. The green of the hazel in my eyes danced in the sunlight. The lines at the outer edges of my eyes tightened as I smiled. The crow’s-feet are…
How to Make Summer Sizzle Without the Heat (and Symptoms)
Summertime is synonymous with long days of warmth, coastal sunsets, boating, and barbecues. A montage of my teenage self at sailing camp, pool parties, and beach bonfires plays to Loggins and Messina, Jackson Browne, and the Eagles. The…
Are You Overdosed on Toxic Positivity? Take the #RealTalkRare Challenge
Has anyone ever told you to be thankful that things aren’t worse after you’ve received upsetting news? Have you ever felt pressured by others to be grateful, even in the most difficult circumstances? It’s happened…
Get Out of Your Own Way: Growth at 36,000 Feet
I find peace at 36,000 feet. Quasi-calm. My surroundings and I move in unison with little friction. The hum of the Boeing 737 lulls me to sleep. Tranquility is a powerful provocateur when turbulence is your norm,…
Confessions of an MS Ableist: Change Begins With Me
Life is composed of little awakenings. These epiphanies broaden our horizons. Each invites us to become better versions of ourselves. And while not always welcome, most are necessary for growth. I recently flew across the country to the…
As an Unlikely Warrior, I Must Be Genuine About My SPMS
I am the unlikeliest of warriors. Being called one makes me a little uncomfortable. While I appreciate the sentiment, I feel unworthy of the title. A warrior chooses to battle independent of circumstance. I do so because it is…
Coming Full Circle in My Relationship With My Mother
She held me in a fierce hug. It had been a year since I had held my mother so closely. I rested my chin on her shoulder and silently thanked God. As I looked up, my eyes met hers.
To Ease My Suffering, I Had to Shift My Perspective, Not My Pain Levels
Many believe pain and suffering are interchangeable. While they can and often do coexist, one is not reliant on the other. Pain can occur with or without suffering, and the inverse is true. Physiological, psychological, and psychosocial factors influence…
To Define My Reality With MS, I Choose Optimism
I am an optimist in a pessimistic world. A fish out of water. I hold hope to ward off messages of defeat. In a world rife with suffering, hope is essential for soul survival. In my world with…
Management Through Meditation: Balance Can Happen With MS
Expectations equal resentment. It’s simple logic, yet profoundly true. Each time I set an expectation for myself or someone else, I set myself up for a potential letdown. Resentment happens as a byproduct of disappointment, despite the best intentions.
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