News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis
My multiple sclerosis (MS) was diagnosed 40 years ago in August. I never kept my MS a secret, but I didn’t go around advertising it, either. I’ll bet, for the first 20 years or so, very few people at work knew I lived with the disease. When my MS stuck, I was working as the news director of a large radio station in a major U.S. city. I managed about…Continue Reading
Many people with MS get tattoos. Often it’s a way to deliver a statement about MS to the world, or perhaps it’s a personal message to the person sporting it. But a new report cautions that too much ink might create a health issue for some folks. According to that study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, the concern is heat, and we know how bad heat can be…Continue Reading
For years, some people have warned of a possible connection between multiple sclerosis and the amalgam dental fillings many of us have (or had) in our teeth. The concern has been that these fillings contain mercury, which can be toxic, especially if those fillings are removed. In large part, these concerns have been poo-pooed. I’ve been one of the naysayers, along with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, whose dental booklet…Continue Reading
We’ve been moving and I’ve been stressed. That’s redundant, I know. Moving is stress on wheels — which isn’t good for someone with MS. Studies have shown a link between stressful life events and MS exacerbations, known as flares. Researchers, if you’re reading this, you should have been watching me. I’ve been a symphony of stress! My wife, Laura, and I have been moving from a two-bedroom-plus-den condo to a…Continue Reading
Labor Day has come and gone here in the U.S. Now, flu season has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. This isn’t the novel coronavirus we’ve been fighting all year. It’s the regular seasonal flu virus that’s knocking on our door again. Each year, some people with multiple sclerosis wonder if they should get a flu shot. My wife and I have been getting one for as long as I can…Continue Reading
You’re stressed, and Halo may know it. Halo is a new Amazon service the company says can judge how stressed you are, in part by the tone of your voice. The service uses a wristband that connects to a mobile app. A small sensor in the band monitors temperature, heart rate, and body motion. It also has a pair of microphones that listen to your voice. That voice feature is…Continue Reading
I’ve used a Bioness L300 Functional Electronic Stimulator for almost 8 years to help me walk. Has the benefit been worth the cost?
In early July, I wrote a blog post about Disability Pride Month. It’s not for me, I said. I questioned the word “pride” and asked whether we need a special month to advocate for a more inclusive world. Several people commented on that column — some supported my thoughts, while others were critical of what I wrote. A woman named Danielle wrote a particularly strong comment ending with: “I think…Continue Reading
I’d just gotten out of bed the other morning and was headed to the bathroom using just one cane when I tried to step over a dog toy on the floor. I went down slowly onto the carpet, so it was really no big deal. No harm, no foul, but I should have been using two canes, and I should have been more careful. I should know how not to…Continue Reading
July is Disability Pride Month. Now, don’t flame me right away for writing this, but I don’t think we need a month highlighting disability pride — just like I don’t think people with MS need a month in October spotlighting rare diseases. MS is invisible but, with more than 2.3 million people carrying that diagnosis, it’s not rare. Disability Pride Month seems to have started as Disability Pride Day, which…Continue Reading