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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … 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 … Read more
Growing up in Hingham, Massachusetts we had it all. Hingham resembled a Norman Rockwell painting with its lush forests that lead to a historic downtown nestled up against the harbor. It was a safe place to grow up where the only trouble was when the boys would skip school and play on the rope swing at the duck pond. No … Read more
Since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005, the veins in my arms have been stuck well over a hundred times. My monthly Tysabri infusion alone has equaled 108 vein piercing injections once every 28 days dating back to February of 2007. Each time has been without incident. My nurses remark how I have big … Read more
Photo Citation: Kamo, A. (2014, May 21). Taking Lead in Doctor-Patient Dance. Retrieved March 4, 2015, from https://flic.kr/p/eKWBX1 Typically I don’t share my health coaching stories, but I felt that this was one all of my readers could benefit from. One common problem that I read about in social media support forums or through interactions with … Read more
**Originally posted by Matt Cavallo on MSAA Conversations on 2-27-2015 at http://blog.mymsaa.org/runaway-ms-train/** Photo Caption: Deviant Art. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2015, from http://dakann.deviantart.com/art/Runaway-Train-53676298 I remember as if it were yesterday: January, 2007. I was sitting in my neurologist’s office after suffering my third relapse in eighteen months. At that moment, I felt that my MS was … Read more