December 5, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Thankful Awakening: Accepting Change with SPMS My happiness quotient correlates with my ability to give. I find tremendous satisfaction in doing this. This is one reason that I cherish Thanksgiving. I derive immense pleasure in creating this symbolic meal for those I love. For…
November 21, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Painsomnia Unravels Me from Inside Out It is 2 a.m. and I am awake. I sit on the couch with my head in my hands. The leg pain that broke my slumber is now extreme. I have taken my medications, used my topical, and applied…
November 14, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Filtering Ads and Choosing What’s Best I remember a time without televised ads promoting medication. We had access to information through our physician or a card catalog. Pharmaceuticals are now a mainstay on our airwaves. And although prevalent, these ads previously had been inapplicable to…
November 7, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Choosing Calm Over Chaos: Quieting Myself While Living with SPMS Living with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is a lesson in adaptation. The constant is change. This disease has given me sea legs. Nevertheless, some days have me fooled. When I think I finally have it in check, MS…
October 31, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell MS and Mythological Mends: Hope Is My Cure for Today If I told you that standing on your head would cure multiple sclerosis (MS), would you do it? I am fairly sure you would find a way to do so. At least once a week, I hear of a…
October 24, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell MS and Anxiety: Be Kind to Yourself and Ask for Help I am in a state of anxious exhaustion. Anxiety has been a lifelong companion that has presented itself in various ways since childhood. In hindsight, I can recognize triggers and reactions. During times of anxiety, I’ve felt as…
October 17, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Marriage and Multiple Sclerosis: Lessons in Love Marriage is hard. It is also the most beautiful, sacred, and honest of all my experiences. Our vulnerable reality is a far cry from the blissful naivete of our wedding day. We had no idea how trying our future…
October 3, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell The Journey to Self-love Is Long and Painful At 17, I began a 20-year odyssey with endometriosis. The doctor’s platitudes and disbelief were astonishing and leveled my sense of self. The findings of severe endometriosis served as a painful “I told you so.” My life became…
September 26, 2019 by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Leaving Fear Behind and Learning to Trust My eyes are closed. Both arms are in a loose “X” across my chest. I feel my heartbeat quicken as I lean back. I fall. For a moment in time, I am afraid. But before fear takes over, a…
September 19, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Emotionally Hard-wired: Pseudobulbar Affect and MS I saw a praying mantis this morning. The long, leaf-like oddity caught me off guard. I was transfixed by the beautiful specimen, its prayerful state contrasting starkly with its violent mating ritual. The female is known to eat…
September 12, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell We All Have Bad Days Mama said there would be days like this. I just never thought there would be so many. After three days of insomnia, I am heavily fatigued and weary. I wait, bleary-eyed, for signs of pain to appear, watching the…
September 5, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Becoming Your Own Advocate Takes Practice, but It’s Worth It I recently sent my neurologist a thank-you card. A friend of mine was incredulous and truly baffled at my gesture. “Why would you thank your doctor?” she asked. Why wouldn’t I? I am thankful for my doctor’s wisdom and…
August 22, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell I Will Not Be Sidelined in the Game of Life It is the most wonderful time of the year. Sounds of commentator calls, audibles, and cheering crowds fill the house. A familiar sense of calm envelops my being. It is football season. I sometimes wonder how I survive the…
August 8, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell My Pain Is Real — Don’t Deny Me Relief I am quite outspoken. I have no problem voicing my opinion or needs — or so I thought. An exchange this morning left me speechless. While my head was swimming with semi-intelligible responses, I was rendered mute. Let me…
August 1, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell We Are Strong — We Have No Other Choice I recently saw a greeting card that read, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” No truer words. While I am grateful for my strength, there are moments when I would like…
July 25, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Judging a Book by Its Cover I find airport newsstands alluring. I am drawn toward the litany of books. Shelves of colorful covers beckon to me, bestsellers emblazoned with enticing accolades. I need those books, I tell myself, so I buy two. Fortunately, my shallow…
July 11, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell My Independence Day: Reinventing Ability with SPMS The glow of the fireworks bathes the surrounding trees. A kaleidoscope of blue, yellow, and red illuminates the night sky. It is a day of picnics, parades, and pyrotechnics. It is the Fourth of July, when Americans celebrate…
June 27, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Loving Yourself in Sickness and Health I am frequently commended for my demeanor. For my strength amid pain and adversity. For my optimism and happy disposition. For making the most of my circumstances. I love my steadfast faith. I love my fierce determination. I love…
June 13, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Move It or Lose It: Movement Is Crucial to Well-being with MS A well-known mantra exists in the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. I first heard it after my diagnosis and have since adopted it as my own. “Move it or lose it.” Movement is essential for everyone’s health and well-being. For…
June 6, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Consortium for a Cure: Witnessing Hope Our emotional selves are unique to each of us. The catalysts that elicit tears and fears vary. We feel emotions rise and await their eruption. Contrarily, they can catch us off guard. Sometimes a seemingly benign stimulus can invoke…
September 28, 2023 Columns by Benjamin Hofmeister With multiple sclerosis, don’t worry about asking stupid questions