Daily living

I glanced at the clock: 15:51. I was relieved. For some reason, I’ve been obsessed with time lately. I’m not sure if it’s due to lockdown anxiety or the ups and downs of my multiple sclerosis, but time has…

Day 14 of 31 This is Dr. Conor Kerley’s story: My name is Conor Kerley. When I was first diagnosed with MS at age 15, my first question was: will I still be able to play sports? I was diagnosed after three major relapses in eight months…

Day 13 of 31 This is Susan Carey’s story: My name is Susan Carey, and I was diagnosed with MS in 2004 at age 14. As you can imagine, it came as a surprise to me and others. Having to go through puberty with a chronic illness…

Day 11 of 31 This is Shane Stanley’s story: My name is Shane and I am 29, living with MS since 2011. In the beginning, I experienced mild symptoms until they progressed in 2018. From that time, I have realized that MS is a gift. It has taught me…

Day 10 of 31 This is Trishna Bharadia’s story: I’m Trishna Bharadia, I live in Buckinghamshire in the U.K., and I have MS. I was diagnosed in 2008, age 28, after several years of vague symptoms, like feeling pins and needles, losing the strength in my hands, losing the…

Cheryl Hile and her husband, Brian. Photo courtesy of Michael Moberly Day 9 of 31 This is Cheryl Hile’s story: My husband jokes he knew I was a real runner when I asked him at a 10K, “Is the course accurate?” I was running fast and having…

We often focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. This doesn’t just apply to our relationships, but to everything: our carers, our careers, our children, our homes, our cars, etc.  I often hear people wishing they had more:  “I wish…

Photo courtesy of Heather Plummer-Goodrich Day 8 of 31 This is Heather Plummer-Goodrich’s story: Hello, my name is Heather. I am a nana of six beautiful grandchildren, a wife, and an ultra marathon runner. My mantra is: Never give up. Make adjustments, not excuses. Stay positive. When…

Photo courtesy of Dan Clarke Day 7 of 31 This is Heather Russell-Kay’s story: Hi! My name is Heather and I am an actor, teacher, blogger, and support volunteer. I was diagnosed with MS just over six years ago, and for me, it…

Photo courtesy of Sandra Costello Day 6 of 31 This is Dee DiFatta’s story: Being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the day before my 22nd birthday was not something I expected or anticipated, but it has truly been a blessing. Navigating MS has taught me to slow down…

“Ooooops!” Actually, I spit out a shorter, one-syllable word as I took one of the scariest tumbles I’ve had in 40 years of living with MS. But this is a family column. My last scary fall a few years ago happened from a sitting position, and I fell onto…

Photo courtesy of Anita Alberto Photography. Day 4 of 31 This is Jen DeTracey’s story: It’s been over 10 years since I was diagnosed with MS.  Ironically, on the anniversary, I didn’t think about it. I realized a few days later…

Photo courtesy of Svetlana Didorenko Day 3 of 31 This is Alex Twersky’s story: My name is Alex Twersky, and I have worked with Overcoming MS for more than seven years, applying my marketing and communications experience to advancing our vision.

Photos courtesy of Sophie Brodie Day 2 of 31 This is Sophie Brodie’s story: MS is a label. Sometimes that label means something, but a lot of time it doesn’t. Almost two years ago — when I had lost some vision, some sensation, some balance, some mobility — a…

Photos courtesy of Hayley Crowther Day 1 of 31 This is Hayley Crowther’s story: When I look back at the year I got sick, I’d just celebrated my 30th birthday. I was living with my husband and 7-year-old son, had a job I loved and, just four weeks prior…

I’ve recently been sucked into watching “Blown Away” on Netflix. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s a reality TV show in which 10 master glass artists compete in 10 challenges to win a $60,000 prize and an artist’s residency at the Corning Museum of Glass…

Ah, timing. It was early Saturday afternoon on Feb. 13, and my wife, Jane, had just flushed the toilet for me. The doorbell rang — my flowers had arrived. An early romantic gesture. On the morning of Valentine’s Day, Jane countered with hers, a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask…

This week, I went to Tokyo, saw elephants up close in Africa, flew over New York, and watched a stage show, all in one day. How was it possible? Virtual reality (VR), of course! Being unable to play badminton in lockdown has forced…

“Open Circle Chat!”  Have you seen the reality TV series “The Circle”? It was first shown in the U.K. on Channel 4, and there’s now a U.S. version on Netflix. It is well worth a watch.  I started watching it because of the psychological…

I know quite a few of you are dealing with copious amounts of snow right now, but there is not a speck of white stuff on the ground where I live in Atlanta. And for that, I am grateful. Why? Because I do not like snow. I do not like…

Would I jinx it? In last week’s column “How I’m Staying on Top of MS’ Many ‘Gifts,'” I wrote about being on top of all my MS-induced ancillary symptoms. Wendy, one of my two readers, pointed out that she didn’t want to jinx me. The trouble was that I’d…

When I was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009, my first question to my neurologist was, “Will I end up in a wheelchair?” She patted this question back with the generic, “You may, but no one knows the course that anyone’s MS might take.” Later, I learned that late-onset…

I love the car I drive, but I’ve hated going to the dealer to get my car serviced. In the four decades that I’ve lived with MS, my walking has deteriorated to the point where I use a scooter if I have to walk more than 75 feet. If I…

“Ooh, I found some of your artwork in the loft. Did you still want it?” My mum’s beautiful, melodic voice sang through the phone during our regular chat.  “Heck yes! Can I pick it up tomorrow?” I replied. I didn’t know what had happened…

The holidays can be difficult for many reasons, but one of the things I struggle with is the breakdown of routines. The kids are home from school and spend way too much time directionless, their faces glued to one screen or another. Work slows down or stops entirely as…

How do you feel at the start of a new year? I love it, because I enjoy defining my intentions and setting my goals for the coming days. Everything seems fresh and new, and the possibilities are endless. I make a point to avoid New Year’s resolutions, though.

“She smelled amazing!” I commented to my oblivious husband as we walked our muddy dog back home after our daily walk. “Did you smell that lady as she walked past us?”  Unfortunately, the lady was too far gone for me to awkwardly run up and ask…

Santa refuses to use email! At least letter-sending is a thousand years older than he is! (Via Shutterstock) Well, 2020 was a weird year for everybody. It was even weird for magical creatures, as these days, an awful lot of people believe they exist! It’s tough now to hide.

I’m surprised I get anything done! Luckily, the parent company of Multiple Sclerosis News Today is in the U.S., so I didn’t have to write this column last week, due to Thanksgiving celebrations — even though I’m British. I also got two days off from being an MS News Today…

“I’m too hot!” My brain was turning to mush as my body seemed to grow heavier. I could feel the energy draining out of me. This isn’t an uncommon complaint when the weather grows hotter during the summer. Most people…