News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis
You may not have heard of Judy Heumann, who died March 4 at the age of 75. Although she’s not directly connected to the multiple sclerosis community, you should know about her. Everyone who lives with a disability owes her a great deal. Heumann was just 18 months old when she became ill in the 1949 polio epidemic. According to her website, doctors told her parents that she would never…Continue Reading
My tough day started when Brenda asked, “Why do you use that scooter?” Brenda was sitting behind a desk at the County Tax Collector’s Office in Florida, where my wife, Laura, and I hoped that transferring our driver’s licenses from Maryland to Florida would be an easy chore. When I answered, “I have trouble walking,” and Brenda responded, “Just a minute,” and got up to speak with someone, I suspected…Continue Reading
It’s said that people look like their dogs. I’ve discovered that my Cocker Spaniel and I act like each other. I’ve written about Joey a couple of times over the past few years. For example, there was a post about the adventure of taking him for a walk using my scooter. Joey is my pal, my companion, and my stress reliever. The other night, lying in bed, I was thinking…Continue Reading
It’s nice when a negative experience can be turned into one that’s positive. I think that’s the result for a wheelchair-using MS patient following a problem she had at the Mall of America a few days before the Super Bowl. For those not familiar with the Mall of America, it’s a huge shopping mall just outside Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its promotional fact sheet says that the mall covers 5.6 million square feet,…Continue Reading
My son and his wife and one of my grandkids have been fighting the flu. This is not a year to get the flu. The type of flu circulating in most of North America right now is the H3N2 variety. And, in the words of Helen Branswell in a STAT article she’s written, H3N2 is “the problem child of seasonal flu.” H3N2 kills more people than any of the other flu varieties.…Continue Reading
I’m not familiar with Baltimore Research so I can’t vouch for them. However, this information was sent to me by the folks at Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, which is a solid organization. Since many of you may be interested this marketing research I’m passing it along FYI. Ed Baltimore Research has a study coming up that you or someone you know may be interested in. If you know of someone…Continue Reading
This came into my inbox today and I think it’s important to pass it along to as many of us with MS, or another chronic disease, in the U.S. as possible. We may never have another chance to stand in the path of these cuts. Here’s why we’re opposed to this bill: Many families will have to pay higher premiums. If you’re fifty or older, insurers could charge far more…Continue Reading
I’ll be live today, Monday April 24th, on the Multiple Sclerosis News Today Facebook page to talk with you about my experiences with MS. I hope you’ll join me at 5pm edt / 9pm gmt and bring your questions.
[This post first appeared as my column in www.multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com] You may not have heard this song, but I bet its lyrics will strike a chord. I cannot feel my body. I cannot feel my face. My legs are pins and needles and my mind is a disgrace. I see in double vision, so there’s more of you to admire. Got a freaky disposition and my soul is on fire. The…Continue Reading