June 10th of 2005 was a day that changed my life forever. It was the day that I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Back then, I didn’t handle it well. There were too many unknowns: How was MS going to affect my career and marriage? Did people with MS have a shortened life expectancy? Was … Read more
From May until September, temperatures in Chandler, Arizona are constantly in the triple digits. For the first four summers since I moved to Chandler, the heat constantly affected my MS. I found that during the high heat that I was more fatigued, more irritable and had less energy than I did during the cooler … Read more
On Memorial Day of 2005, I was just discharged from the hospital after being treated for an acute onset of Transverse Myelitis. Earlier in the month, I had lost my ability to walk and go to the bathroom on my own. After being discharged from the hospital, I was still unable to walk without help. … Read more
Multiple Sclerosis can be a very isolating condition. When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to see my friends, I was no longer attending Sunday dinners at my parent’s house and date night with my wife was a thing of the past. I just wanted to stay inside my … Read more
When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the June of 2005, there were four treatment options available for managing the disease. These treatments were considered disease modifying agents intended to increase the time between relapse. Each of these treatments also required the patient to inject themselves, which was something that I could never do. … Read more
When I lost functionality from the waist down in 2005 due to Transverse Myelitis, I had to learn how to walk again. As part of that process, I was prescribed aquatic therapy. I worked closely with a physical therapist who coached me in the pool and slowly but surely I was able to walk again. … Read more
One of the major symptoms of multiple sclerosis is fatigue. According to the National MS Society, fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of MS, occurring in about 80 percent of people. Fatigue can cause problems at home, in personal relationships and at work. The problems at work can affect performance and decision making … Read more
It’s tax season and if you incurred medical expenses then you need to check out my recent blog for the MSAA: Commonly Missed Medical Expenses for Tax Deductions: (excerpt) The change of the season can only mean one thing: taxes! I can’t turn on my TV or radio right now without hearing an advertisement for … Read more
Multiple Sclerosis does not discriminate. It doesn’t care if you are a male or female. It doesn’t care what race you are. While MS doesn’t discriminate against gender or race, it most typically presents in adults in their late twenties to early forties. As an adult, receiving a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis can be devastating. … Read more
I was asked by Healthline to shoot a short video giving advice to people newly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. So, when I got to my hotel room in Savannah, GA I set up my laptop and gave it shot. Here is what I came up with.