Coping methods

Having four grandchildren, I watch my fair share of kids’ movies. Most of them offer positive life lessons for growing minds while remaining entertaining. Recently, I watched the movie “…

Last week, I wrote about the incessant emotions of MS and chronic illness. This week, I will focus on living in the present moment. Remaining on a quest to continue the depiction of real life with MS for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month 2018, this week’s column will…

I am a sensitive individual by nature. Good, bad, or insignificant, that is part of my genetic makeup. I cry when the dog gets hurt in the movie, at every episode of “This Is Us,” and every time I hear “O Holy Night” at Christmas Eve services. While sometimes endearing,…

“What is wrong with you?” I have been asked this question numerous times by significant people in my life. The most recent was a few days ago. The question usually occurs during the times I have an emotional “meltdown.” Whenever I hear it, I get defensive, thinking that I…

Usually, I’ve got a fair idea of where I’m headed in my column. This time, I really don’t. I’m confronting something. Maybe nothing. It’s as clear as the cliché involving wet, clingy earth. For the first time since the last week in November 2017, I’ve stopped taking antibiotics. That’s…

It’s frightening to feel sick most of the time. Frightening, scary, overwhelming, unnerving, and hellish. Whichever negative words you choose are the right ones to describe how it feels to live with MS. People with MS are snowflakes, and our emotions are quite often the same. After three-plus…

After taking a tumble this week, I am reminded of the power of resilience. Dictionary.com defines resilience as: “1. the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity. 2. ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity,…

At the end of each passing year, I like to give a theme name to the fresh new year. So last year when my sister Kathy asked me what I would dub 2018, I thought for a few moments and said, “The metamorphosis of change.” I previously didn’t have…

Last updated April 25, 2023 At the intersection of hope and despair is a bench to sit and rest. At least, I hope there is. The bench gives us an opportunity to take a breather from the stresses of the world. It’s a chance to sit and think about which…

Since the onset of my MS, I have been acutely aware that stress and anxiety can wreak havoc on my body. Being anxious is not a comfortable feeling, whether you have a chronic illness or not. This past weekend was my husband’s celebration of life service. With his…

I am watching the computer curser taunt my inability to collect my thoughts. Three days out of chemotherapy, my brain is more fried than usual, the fog thick and dense. For those unfamiliar with cog fog (cognitive fog), it is a clouding…

We endured another devastating loss this week. My beloved sister-in-law, a cancer survivor whom I affectionately called sister, passed away. Although we knew her disease was terminal, she passed away unexpectedly in her sleep. Death is never easy, and no matter how much we try, we cannot entirely prepare…

“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day and I’m feeling good.” As I am writing my column this song is playing in my head. I enjoy listening to Nina Simone because her voice is distinctive and telling. Her songs chant her feelings of despair and…

There ‘s a top 10 list of New Year’s resolutions that are most commonly made and then most commonly broken. Lose weight, get fit, stop smoking (well, never touch hard drugs like tobacco), and spend more time with the family (they have no choice unless they leave…

The Christmas season is upon us — decorations, shopping, and get-togethers dominate the month of December. If you tune into the Hallmark channel you will see this season as synonymous with love, laughter, and an abundance of cheer. With joy the prevailing theme it can be difficult to experience…

I find it incredibly ironic that the day after we pause to give thanks for whom and for what we have, we are breaking down doors and fighting one another in the name of Black Friday. While easy to proclaim in the fervency of the season among family…

The road to living a grateful life is not always a smooth and paved one. There are curves and roadblocks that can send any thoughts of gratitude far off into the distance. Life is constantly changing…

, Spring has always been my favorite season. There is something about flowers blooming, grass growing and the germination process that invigorates me. Spring reminds me that a new season is coming and it ignites hope. I am discovering that autumn deeply resonates with me as well. When I…

Do you have pain? Although prone to subjectivity, I am certain the majority of you silently said yes. I did. I hesitated to write this, as pain, from the definition of it to the management of it, is idiosyncratic. Rather than draw hard and fast lines, I prefer to…

“We don’t say the ‘D word’ here,” our instructor said. “Just for tonight, let’s all get into downward-facing cat.” The yoga pose wasn’t one I was comfortable in, but then again, so much about yoga makes me uncomfortable — the clothes, the breathy pseudo-spirituality, the jargon, the way…

Although a smile costs nothing, it can be just what a person needs. Many have encouraged me throughout my life with a smile, thus teaching me how powerful the act of smiling can be. Someone complimented me on my smile this week. I smiled again with a heartfelt…

By the grace of God, I am a naturally positive individual who lends optimism and hope to even the bleakest of situations. Because of this, it is difficult to find me in a situation when my auspicious nature tires; after all, we find out the most…

I was going to write about something else, then my MS got in the way. Intellectually, I know MS is very up-and-down, but often when the down hits, I think the worst has happened. I went to my exercise class this week and struggled. Got home and recovered.

Our world is chaotic right now. I literally have to disengage from social media and periodically turn off the news just to rejuvenate my spirit and find some peace. It is difficult to remain positive in a pessimistic society. We are divided by politics and spiritual beliefs. We are…

Irritability can strike anyone at anytime, and pain, illness, depression — or just having a bad day — can all lead to feelings of anxiety and irritability. To those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS), being irritable can come from all of those causes, plus a whole lot more.

I posted this meme on social media last week with the caption “Current Life Status,” hoping a laugh might help matters. I’m sorry to say things didn’t improve afterward. I’m not a Debbie Downer or a Sad Sack by nature, and I don’t often write about my struggles here…

I find it funny when people ask how and why I am so positive and happy. Am I supposed to be sad and negative just because I have multiple sclerosis? There are certainly days when the pain and/or side effects get me down, but gratefully, these are exceptions…

Laughter really is among the best medicines when it comes to multiple sclerosis, says Yvonne deSousa, an MS patient, humorist and author who plans to share her tips on integrating humor into daily living, in a free webinar organized by GeneFo. The webinar, which will also discuss research into laughter therapy for MS, will take place Sept. 13 at 1 pm EST (6 pm in the United Kingdom). Scientists are increasingly aware that emotions play a crucial role in determine progression rates and outcomes of chronic diseases. This has led researchers to study how therapies including humor and laughter might contribute to improve patient's well-being. DeSousa, a native of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been nominated for a WEGO Health Hilarious Patient Leader Award. She promises to offer hands-on advice on how to “find the funny, de-stress, and enjoy a good laugh” despite the reality of living with a chronic and debilitating condition such as MS. The online lecture will also focus on the biology of how laughter can improve patient outcomes. Research shows that laughing affects immune and endocrinological processes, while increasing tolerance to pain. Laughter also counteracts anxiety and depression. These factors, deSousa pointed out, are all crucial in MS, and she should know. The comic has taken a humorous approach to her own illness from the start, and now runs a blog that recently made the Top 50 MS Blog list. She's also written a book — called MS Madness — on the topic. The webinar will also introduce a research project led by Dr. Theodore Brown that now seeks MS patients for a study of how laughter therapy affects mood, stress and self-efficacy. Researchers hope these types of studies will encourage doctors to incorporate humor-based practices into common care protocols for MS. Details of the research program will be shared with webinar attendees. Those wishing to participate in the free webinar — and receive a video recording by email later — can register by following this link.

Grief can cut like a knife and pierce a hole in your heart that never fully heals. I’ve heard people say they prepare themselves after learning about a loved one’s terminal diagnosis, but how? How do you prepare to say a final goodbye? You can brace…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada — with input from both experts and patients — has developed a "wellness toolbox" with strategies to help multiple sclerosis (MS) patients cope with their disease. Wellness is becoming a big area of research, particularly in patients with chronic diseases such as MS. With an estimated 291 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2013, according to the Multiple Sclerosis International Foundation, Canada has the world's highest incidence of MS. While pharmaceutical and scientific research are advancing in the therapeutic area, studies are also underway to determine the contribution of wellness factors such as nutrition, physical activity and emotional well-being -- to quality of life for MS patients. With that in mind, the Toronto-based MS Society of Canada conducted a Wellness Survey, which led to the launch of the Hermès Canada | MS Society Wellness Research Innovation Grant. These grants are awarded to scientists conducting research on MS and wellness factors. The University of Saskatchewan, which received one such grant in 2016, investigated the effect of Pilates in people with MS. The study recruited 30 MS patients. Half took Pilates classes twice a week and massage therapy once a week, while the other half only did once-a-week massage therapy. Results showed that patients who took Pilates classes saw an improvement in their overall condition, compared to patients in the control group. To create its wellness toolbox, the MS Society of Canada received input from MS patients about strategies that have helped them manage the disease and live a full life.