Photo courtesy of Julie Wigley Day 11 of 31 This is Julie Wigley‘s story: In 2010, I started having numbness in my legs, specifically when I’d look down. I didn’t think much of it, but mentioned it to my primary care doctor during a…
Daily living
A little over three years passed between my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and my medical retirement from the U.S. Army. Even before the diagnosis, I knew something was wrong and had taken a desk job while searching for the reason. Since I was behind a desk in a…
Photo courtesy of Mohit Ojha Day 9 of 31 This is Mohit Ojha’s story: Life before MS: I was born into a traditional Indian family, so my childhood was a very typical one until the 10th grade. After that, I didn’t feel like studying so I dropped out of…
Photo courtesy of Mia Suite Day 8 of 31 This is Mia Suite’s story: On the morning of March 10, 2020, I received one of the most gut-wrenching diagnoses of my life. The day started off normal. I had a 9 a.m. appointment with a neurologist to go…
Photo courtesy of Derlene McPhail Day 7 of 31 This is Derlene McPhail’s story: Before my multiple sclerosis (MS) journey began, I worked for 15 years as a healthcare support worker for patients living with MS. The first time I heard the words multiple sclerosis, I had…
Photo courtesy of Susan Payrovi Day 6 of 31 This is Susan Payrovi’s story: As a young person, physician, and new mom, I never expected to get sick. In fact, I considered myself to be the picture of health. What I failed to see were all of the factors…
Photo courtesy of Natalina Larsson Day 5 of 31 This is Natalina Larsson’s story: My name is Natalina. I’m 35 years old and live in Sweden. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in June 2021. My MS symptoms are balance difficulties, dizziness, physical fatigue, tremor, spasticity in…
Mike Parker noticed numbness in his feet about 10 years before he was diagnosed with MS. (Photo courtesy of Mike Parker) Day 4 of 31 This is Mike Parker’s story: I recently was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). The last few months have been tough, with worsening disease…
Jessica (left) with her daughter, Jaleece. Photo courtesy of Jessica Lovato. Day 3 of 31 This is Jessica Lovato’s story: My name is Jessica, and I’m from Utah. In mid-February 2020, I was nine months into owning and operating a full-service salon and barbershop. As I was finishing a…
We had family portraits made a few days ago. With a family of five, this never goes perfectly, so there was a little pre-photo briefing beforehand. There were some veiled threats, a promise of dinner after as a reward for good behavior, and more than a few hissed admonishments to…
I am not by nature a very neat person. I want to be. I like order, but I lack the discipline to maintain it. People tend to think that time in the military makes you neat and orderly for the rest of your life, but in my case, they’d be…
“scabulous adj. proud of a scar on your body, which is an autograph signed to you by a world grateful for your continued willingness to play with her, even when you don’t feel like it.” — John Koenig, “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows“ I’ve managed to amass quite the…
Nearly half of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients experience swallowing difficulties, which is notably higher than rates seen in the general population, according to a recent review study and meta-analysis. Because swallowing problems, or dysphagia, can lead to serious, sometimes life-threatening, complications, it is important for patients to be routinely…
Have you ever heard of an ABLE savings account? I hadn’t until a couple weeks ago. The acronym stands for the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2014. It created special savings accounts that allow disabled Americans, including people with…
Summer is one of the cruelest times of year for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Thanks to Uhthoff’s syndrome, it’s hard to enjoy all the fun that comes with warm temperatures. I don’t seem to sweat anymore (not that it helps much in our high humidity), so I…
The other day, my middle child opened the door while I was in the bathroom. If you have children, a surprise visit in what should be a sanctuary isn’t unusual, but in this case, what he said was. He observed me aboard my toilet and shower chair, which progressive…
Before multiple sclerosis (MS), I was pretty proud of my memory. For the most part, I still am, but like many others with this disease, I now have trouble recalling information. For me, it’s one of the most irritating, (sometimes even infuriating), cognitive issues associated with MS. I…
As I’ve probably mentioned before, my wife and I have three boys in grade school. This means that between school events, sports, and play dates, I’m around a lot of kids. Considering I use a wheelchair, my multiple sclerosis (MS) isn’t exactly invisible, so I’m often asked…
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. now may order a Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) device online through a new e-commerce site launched by the device’s developer, Helius Medical Technologies. The website, built in partnership with the telehealth company UpScript, marks the first time…
The new year is just a few days away, so if you haven’t already, you might want to start thinking about resolutions, if you’re so inclined. Although I personally don’t bother these days, about half of American adults do, although that number is declining. One study suggests that…
About one in five people with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be unfit to drive a vehicle due to disease-related difficulties, according to a review of published studies. Cognitive and visual difficulties were most frequently associated with impaired driving ability, both on the road and in a simulation. However, the…
I had a glass of wine thrown in my face on the evening of my wedding anniversary. I was taken completely by surprise — well, maybe not completely. After all, the person who threw it has a reputation for that sort of thing. I was pretty irritated, though, because a…
As an adult, it hasn’t been easy for me to get into the Christmas spirit. Planning festivities and buying gifts don’t come naturally to me. Perhaps it’s because adult life never ends, whereas as a student, I had holiday breaks that signified the beginning of the season, allowing me to…
In the five years I’ve been tapping away at this multiple sclerosis (MS) column for MS News Today, I’ve so far written during one FIFA World Cup. My oft used trope is that “it’s football, not soccer,” for our many U.S. readers. That is, at least, how…
I’m a fairly neat and tidy person, but you wouldn’t have thought that if you’d looked in my kitchen over the last few weeks. Bottles of oils, jars full of melted wax, bags of butters and soaps, and boxes were scattered everywhere. My husband is a beekeeper, and…
First off, let me apologize for my penchant for using hip literary references. Not everyone is aware of Joseph Heller’s seminal satirical novel published in 1961, which spawned the book’s title of “Catch-22” as a quick-fire phrase to describe anything that is nearly impossible to get out of. Our…
What do you do to make living with multiple sclerosis (MS) easier? A similar question was posed to readers of the MS News Today Facebook page recently, and about 175 people responded. Even an MS old-timer like me (I’ve been living with the disease for 42 years and…
Well, I survived! I would’ve never believed something so seemingly insignificant could cause such devastating and lasting effects on my health. I’ve had urinary tract infections (UTIs) before, as they’re a complication of self-catheterization with multiple sclerosis (MS). But this was the mother of all UTIs. It started…
I’ve been feeling like a soccer mom the past month or so, even though I’m a 74-year-old guy. My wife and I are leasing a minivan, the go-to wheels of after-school sports parents. It also seems to be a great vehicle for someone with a disability like multiple sclerosis…
A voracious reader since childhood, I’ve often lost myself inside fictional worlds — often preferring them to the real one where I’m forced to live. This was especially true when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) almost 18 years ago. When my eyes and ears were focused on…