December 26, 2023 Columns by Mike Parker The perfect response: Endless support after my diagnosis of MS 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?”…
September 13, 2022 News by Lindsey Shapiro, PhD Understanding MS Burden, Support Needs Can Challenge Couples Differences are evident in the perceived frequency of expressions of support needs and disease burden between people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and their life partners, a Swiss study found. People without MS responded in a survey to feeling their partnersā communication about these issues was more frequent than the…
August 17, 2022 Columns by Beth Ullah Overcoming MS Setbacks to Find Abundant Love on a Special Day Last week, we welcomed a wonderful person into our family. My not-so-little brother got married! The wedding was beautiful ā so beautiful that I couldnāt let myself feel it all in the moment. Who wants to hear the loud, ugly crier?! (I did my happy crying loudly in the ladiesā…
August 3, 2022 Columns by Beth Ullah Sometimes Pushing Boundaries With My MS Management Pays Off My brother is getting married in two weeks, so last weekend, I attended my future sister-in-law’s bridal shower in London. When it came to managing my relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) on the trip, I pretty much broke every rule I live by. Surprisingly, taking risks paid off for me, which…
May 6, 2022 Columns by Ed Tobias An Accessible Cruise With Family, Canes, and a Scooter Was a Breeze It’s not easy going for a cruise when a scooter and a couple of canes come along for the trip. I’ve done it with success a number of times in the past, and planning helps a lot. My wife and I just returned from our first first cruise since…
February 14, 2022 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Physical Activity, Coping Skills Can Help to Ease Anxiety With MS Getting more physical activity and having effective ways of coping with multiple sclerosis (MS) could help to ease anxiety in patients, a review study suggests. “The findings of this review highlight links between anxiety in MS and a number of diverse factors, all of which are amenable to change,”…
December 17, 2021 Columns by Jamie Hughes Feeling Overwhelmed? Wander Under the Stars If you read my last column, you know that my Thanksgiving was eventful, to say the least. Well, it looks like Christmas is shaping up to be another banger. My father-in-law is back in the hospital, still trying to kick the infections that have knocked him flat recently. We…
December 3, 2021 Columns by John Connor Thereās a New Primary Carer in Town Well, there’s a new carer at home, actually, but town sounds so much cooler. Like an old-time Western sheriff! My dear wife, Jane, has taken a few days off to attend an ayurvedic yoga retreat, so I’m without the care of She Who Really Must Be Obeyed. (I’ve…
September 24, 2021 Columns by John Connor Despite the Nerves, I Attended My First Family Gathering in 2 Years I know that here in England, COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted for about two months. But trepidation has now been instilled in me. It doesnāt help that the vast number of people catching the virus are still a daily news item, nearly two years after the start of the…
March 2, 2021 Columns by Jessie Ace MS Is Like Having a Winning Ticket to a Club You Never Wanted to Join Recently, I was given the exceptional honor of finding stories for MS News Today‘s upcoming “31 days of MS“ initiative. I loved the challenge, and used it as an opportunity to catch up with friends Iāve met over the years while doing…
August 7, 2020 Columns by John Connor It Was a Lazy Sunday Afternoon ā Not! It all started on the hottest day of the year here in the U.K. My phone said it was 99 F. An old friend was coming over, and my youngest son, Jack, had kindly cleared a route to the garden. So, when she arrived, I took the route. We all…
July 28, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace Managing Expectations on Your Wedding Day Rose petal confetti ā made from the roses my dad had given me a few days before ā rained down as the people I cared about most in the world cheered.Ā “Congratulations!” came from all around as family and friends pulled me in for a hug. My legs,…
June 16, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace Advice for helping a loved one through an MS diagnosis Last updated April 25, 2023 In June, the U.K. marks Carers Week, which got me thinking about how a chronic illness diagnosis often affects a patient’s entire family.Ā Most often, patients are the focus of a diagnosis, and the people around them are almost forgotten. The…
May 19, 2020 Columns by Jessie Ace The Importance of Connecting with Family āYou canāt say that!ā Screams erupted over our Zoom chat resulting in infectious laughter. Admittedly, it was rude, too rude to mention, especially considering the unexpectedness of who said it.Ā Fun and laughter are whatās keeping us all going right now.
May 1, 2020 Columns by John Connor Keeping It All in the Family Iāve never done this before, but Iām dictating this column to my wife. She has many attributes, among them being trained as a secretary many years ago. We went to the same further-education college when we were both in our late teens, but never met while there. I think she…
March 6, 2019 News by Mary Chapman Multiple Sclerosis Association of America Putting Focus on Family for MS Awareness Month In recognition of March as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) is calling attention to the diseaseās impact on families. More specifically, the nonprofit organization is focusing its awareness campaign on the topics “Relationships and MS” and “Spotlighting Care Partner Needs,” according…
February 22, 2019 Columns by Jamie Hughes The More Things Change ā¦ An awesome friend of mine at work who is learning to master Spanish as a second language has been using a podcast called “News in Slow Spanish” to increase fluency in conversation and learn cultural nuances. (And this isnāt the first amazing thing sheās done. Homegirl can run…
January 25, 2019 Columns by John Connor A Voyage Round My Father-in-law This is going to be a hard column to write, and quite possibly it breaks all the rules of column writing by being a tough one to read! I’ve always found humor handy when facing adversity. On the Titanic, my last dying bon mot might well have been, “Hey,…
August 14, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson The Reflection of Me: A Daughterās Tribute in the Face of MS The journey of chronic illness has taught me that our families are greatly affected by our illnesses. Spouses, parents, siblings, and many others can attest to their personal stories of loving someone who is chronically ill. My inspiration for this weekās column was a discussion I recently had with…
August 7, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Revelations Learned in My Aha! Moments Have you ever asked yourself, āWhat am I supposed to do with my life?” or, “How did I get here?” I have asked these questions several times throughout my existence. Those questions regurgitated at the occurrence of every life-altering event. I did not receive a definitive answer that appeased…
June 4, 2018 News by Diogo Pinto Family Support and Identity Seen to Affect Depression, Mood Swings in MS Patients in UK Study A survey ofĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) patients that looked at their sense of social identity based on their family relations ā meant to help explain mood disorders like depression and anxiety seen in this population ā found a clear link between the strength of family bonds and mood, a U.K. study…
May 25, 2018 Columns by John Connor Running (Wheeling) on Empty Arguments over nothing and everything are, in my experience, induced by extreme stress. When my wife and I were at full bore working together, this often happened. Not at work ā there wasn’t time ā and we were professional. Domestically, what little downtime we had would often be spent…
November 21, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Still, I Am Grateful and Giving Thanks I canāt believe Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Time truly passes quickly. The holidays are bittersweet for me; I experience both joy and unrest. I believe there are others who can relate. The holiday season can be stressful and I always try to pace myself. In…
November 3, 2017 Columns by John Connor The Weekend The weekend should have started on Friday. My sister-in-law is over from France and there was the first gathering of the clan in a local hostelry. I took the sensible option of staying in as there was an even bigger do at our place on Saturday night. My…
October 26, 2017 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Finding Support When Living with MS Last Saturday, I received a FaceTime call from my father who was attending my cousinās wedding reception. Both he and my mom traveled out of state to attend it, as did the majority of my large extended family. The happy clamor of boisterous chatter made it almost impossible…
October 18, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester New Video Series Features ‘It Takes a Team’ Thereās a difference between being lucky and being blessed. I learned that difference in 1992, after giving birth to our son. Once the doctors counted 10 toes, 10 fingers and we heard the babyās first cry, I remarked to my husband how lucky we were.
September 27, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester New Video Series Aims to Lift the MS Community When youāre living with multiple sclerosis, itās important to surround yourself with a community of people who give you the kind of support and understanding you need. When I was diagnosed in 1986, there was no internet to help me find a community,…
June 16, 2017 Columns by John Connor Looking Back in Anger Back in the day, I always wanted to be a columnist. That day was so long ago it was before sunrise. In my youthful naivety, I never thought about generating an idea a week. I also never considered it would be about my travails with an illness. Still,…
June 12, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson A Glimpse at Jason, a Loving Dad with MS, as Father’s Day Nears Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18, in the U.S. There are a lot of good fathers out there, but one I wanted to tell you about is my friend Jason Clark. He is a caring husband to his wife, Jenny, and an amazing father to his four children.
April 5, 2017 Columns by Mike Knight Going All In for Ocrevus ā Together āIs the MS drug news good for u?ā my friendās text asked. It was Wednesday morning, March 29. Genentech had just announcedĀ that Ocrevus, the āFirst and only approved disease-modifying therapy for primary progressive form of multiple sclerosis (PPMS) ā one of the most disabling forms of…