For many Americans, the July 4 holiday is a joyful celebration filled with fireworks, barbecues, parades, and time spent outdoors with family and friends. However, for me, it can present unique challenges due to my multiple sclerosis (MS). From heat sensitivity and sensory overload to difficulty participating in…
heat intolerance
It was a glorious summer for those of us lucky enough not to be engulfed by forest fires, face crop destruction by severe drought, or have to manage the debilitating effects of multiple sclerosis (MS), which are exacerbated by crippling heat. Over 60% of people with MS say…
OK, I know I look silly wearing this — maybe even scary — but the Father’s Day gift I received from my son and his family is really cool, especially for someone with multiple sclerosis. Just in time for the hot days of summer, I now have a…
When I turned 50 in 2013, I blew out the candles, and bam! I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I started seeing an endocrinologist and a neurologist, taking daily diabetic medications, and testing my blood sugar every day. At that point, I was not physically disabled in any…
A musical about the life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the Italian-born Roman Catholic nun known as Mother Cabrini to the many immigrants in New York she served in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tells Cabrini’s story through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis (MS)…
Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question is inspired by the forum topic “Has anyone tried one of these cooling vests?“ from April 18, 2018. What is…
My readers have recently brought something to my attention: They informed me that not all MS exacerbations (flare-ups, relapses, and attacks) are created equal. I have learned that along with the hardcore types, which usually require steroid treatment, there are also pseudo-exacerbations. I can always trace the causes of…
I am a hot mess. No, really, I am a hot, sweaty, gel-pack-laden mess. My AC kicked it three hours ago, three hours before Orange County hit a record 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Mother Nature is drunk. And I am getting warmer. Heat is kryptonite to anyone with multiple sclerosis…
With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start making plans. We all love spending time outdoors during the long hours of sunshine and warm temperatures, don’t we? Well, not everyone does. If you’re reading this, you’re probably living with multiple sclerosis. That…
Even before my 2010 Primary Progressive MS diagnosis, I was influenced by my inner voice. Way too many times I’ve given into my insecurities and visions of all the terrible scenarios that could occur. Everyone has that little voice. The one that will whisper, “you can’t do that,” or, “why bother?…