Two comments on the June/July "all-research" issue.
I have a degree with honors from a really good university, but my science career ended in high school. I do not understand atoms, neurons, ions, or, for that matter, cells. They are all just little things to me, indistinguishable. Since I have MS, I do take an interest...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Open borders: the MS coalition.
In June, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers held its first-ever joint meeting with ACTRIMS and LACTRIMS (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis and the Latin American Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, respectively). Over 1,500 people in the MS movement were in Washington,...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Universal design and me.
At first glance my apartment looks much like any other, but take a closer look and you'll see subtle differences that define Universal Design. "Universal Design attempts to design tools and environments for everyone regardless of ability," explains John Hambene, senior vice president of McCormack Baron Salazar,...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Multiple Sclerosis for Dummies.
Multiple Sclerosis for Dummies BY ROSALIND KALB, PHD, NANCY HOLLAND, EDD, RN, MSCN, AND BARBARA GIESSER, MD [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you've recently been diagnosed with MS or just learned that someone close to you has the disease, Multiple Sclerosis for Dummies makes an excellent starting...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Multiple Sclerosis: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, Third Edition.
Multiple Sclerosis: A Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, Third Edition NANCY J. HOLLAND, RN, EDD, MSCN, T. JOCK MURRAY, MD, STEPHEN C. REINGOLD, PHD The third edition of this must-have title provides clear information for the newly-diagnosed and their families on the nature of MS and its...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Can your home be safer without spending a fortune?
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you aren't ready just yet to design and build that perfect dream home, there are a lot of things you can do in the meantime to solve everyday dilemmas. Besides providing low-cost solutions to some of your home accessibility problems, these suggestions...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Talking with Jonathan Katz.
My first neurologist had a very holistic approach to MS. No more red meat, no more alcohol. I said, "What about sex?" He said, "I'm seeing someone." --Jonathan Katz [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jonathan Katz is best known as the star and co-creator of Dr. Katz, Professional...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

MS and Your Feelings: Handling the Ups and Downs of MS.
MS and Your Feelings: Handling the Ups and Downs of MS ALLISON SHADDAY, LCSW [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The emotions that come with multiple sclerosis can be one of the most challenging aspects of the disease. In her new book, Allison Shadday thoroughly addresses this most difficult...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Dating online: a guide for greenhorns.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Using an online dating service is not for everyone, but then neither is dating. Being recently divorced, I'm not quite ready to think of the word date as anything but a holiday fruit meat. Then it occurred to me that online dating sites might be...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Top tips to keep the house clean with less effort.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Bathrooms are where most accidents happen, and cleaning them is part of the problem. The good news is that it's a whole lot easier to clean them now than it was even one year ago. If you haven't tried the Mr. Clean Magic Reach...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Adapting and surviving.
There's a special place on the Oregon coast where we love to hike. The coastline is heavily forested, the beaches are rocky, and the wind seems to blow at a steady 20 knots no matter what the season. A particularly welcome sight on our spring hikes is the wild...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Highlights from the 2007 American Academy of Neurology meeting.
More than 10,000 practicing neurologists and researchers from around the world gathered at the 59th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Boston in April. Well over 200 MS-related presentations were made, many involving researchers funded by the National MS Society. Follow-up studies of approved...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

An afterword to Julia's story.
I haven't met Julia or spoken directly with her, but in my many years of MS nursing, I have met other "Julias." She tells of her personal experience of living with severe MS--the disappointments and the achievements. Julia zeros in on some important issues in her story,...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

The da Vinci Awards: honoring new products for better living.
The annual international da Vinci Awards, founded in 2000 by Michigan Chapter volunteer and physicist Michael J. Rokosz, recognizes design innovations that help people overcome obstacles encountered in daily living. Many incorporate principals of Universal Design. The 2006 winners included the Freedom Tent, which features an easy-to-open...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Here's lookin" at ... you!
We conducted two surveys late last fall to better understand your needs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A sample of 4,230 InsideMS readers were mailed a questionnaire: Almost 25% replied. 70% were 35 to 64 years old; nearly three-quarters were women; 65% were living with MS--81% of them...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Society grants 332 scholarships for 2007.
The National MS Society Scholarship Program began in 2003, selecting 36 students from 329 applicants and granting a total of $68,000 in scholarships. This year, 332 students received awards of $1,000 to $3,000 each. For the first time, the Society also granted two special scholarships of $10,500...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

How I cope with progressive MS.
The range of symptoms and experiences that are lumped together under the label of multiple sclerosis is as great, I believe, as the number of people who have received the diagnosis. While some people who get it can declare that it "isn't that bad," treat their condition effectively with...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Friendly living spaces.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A dream house is a centerpiece of the American dream. We all have one, even if only in dream time. But the realities of MS have a way of intruding on dreams. Balance problems call for grab bars. Sitting to work (an essential energy conservation...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

The MS Technology Collaborative.
The new MS Technology Collaborative wants to raise awareness of how technology can help people with MS live well. The collaborative plans to * Explore how people with MS currently use computers, cell phones, Blackberries, chat rooms, blogs, MySpace, and other Web communities; * Identify...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)

Can you read this magazine?
Are you having difficulty reading this? I know how frustrating it is. Like some 50% of people with MS, I've had vision loss. For most, the loss is not permanent. But in my case, twenty years with numerous bouts of optic neuritis have left me completely blind in one...
(PERIODICAL ARTICLE)