Going Live on Instagram Tomorrow
I’ll be going live on Instagram with other Social Media Coordinators from MS News Today platforms Thursday, 10/21, at 7pm eastern time. I hope you’ll join us on the @msnewstoday page.
Posts
Three Things I Discovered at My 50th College Reunion
My wife and I recently returned from a long weekend in upstate New York, where we attended my college reunion. It was a biggie — my 50th — and had been delayed a year due to COVID-19. The sun was shining, and it felt like spring for the three days we were there, which is unusual for Ithaca, New York, in October. As students, we used to say there are…Continue Reading
Ageism in Healthcare Webinar
Kaiser Health News, a group of healthcare journalists that I follow and that produces excellent, well-researched, reporting, is producing a webinar on ageism in healthcare. I think many people with MS have serious problems receiving equal treatment as they age. So, I’m pleased that KHN is providing this discussion. DATE: Thursday, October 21, noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. WHO: Judith Graham, Navigating Aging columnist for Kaiser Health News, will…Continue Reading
Are You Ready for Doctor Amazon?
Would you sign up for healthcare from the place where you buy books, bluejeans, and bagels? Amazon thinks you might, and the company is moving closer to becoming the doctor in your house, according to a report last month by Insider. Amazon has been dabbling in the healthcare business for a few years. In January 2018, it joined JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway in launching a program called Haven, which…Continue Reading
MS Exercise Study Looking for Volunteers
Here’s an opportunity to participate in a study that compares an in-person MS exercise program with one that’s done on-line. In the STEP for MS program, participants will exercise about one hour, twice a week, for 16 weeks. Some will do this in a clinic and some at home. A trained “coach” will help participants learn how to exercise and will provide encouragement as they do. There will be clinic…Continue Reading
Big Insurance Sues Big Pharma Over Copay Funding
People living with multiple sclerosis know that the medications used to treat it are expensive. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the median annual price of brand-name disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) last year was $91,835. Five of them carried a price tag of more than $100,000 a year. Many pharmaceutical companies help defray the out-of-pocket costs of their DMTs for patients. But U.S. law strictly limits how this can be…Continue Reading
Generics or Brand Names: Is a Pill a Pill?
I take a bunch of pills every day. Most of them are generics. I’ve used baclofen to treat my leg spasticity, oxybutynin for my bladder, and modafinil to fight my MS fatigue. There’s also atorvastatin to keep my cholesterol in check, and levothyroxine to do the same for my thyroid levels. All are generics. Over the years, I’ve read many social media comments from people questioning whether generics are as…Continue Reading
Can You Give Your Pain a Pain Scale Number?
Lately, I’ve been thinking about pain — specifically, how to match a number to my pain. While lying on a treatment table my physical therapist Richard asked me to rate my pain, on a scale from zero to 10, as he manipulated my shoulder. I’m sure many of you have been asked something similar by a healthcare provider, as it’s a standard way of assessing pain. But it doesn’t make…Continue Reading
A Paralympic Bull’s-eye for This Woman With MS
Lia Coryell says she wanted to die. According to The New York Times, after fighting COVID-19 last winter, Coryell 56, was hit with heart and kidney failure, pneumonia, and shingles. This was in addition to living with progressive multiple sclerosis. “I’ve had to fight this really dark demon that says: ‘Why are you fighting this? Just let go, let go,’” Coryell told the Times‘ Ben Shpigel. “But I’ve never let go…Continue Reading
I Found What I Want in my MS Shoes
I wish I could walk a mile in my shoes but, even with a new pair, that’s not going to happen. My MS limits me to about 100 steps while using two canes and a functional electrical stimulation device strapped under my left knee. Because walking is so difficult, the choice of my MS shoe is important. Here’s what I want in my MS shoes I like shoes with a…Continue Reading