The MS Wire

News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Category: Living with MS

Two Short Movies Take Different Approaches to Portraying MS

I’ve recently come across two short movies that are designed to show what it’s like living with MS. But they have two very different approaches. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society in the U.S produced one of the movies. It runs about 3 minutes, features several people who live with our disease, and appears to be designed as a fundraising tool for the society. The other film was produced by a…Continue Reading

MS Hope or MS Hype? A Writer’s Dilemma

Let’s say there’s an MS study reporting that researchers have discovered a substance that seems to prevent nerve cell damage. But they’ve only studied this on mice. Or, there’s another study that claims that something can help reduce MS pain, but the study involves only 19 patients. Or, an MS patient is interviewed because, after using a new drug, she’s able to ditch her wheelchair and walk. Those of us…Continue Reading

Are You Getting a Big Emergency Room Bill for a Little ER Visit?

A couple weeks ago I wrote about medical bills, suggesting that a policy of trust but verify would be advisable. A few days ago, I read about a type of emergency room fee that’s hard to trust. It appears to be charged by many hospitals, seemingly without consistency, and it can add tens of thousands of dollars to your bill for even a minor ER visit. It’s called a “trauma…Continue Reading

MS and Motorcycles – Still Easy Riding for Some

Reading some social media posts not long ago a line from a late 1960s Arlo Guthrie song came to mind: “I don’t want a pickle. Just want to ride on my motor-sickle.” I didn’t think it was possible for someone with MS to ride a “motor-sickle.” It appears I was wrong. A reasonable number of MS folks are doing just that. Shannon Sorensen is one of them. She posted on…Continue Reading

Do People Think Your MS Problems are All in Your Head?

Have you ever had a friend, a spouse or even a doctor tell you that you’re imagining your MS pain, your fatigue or even your sexual problems? “You’re not trying,” they might say. Or, “You just need to exercise.” It happens all the time for many of us, and it’s not unique to people with MS. There’s a doctor in Boston who understands and who, literally, has felt your pain.…Continue Reading

Is Your Disability Ready for Disasters?

Red Cross disaster shelter

Hurricane season began on June 1 for the area watched over by the National Hurricane Center. For people living along the coast, as I do, it’s time to plan for moving quickly. For people with mobility problems planning is essential since, as you know, moving quickly isn’t something that we do. I wrote about this last November, but it’s time to review some updated tips and suggestions. They’re good for…Continue Reading

I Have MS but I’m Lucky

National Nurses Week was earlier this month. So, I’m a little late in saying it but thank you, nurses. And thank you to my doctors and their staffs, too. I’m lucky to have had wonderful medical care. I’ve had a couple of top-notch neurologists and some great support staffs. My luck began in August 1980 with Dr. Stanley Cohan. Dr. Cohan, was a neurologist at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington,…Continue Reading

MS, Walkers, Wheelchairs and Guns – Part 2

A little over a year ago, in my column on the MS New Today website, I asked if it was safe for someone with MS to handle a gun. I wondered whether there would be safety issues due to problems with grip strength, balance, eyesight, and all the other various difficulties people with MS have to one extent or another. A Facebook post from a woman with MS who’d been…Continue Reading