living with MS

Cathy Chester has been living with MS symptoms for more than 40 years. (Photos courtesy of Cathy Chester) Day 17 of 31 This is Cathy Chester’s story: My story with multiple sclerosis (MS) started more than 40 years ago when a car accident left me with a concussion,…

Ahna Crum wears glasses with orange lenses and prisms to correct for color discrepancy, contrast loss, and double vision. (Photos by Sarah Brewington) Day 16 of 31 This is Ahna Crum’s story: “A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep.”…

Leigh Anne Nelson wears the jersey of her favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs. (Photos by Brett Nelson) Day 15 of 31 This is Leigh Anne Nelson’s story: During my first experience with what I believe was an MS-related illness in 1996, I had numbness and loss…

A bilingual graphic educational message, dubbed VISIBL-MS, has been developed by researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) to raise awareness about the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The graphic — bearing the word “VISIBLY” in English and “VISIBLE” in Spanish — uses the letters in each phrase…

Aside from a few unpleasant moments, I enjoyed my time as a medic in the U.S. military — so much so that when I began to slow down noticeably, I decided to continue in that field by applying to become a physician assistant (PA). I initially wanted to…

Surjeet Kaur’s MS journey involves sacrifice, but also awareness and positivity. (Photos courtesy of Surjeet Kaur) Day 14 of 31 This is Surjeet Kaur’s story: It was an ordinary day in November 2012 when I woke up with a stiff neck. I tried to brush this off thinking I…

Getting physical exercise can improve subjective well-being and health-related quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new meta-analysis shows. “Exercise interventions, especially aerobic or combined aerobic and resistance training, should be implemented in clinical practice to promote mental health” and health-related quality of life in people…

At the age of 40, I’ve never passed my driving test. I know that’s shocking. Here in the United Kingdom, we must pass two sections to be licensed to drive: a theory test and the practical test. I’ve passed the theory part three times but was never able to pass…

Alex Ramirez stands outside of his home. (Photos courtesy of Alex Ramirez) Day 13 of 31 This is Alex Ramirez’s story: In January 2018, I started to feel terrible in a way I can’t put into words. I went to the hospital, and after multiple MRIs, I was prescribed…

Did you know that sunflowers symbolize hidden disabilities? Deanna Renee reflects on her achievements while eagerly anticipating the future. (Photos courtesy of Deanna Renee) Day 12 of 31 This is Deanna Renee’s story: At 17, when a neurologist delivered my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), it felt like…

Faith Agauas takes a stroll by the waterfront. (Photos courtesy of Faith Agauas) Day 11 of 31 This is Faith Agauas’ story: My 70 years of life have been an amazing journey. I grew up in Detroit in a neighborhood filled with love and protection, music from Motown, and…

Brittany Quiroz poses in a self-promotion photo for AHotMS.com. (Photos courtesy of Brittany Quiroz) Day 10 of 31 This is Brittany Quiroz’s story: It’s uncommon for your brain to willingly transition utter disaster into a greater purpose or even God’s calling for you. But for me, my diagnosis…

Tori Henderson receives her monthly infusion at an appointment. (Photos courtesy of Tori Henderson) Day 9 of 31 This is Tori Henderson’s story: Henderson, left, poses with her daughter, Kerriyah, for her birthday at Disney World. Thanksgiving 2017 will forever hold a special place in my memories. I…

Amanda Olivier, left, and Sagirah Ahmed Norris pose with their medals at the Athletes with Disabilities Half Marathon in The Woodlands, Texas, in 2023. (Photos courtesy of Amanda Olivier and Sagirah Ahmed Norris) Day 8 of 31 This is Amanda Olivier and Sagirah Ahmed Norris’ story: AO: I awoke…

The U.S. military loves abbreviations and acronyms. So many of these are learned during a soldier’s first year that, to civilians, a conversation between service members might sound like a foreign language. It can be amusing, but the intention of this method of condensing words is not to confuse. It’s…

Antonio Perez walks with his cane in the summer of 2022, saying his illness wasn’t that bad during that time. (Photos courtesy of Antonio Perez) Day 7 of 31 This is Antonio Perez’s story: Perez enjoys a glass of red wine. Hello, my name is Antonio Perez and…

Sam Roman, MD, travels to Montana to conduct home visits for patients enrolled in the TREAT-MS clinical trial. (Photos courtesy of Sam Roman) Day 6 of 31 This is Sam Roman’s story: It was during a particularly stressful period of medical school in 2015 when I had my first…

Julie Stamm was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007. (Courtesy of Colorado Parent magazine) Day 5 of 31 This is Julie Stamm’s (@iamstamm) story: I was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) on Jan. 8, 2007. While I can date my symptoms back to six years before that,…

Bethany Carman runs her first 10K at the Mornington Running Festival in Australia. (Photos courtesy of Bethany Carman) Day 4 of 31 This is Bethany Carman’s story: Hello, I’m Beth. I’m 30 years old, based in Melbourne, Australia, and I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS)…

Sarah Doherty is shown in a selfie. (Photos courtesy of Sarah Doherty) Day 3 of 31 This is Sarah Doherty’s story: I never in a million years expected to have to deal with a chronic health diagnosis at age 28. What started as the loss of vision in…

Alexis Mendiola is shown during a treatment infusion in March 2023. (Photos courtesy of Alexis Mendiola) Day 2 of 31 This is Alexis Mendiola’s story: March 2021 will forever be bittersweet to me. Though my heart sank when my neurologist said those words we all hate to hear, I…

Multiple sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease thought to affect more than 1.8 million people globally, can impact many aspects of daily life. So for Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, observed each March, this year’s focus is on the MS experience and the importance of social connections. Multiple Sclerosis…

Getrude Kamuyu, in her cap and gown, stands with her mother, Grace Kamuyu. (Photos courtesy of Getrude Kamuyu) Day 1 of 31 This is Getrude Kamuyu’s story: At Easter in 2022, I developed sudden pain in my left eye. Then blindness started to creep in, moving in quickly. Three…

There are several good reasons why you won’t see me in television commercials for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments anytime soon. For one, I’m not much of an actor, despite my brief moment of high school fame. For another, even though I wouldn’t go so far as to say that…

We’ve all heard comments from people who aren’t educated about multiple sclerosis (MS). Some that I’ve heard include “My friend had that and is fine now,” “Eating better will fix you,” and “Try a parasite cleanse.” I have to chuckle at these statements.  With March not far away,…

Both balance and endurance training can help to ease fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) — but if problems with balance are a concern, then balance training would be the best choice as it targets both fatigue and balance, a small study found. The study, “Fatigue may…

Just three years before I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), I was on what was to be my last overseas tour with the U.S. Army. One day while dozing during a lull in a mission, I was awakened by the sensation of someone standing over me.

Taking melatonin before bedtime may help balance and muscle strength in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study from Tunisia. Those benefits are in addition to making for more restful sleep. While the findings come from a small number of patients, they suggest melatonin supplements may…

Nabiximols, a cannabis-based oral spray sold as Sativex, was reported to considerably ease spasticity — unusual muscle tightness or stiffness — in about two-thirds of the multiple sclerosis (MS) patients using it for three months in a real-world study in Germany. For most patients, the treatment also…

COMPASS, a digital tool that provides support for managing the daily challenges of living with a long-term health condition such as multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly reduces psychological distress and improves mental health in these patients, data from a randomized clinical trial show. The intervention consists of multiple online modules…