Comments from my colleagues about how I handled my disease were unexpected but deeply moving. by Kenneth Bandler Kenneth Bandler The terms “multiple sclerosis” and “MS” permeated remarks at a luncheon my longtime employer convened recently. I expected to hear shared memories of accomplishments as I retired from the American Jewish Committee (AJC) after heading the global advocacy organization’s media relations operation for nearly 25 years. I did not expect comments about MS. Several colleagues saluted how I have dealt with MS as I carried out a multitude of tasks daily, as well as on weeken ..read more

Fun, friendship and fortitude abound on the MS Snowmobile Tour. By Robert Lerose Raven Henderson volunteers with the tour. Raven Henderson remembers the time she had to use her cane on the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s MS Snowmobile Tour bus because her multiple sclerosis was upsetting her balance. A fellow passenger helped her down the bus steps and then shared a small pearl of wisdom: angels up and demons down. It was his way of telling her to lead with her better leg. “It stuck with me years later, and I always do that when I’m having trouble walking,” Henderson recalls. “That’s w ..read more

Be prepared when company is coming for holidays and get-togethers by Shara Rutberg Ann Marie Johnson, who lives with MS, says planning is key. The table was beautifully set for a dozen. The playlist was made. The turkey, perfectly cooked and staying warm in the oven, filled the Brooklyn apartment with a mouth-watering cloud of Thanksgiving set to envelope 11 guests when they walked through the door in an hour. And the hostess? She was taking a nap. But that strategic snooze was all part of her plan, says Ann Marie Johnson, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. “Planning, plannin ..read more

People living with the disease join with research experts to identify projects to be funded. by Aviva Patz Can damaged myelin, the tissue that insulates nerve fibers, be repaired in multiple sclerosis? Can altering the balance of gut bacteria help stop inflammation? Is it possible to reprogram microglia, the brain’s immune cells? Are there early warning signs of multiple sclerosis before symptoms appear? These are just some of the questions the National Multiple Sclerosis Society hopes to answer in its selection and funding of research to stop disease activity, restore function and end MS. “Th ..read more

A recent study showed that people with MS who reported healthy eating also reported significantly less disability progression over more than seven years. This new study from the University of Melbourne in Australia is part of an ongoing effort to provide rigorous results on how lifestyle factors may affect MS outcomes. Researchers analyzed data from 602 participants. Diet quality was assessed using a questionnaire that reported on the types of healthy and unhealthy foods eaten. Disability progression was measured using a self-reported assessment of mobility impairments. While we do not yet kno ..read more

You’ve toughed it out. Now what? by Vicky Uhland When Nerisa Misiaita began having double vision and difficulty using her hands, she attributed it to the stress of being a 20-year-old college student working two jobs. But when leg issues caused her to slip and break her ankle, she decided to get checked out at a hospital. While Misiaita was waiting in the hospital, she collapsed. Doctors rushed to do bloodwork and other tests. “When the MRI results came back, they showed 21 lesions on my brain and 17 on my spine,” she says. Misiaita’s MS symptoms were so severe that she spent two months in the ..read more

My disease and my daughter have given me a new perspective on life. by Sara J. Winston When you’re young, you see only what you want to see. No one can get in the way of the fairytale. And then, suddenly, there are no guideposts, no bumpers to guide you through difficult periods. This platitude applies to two experiences I’ve had in my life, both of which, in vastly different ways, have been the impetus for my perspective to change: learning to live my life with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis and learning to be a mother. I was diagnosed with MS in 2015. The diagnosis came just before a ..read more

Planning and shopping for meals for yourself or your family can be daunting on days when your MS symptoms are flaring up and your energy is low. Here are a couple of ideas to help: Grocery delivery Many stores now offer grocery delivery services, which is helpful on days when you can’t leave the house. Brick-and-mortar stores like Walmart and Target, as well as online delivery services such as DoorDash and Instacart, also accept online EBT payments for SNAP-eligible food items. Delivery cost varies across services. Meal planning Planning meals ahead of time can make shopping less stressful. Ne ..read more

Keeping track of multiple prescriptions for your MS is easier when you have a system. by Matt Alderton Vanessa Willison, who lives with MS, organizes her pill box every Saturday night. Some people spend Saturday night at the theater. Others spend it at a nice restaurant with their spouse or at a pub with their friends. For others, Saturday night is for playing games, baking cookies, going dancing or singing karaoke. For 49-year-old Vanessa Willison, however, Saturday night is “Pill Night.” “Every Saturday night, that’s what I do: I sit in my bed and watch a movie while I do my pills,” says W ..read more

4 tips for indoor and outdoor activities by Lisa Mulcahy Spring has arrived. It’s time to put away your winter things and do some spring cleaning, prepare the garden, and maybe get outside for some exercise and fresh air. The great news: you can do all of this while managing your multiple sclerosis and enjoy the new season to the fullest. The key is to pace yourself properly. “I tell my MS patients that the mind and the energy reserve that they have is similar to a rechargeable battery,” says Svetlana Primma Eckert, MD, assistant clinical professor of neurology at the University of Buffalo Jac ..read more