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This sunflower lanyard indicates the wearer has an invisibility disability and cues others to acknowledge that the individual may need patience and space to accomplish what others seemingly do without a care. There are times when I will wear this lanyard because in large crowds or noisy venues, it is easy for me to become
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Last week I went to Costco with my husband. He was waiting in line for an ice cream swirl. Meanwhile, I pushed my cart with my requested “small boxes” of items to my car. I specifically ask for small boxes because I can not pick up the larger and often imbalanced larger boxes–it is a
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Last night was a toss and turning night with all sorts of zingers, itching, and pain. Nothing really helps calm the nerves when they want to go dancing. With MS, inflammation can cause damage to sensory nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Sensory symptoms are real. These include the feelings of pins and needles,
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Who doesn’t love slice of decadent slice of cake, a sliver of pie, or a sweet dessert coffee? Filled with flavor and sugary goodness, these are on my list of items to take in very small doses. This is not to say, I do not sometimes crave them. I do. Diet is so important to
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I started focusing on my step count as a goal in a clinical trial. I set my goal at 20,000 steps daily. That seems reasonable. So I had some busy days that I did not hit the goal; in retrospect, I decided that, like many tasks and goals, looking at my step data by the
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Heat simply shuts me down. Don’t get me wrong; I love sunshine and the warmth of spring and early summer days. High temps send me running for shade and ice water. MS makes nerves lose their myelin sheath, which is their protective covering, and this loss of sheath makes the nerves more susceptible to heat
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Most days an outsider might not see my disability: MS is that way in its unpredictability and ever-changing physical symptoms. My burning and tingling fingers are the main obstacle I face every single day. That means extra energy is spent on trying to open ziplock bags, separating thin pieces of paper, turning pages in magazines,
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“I am not an exerciser. I am not an exerciser. The gym smells of sweat and the soles of heated up tennis shoes.” My train of thoughts ran over and over for all the reason why I never exercised. But I can walk, I can stretch, and I can do yoga. The self-efficacy behind supporting
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Some days if I wake up and still feel tired and the fatigue weighs me down, I consider staying in bed for just a half an hour longer. I try to do so; honestly I have tried. Then, my metacognition kicks in, and I think: “If I stay in bed today, what about tomorrow and
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When I had my annual check up, my neurologist noted that it appears that I am adjusting quite well to my MS diagnosis. My first thought was “Really?” Some days, it does not feel like it. I initially had a steep learning curve, and still some times I feel very impacted by my low energy
MS Fortunate 