Many of you have followed my chronicles with MS for years. In honor of MS Education and Awareness Month, I wanted to share a personal story of what it is like to go through a bout of optic neuritis. This is the true story of what happened to me in February 2006. I first posted […]
An Optic Neuritis Relapse Read More »
Last year at this time I wrote about how small changes can make a big difference in the New Year. Some of the advice from that post included: developing a financial plan, changing eating habits, exercising, getting back on your schedule and setting attainable goals. I used this advice to make major changes in my
2016 – A Work-in-Progress Read More »
A resolution is a change in behavior and as you know, we are creatures of habit. And most of us don’t like change. As a person living with multiple sclerosis, my resolutions typically center around wellness or diet initiatives that I believe will help me better manage my MS. As I write this, the local
5 Steps to Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick (This Year) Read More »
In September of 2010, I was faced with a devastating decision. I was experiencing severe spinal stenosis and a fractured C6 vertebra, which my doctors believed was a result of complications due to my initial onset of transverse myelitis five years earlier. My decision was to have an emergency cervical fusion to address the problem
Finding the Strength to Fight MS for the Holidays Read More »
Having a chronic illness, like multiple sclerosis, can be lonely and isolating. Sometimes it is hard to talk to your loved ones because, try as they might, they just don’t understand what you are going through. Before the internet, in order to find other people with similar circumstances, one would have to go out and
Catching a Robot Catfish in Social Media Support Groups Read More »
Some of us are born to do certain things in life. James Frederic “Jimmie” Heuga was born to ski. Jimmie began competitive skiing at age five and appeared in a Warren Miller film at age nine. In 1958, Jimmie became the youngest man ever to make the US Ski Team. In 1963, he won the
Remembering Olympian Jimmie Heuga and his Can Do Spirit Read More »
How many times have you been on your ride home from your neurologist appointment only to remember all the things you forgot to tell the doctor during the appointment? How many of you get home and write down those things that you forgot right away so you wouldn’t forget them again? Don’t worry, you are
MS Connect App with Mary Ann Picone, M.D. Read More »
Last year, Angela Haupt of US News and World Report, shared the story of ten people living their best despite having a chronic illness. I was humbled to be featured in this article. Here is what Angela wrote: Cavallo, 38, of Chandler, Arizona, was fully functioning and healthy when he went numb from the waist down
10 Lessons From Empowered Patients By Angela Haupt Read More »
**Originally posted by Matt Cavallo on MSAA Conversations on 7-24-2015 at http://blog.mymsaa.org/worth-fighting-for/** In July of 2005, I was in a deep depression. I had just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in June of 2005 and I was in the midst of an internal struggle trying to come to terms with being newly diagnosed. I have a
Journaling My Story (MS) – MSAA Reblog Read More »
June 10th, 2005, I remember it like it was yesterday. This was the day that I had my follow-up visit with my neurologist. During the previous month, I had lost my ability to walk, been hospitalized and had been seeing a physical therapist to learn how to walk again all due to an acute onset
Clinically Isolated Syndrome versus MS Read More »