A couple of months ago, I was asked to contribute a bi-monthly blog to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA). The MSAA is a non-profit association focused on providing resources, services and support for the entire MS community since 1970.

In the 70’s, my Aunt Loretta suffered from Multiple Sclerosis. Her condition was complicated and progressed quickly. She was confined to a wheelchair then bed in the late 70’s, then passed away in 1981 due to complications associated with MS. When Loretta passed, the MS conversation ended in our family until the spring of 2005 when I was lying in my hospital bed faced the same diagnosis that my aunt did decades ago.

My initial fear was overwhelming. I had lost functionality from the waist down, unable to walk or go to the bathroom on my own. Soon thereafter the whispers of Loretta started spreading around my family and the MS conversation was suddenly all anyone could talk about.

The more we learned, the more promising the prognosis was becoming. While my family was no longer engaged in the fight against MS, the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s had experienced many research and treatment breakthroughs that could help preserve the quality of life for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Leading that charge, the MSAA has continued to provide resources, services and support to help patients like me live better with MS.

This is why I was excited to partner with the MSAA and continue my blog on a national level. My blog will continue to cover topics and provide links relevant to helping the patient experience. I am hoping to use this national platform to get others engaged in the conversation. The first blog at MSAA is an introductory piece and will be followed by a caregiver article. Please check out my first blog at:

http://blog.mymsaa.org/

Thank you everyone and I’ll see you at the MSAA!!!