Judy Lynn has been living with Multiple Sclerosis for 13 years. She remains amazed at the array of symptoms that this chronic degenerative disease of the nervous system may cause. The Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, is reported to have said, “The only thing constant is change.” Judy has found this to be particularly true living with MS. She will explore the varied MS symptoms and manifestations, and most importantly, the rainbow of creative adaptations, coping mechanisms, and remedies available for MS patients to try.
We all have heard that physical activity is important for maintaining health, strength and well-being. It may be even more important for people with MS. Exercise ... Read more
Maintaining friendships can be challenging for those with a chronic illness. It may be difficult for friends to understand the changes that take place because of ... Read more
For those of us in the workforce, our MS can sometimes make a workday challenging. The Americans with Disabilities Act allows for an employee to request ... Read more
It took two years and many doctors to finally receive my MS diagnosis. Frequent painful sensations, such as burning, itching, stabbing, and tingling in my arm ... Read more
In the video game “Tetris,” players fit falling puzzle pieces together in order to create the most complete picture. As the game continues, the pieces fall ... Read more
Last week saw much of the Pacific Northwest blanketed by smoke from wildfires in British Colombia. As I pondered the gray haze Thursday, I recalled a ... Read more
Earlier this month, I was fortunate to enjoy a beautiful cruise through the inside passage of Alaska. Having done my due diligence (see “Cruising Solutions“), I ... Read more
The second module in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s positive psychology program, “Everyday Matters,” is called “Adjusting Our Mindset,” or “the fulcrum and the lever.” In science, the ... Read more
Last week, I shared details of Everyday Matters, a program by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This self-directed, multi-week program uses the principles of positive psychology. The readings, ... Read more
Fatigue is a topic I have not wanted to write about. It’s not because the subject isn’t important. As I hemmed and hawed about this week’s ... Read more
This summer I will venture out on an Alaskan cruise with my mother and older sister. The beautiful trip through the Inside Passage is on our ... Read more
A few weeks ago, I wrote about some of the invisible costs of living with MS. Writing that column really got my mind thinking about all the ... Read more
Many people with MS experience symptoms related to digestion. According to the Pittsburgh Institute for MS Care and Research, “Nearly two-thirds of MS patients have at least ... Read more
MS is sneaky. It is expert at evading detection and diagnosis, and often brings a host of invisible symptoms that may come and go at random. ... Read more
I was a teenager during the 1980s and cannot say the word “holiday” without Madonna’s song playing briefly in my head. For most holidays the perky ... Read more
Editor’s note: Marking the second MS diagnosis anniversary of our columnists in one week, Judy Lynn writes about the “Anniversary Effect.” This week marks the 14th anniversary ... Read more
Diligent research and planning have left me confident in my ability to enjoy upcoming travels, while managing MS and health concerns. Decisions have been made regarding ... Read more
If I were playing “Chronic Disease Bingo,” I’d be a winner! In addition to MS, I have three other chronic health conditions. While that may sound ... Read more
My coming trip to Spain has me in research mode. After making a list of my travel questions last week, I decided to obtain the answers to ... Read more
In my younger years, I took great pride in my far-flung spontaneity, and unfairly judged those I perceived to be too thoughtful and prudent. Age, with ... Read more
What do pot brownies, shoe shopping and bladder control have in common? These are just a few of the varied MS self-help support group discussion topics in ... Read more
Interferons (Beta and Alpha) are the oldest of the disease-modifying treatments, or DMTs, for people with MS. Interferons include Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, and Plegridy. This column ... Read more
January 2017 has proven to be a bit of a cluster, if you know what I mean. Holiday recovery, out-of-town trips for work, budget cuts, extreme ... Read more
In August I sold my home of 18 years and downsized to a small one-bedroom rental “in town.” For weeks I tripped over boxes, packing paper, ... Read more
At the time of my MS diagnosis I was a full-time graduate student with plans to obtain a joint Masters of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. After ... Read more
Cookies and veggie tray in tow, and trepidation in check, I ventured to a New Year’s Eve party at a friend’s house. Since my diagnosis of ... Read more
The glory days of multitasking may be fading. More and more research points to the fact that our brains actually cannot multitask. Rather, the brain shifts ... Read more
Our daylight hours continue to get shorter, as we get closer and closer to the winter solstice. At 4:15 p.m. I close the curtains and blinds, ... Read more
Several weeks ago I wrote about the benefits of time outdoors and my desire to learn to kayak properly, so it can be an option when my legs ... Read more
Multiple sclerosis is so weird. Sometimes I just put up with a strange sensation or painful problem because I do not know how to describe it ... Read more
Traveling with multiple sclerosis (MS) is challenging for a number of reasons. There are many symptoms a person may need to consider, such as accessibility, temperature ... Read more
One presenting symptom of my multiple sclerosis (MS) was severely slowed and slurred speech. There were several other disturbing outcomes of my back-to-back, initial exacerbations, but ... Read more
I live in a part of the country with beautiful green forests, mountains, abundant freshwater, and saltwater. If you have seven hours to spare, you can ... Read more
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