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Aside from a few unpleasant moments, I enjoyed my time as a medic in the U.S. military — so much so that when I began to slow down noticeably, I decided to continue in that field by applying to become a physician assistant (PA). I initially wanted to…

At the age of 40, I’ve never passed my driving test. I know that’s shocking. Here in the United Kingdom, we must pass two sections to be licensed to drive: a theory test and the practical test. I’ve passed the theory part three times but was never able to pass…

Tori Henderson receives her monthly infusion at an appointment. (Photos courtesy of Tori Henderson) Day 9 of 31 This is Tori Henderson’s story: Henderson, left, poses with her daughter, Kerriyah, for her birthday at Disney World. Thanksgiving 2017 will forever hold a special place in my memories. I…

The U.S. military loves abbreviations and acronyms. So many of these are learned during a soldier’s first year that, to civilians, a conversation between service members might sound like a foreign language. It can be amusing, but the intention of this method of condensing words is not to confuse. It’s…

Sam Roman, MD, travels to Montana to conduct home visits for patients enrolled in the TREAT-MS clinical trial. (Photos courtesy of Sam Roman) Day 6 of 31 This is Sam Roman’s story: It was during a particularly stressful period of medical school in 2015 when I had my first…

Alexis Mendiola is shown during a treatment infusion in March 2023. (Photos courtesy of Alexis Mendiola) Day 2 of 31 This is Alexis Mendiola’s story: March 2021 will forever be bittersweet to me. Though my heart sank when my neurologist said those words we all hate to hear, I…

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease thought to affect more than 1.8 million people globally, can impact many aspects of daily life. So for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, observed each March, this year’s focus is on the MS experience and the importance of social connections. Multiple Sclerosis…

There are several good reasons why you won’t see me in television commercials for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments anytime soon. For one, I’m not much of an actor, despite my brief moment of high school fame. For another, even though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that…

We’ve all heard comments from people who aren’t educated about multiple sclerosis (MS). Some that I’ve heard include “My friend had that and is fine now,” “Eating better will fix you,” and “Try a parasite cleanse.” I have to chuckle at these statements.  With March not far away,…

Just three years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), I was on what was to be my last overseas tour with the U.S. Army. One day while dozing during a lull in a mission, I was awakened by the sensation of someone standing over me.

Last month, I told you that while I’m not a psychologist, I’m fascinated by the subject. I should probably make a list of things I don’t do but still find interesting. One of those professions we can add to the list is historian. I enjoy reading and learning about…

As those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS) know, every so often a call comes or a letter arrives telling us we have a date with an extraordinary friend: the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. For me, it seems that time has arrived again. Just a few days…

Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. If you haven’t gotten anything for your significant other yet, let me add to the holiday’s commercialization by reminding you that time is running out. It really wasn’t my foremost intention to spur anyone into panicked action. This column isn’t even about…

Summer planning has started for my family, which means trying to arrange trips and time together. Before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), we could simply book an excursion that looked enjoyable. But now, thanks to my mobility issues, planning is slightly tricker. In the…

I feel like I’ve written a lot of negative, maybe even depressing, columns lately. While multiple sclerosis (MS) can be a pretty negative and depressing subject, I’m normally a bit more upbeat. We’ve been having cold and gloomy weather lately, and I’d like to blame my low spirits on…

Rocco Mangel, the founding partner of Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar, is joining the Walk MS: West Palm Beach 2024, in Florida, to raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). Walk MS events, taking place in numerous locations in the U.S., focus on raising disease…

Because multiple sclerosis (MS) has changed much of my life in a short amount of time, I’m now fighting mental health issues. Things have been especially tough since the start of the new year. Usually, I’d spend January working, planning holiday time, and looking at my calendar to…

Geographical proximity to neurologists and multiple sclerosis (MS) speciality care centers is lower for people living in rural regions of the U.S. relative to metropolitan areas, according to recent research. Areas with higher proportions of Hispanic individuals, uninsured people, and those with disabilities generally also were more likely to…

My name is Dave and I’m Beth Shorthouse-Ullah’s husband. We had spoken about the possibility of writing a column that looks at the experiences of partners of people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). But instead of sharing a thought-provoking piece from another perspective, today I sadly announce that Beth…

My father taught me to play chess when I was barely old enough to say the names of the pieces.  I wasn’t a child prodigy or anything like that. I never joined a chess club or competed in a single tournament. I simply enjoyed the game…

I’m not a psychologist, but if you’re a regular reader of my column, you know that I’m intrigued by the subject. I seem to be particularly drawn to unusual conditions and making amateurish comparisons to multiple sclerosis (MS). In my defense, MS has odd symptoms, so…

About four years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), someone else inadvertently “diagnosed” me. This person wasn’t medically trained, probably had no personal knowledge of MS, and didn’t actually use the words “multiple sclerosis.” Still, they gave me one of the best clues in my quest…

Throughout 2023, Multiple Sclerosis News Today brought consistent coverage to our readers of the latest scientific research, developments in treatment, and clinical trials for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here is a list of the top 10 most-read stories we published last year, along with a brief description. We look…

The new year is nearly upon us, so if you’re planning to make any resolutions, you should probably narrow down the list. As I said last year, I’m not in the habit of making any, but I did resolve to foster a sense of hope. I still have what…

When my general practitioner first spoke about the possibility of a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in February 2022, I walked out of his office. I broke down in tears; I was terrified. At that instant, my first thought was, “OK, so how long do I have left?”…

I’m not very good at this sort of thing, but depending on whether or not you count today and the 25th itself, we’ve got about four days left until Christmas. If I still needed to get my wife anything, I’d be entering shopping panic mode about now. Fortunately, I don’t…

Where has the year gone? As we move closer to Christmas and a new year, I’ve pondered what the past 12 months of change have brought to my life. At the beginning of the year, I was working full time and still coming to terms with the diagnosis of…

When I was in the military, I wore several different hats. A U.S. Special Forces team has only 12 soldiers, so we couldn’t afford for anyone to know just one trick, no matter how good that trick might be. In addition to each person’s primary job, everyone had to know…

This is my 823rd column for Multiple Sclerosis News Today. It is also my last. Over the past seven and a half years, I’ve written about multiple sclerosis (MS) fatigue and frustration, about treatments and travel, about neurologists (good and bad), stress,…

Counting today, there are only 18 shopping days left until Christmas. Unless you’re one of those annoying people who did all their gift buying months ago and won’t stop talking about it, the clock is ticking. I guess that makes me one of those annoying people who reminds you of…