Coping methods

Actively taking steps to cope with the chronic stress of multiple sclerosis (MS) — from keeping a sense of humor to seeking emotional and tangible support — can help to improve patients’ quality of life, a small questionnaire-based study from Poland suggests. The study, “The Role of…

My obsession with numbers has continued since my latest MS relapses, but now I’ve taken it to a whole new level. A few months ago, I explained in a column that my husband had filled our house with clocks after reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear, which…

Last year, winter never quite arrived, and spring kept springing up before being crushed down again. We imperceptibly melded into summer. Then the autumn leaves hung on, and hung on some more. But these days, would Mr. Sinatra have to get his lyricist to do a rewrite? Some of…

Right, I actually have to start writing my column early this week because of the football schedule. For you Americans, that’s soccer, y’all. The biggest, most popular game in the world! The UEFA European Football Championship, or the Euros, is on. It’s the 2020 competition, but it’s being held…

A numb, weak leg. Yay. Another thing to add to the list of crappy challenges I’ve had to face this year. If you ask me, it’s all been a bit too much, and I’d like to get off this ride and get my money back, please. I recently rang my…

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 an indelible reminder of the abundance of joy in my…

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but most people don’t like a problem without a solution. If something isn’t working correctly, they’d rather fix, alter, or throw it out and start all over than live with “wrongness.” Now, that’s great when it involves garage door openers, burnt-out lightbulbs, or shoddy…

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 unrequited crushes on sailing instructors to my first kiss … those…

Something crazy happened: I felt the strength slowly run out of my leg. It was like it needed a serious charge, but the charging port was nonexistent. I’d received some bad news a few days before that, and I think the stress of the news caused a flare-up. My…

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 to me more times than I can remember. I now understand…

Three weeks into the Overcoming MS (OMS) diet, I’m pleased to have made the switch. The diet focuses on eating fish and seafood, and lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, it excludes dairy, and has minimal saturated fats. I’ve seen a difference…

If you have multiple sclerosis, no matter how long you’ve lived with it, you likely know it can be unpredictable. It can hit in weird ways you’re not expecting, even after years of learning how to deal with it. For instance, last Saturday, my family of four and some friends…

The other night I was watching the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, my favorite film box set, and it occurred to me how similar life with multiple sclerosis feels to life on a pirate ship. A particular scene sparked this…

One of my favorite moments in Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” involves a stolen fountain pen. If you’ve not read — or better yet, seen — the play, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a story about making it big in business and losing yourself in the process.

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, a juxtaposition to the bed of billowy clouds below. As if…

When I started hypnotherapy about five weeks ago, my therapist asked me questions about where I felt I was in my journey. He asked me to rate my anxiety on a scale of 1-10, and I said 9. Candidly, it was…

After last week’s column about my neurologist declaring that I now have secondary progressive MS, a certain ennui has seeped into me. While this isn’t surprising, it’s also surprising, because I’m on the mood-altering drug fluoxetine. OK, fluoxetine is a regular antidepressant, but “mood-altering” sounds so much cooler.

I challenged myself to run 10 miles in April. I didn’t know at the time how I would make it work, because I was numb from the neck down due to an MS flare. But I was eager to take back control…

Spring is here, a time we’d normally be out and about getting some sun and recharging our souls after a long winter. I certainly look forward to working in the yard, hiking, having outdoor picnics, and taking the occasional road trip. But this isn’t a typical year, is…

After speaking about hypnotherapy recently with a few people I know, I realized that many of them didn’t know that hypnosis can be used to manage stress and anxiety. One person remarked, “What do I need to say to get you to quack like a duck?” Well, it’s not like…

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 my only option. Multiple sclerosis calls me to fight. Perhaps in…

I recently wrote about my decision to try hypnotherapy. I’d been feeling out of control over my mental state following a multiple sclerosis flare. I finally admitted that I needed help.  I had an initial phone consultation with my…

In her poem “In Blackwater Woods,” Mary Oliver concludes with 10 breathtaking lines: “To live in this world/ you must be able/ to do three things:/ to love what is mortal;/ to hold it/ against your bones knowing/ your own life depends on it;/ and, when the time comes…

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. I knew what question was coming, along with the weight of…

The trouble with a degenerative disease is that things only get worse. In the long-gone days of my youth, I somehow wrangled myself into being an arts critic. Wizened journalists imparted the lore that a bad show was much easier to write than a rave. Satirical barbs are far more…

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 our experience with each. The meanings and relationships of these three…

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 secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, it has been my saving grace.

Photo courtesy of Sam Mizzelle   Day 30 of 31 This is Kathy Reagan Young’s story: I’m Kathy Reagan Young. I was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago. I was so blindsided when I got the diagnosis, I don’t think I truly processed it for a couple…

Photo courtesy of Joanna Hammond Day 29 of 31 This is Joanna Hammond’s story: I was diagnosed with MS back in January 2018, and I felt like my world had fallen apart. One of the very best things I did very quickly was to attend my local…

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Wiley Day 27 of 31 This is Caroline Craven’s story: This year marks 20 years since my MS diagnosis, yet every day brings something new. Every day reminds me of some shift in life that I chose to make so that thriving with MS is…