Inside MS back issues from August 2006:
Decisions.(heads up)
Aug 01, 2006; ... This issue of InsideMS is focused on decisions. Citizen decisions, personal decisions, medical decisions, maybe even "decisions" being made by immune system molecules. (I admit this last one is a stretch. But we hope "Inner Conflict" on page 42 will help illuminate the extraordinarily ...
A challenge.(in box)(being positive in multiple sclerosis)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I am very frustrated that many publications--including this one--seem so focused on being "positive," that the vast majority of experience is limited to: "MS is the best thing that ever happened to me," "I've learned so much," or "MS forced me to slow down and smell the roses." ...
Shifting perspective.(in box)(multiple sclerosis)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I have a feeling Julia would clobber me at Scrabble, but I don't mind. I was diagnosed back in 1986. In a way, that day shaped my attitude for the next 15 years. My sister came over to the hospital and kept me laughing by making fun of me. I decided then that I wasn't going to ...
Julia is not alone.(in box)(multiple sclerosis)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Julia's story should have been the feature story! Let's deal with reality. Julia is not alone in fighting what we see as a losing battle. People who are dealing with the ...
A common bond.(in box)(multiple sclerosis)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I am not (yet, at least) anywhere nearly as disabled as Julia. Nevertheless, she describes exactly how I feel, especially the last paragraph in her story, where she says she liked ...
Regarding systemic infections.(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I thought I was the only one and maybe just looking for a person or thing to blame for my last two years of repeated infections and hospitalizations. Until Julia's article in InsideMS, I had no idea that an interferon drug could have been the source of my massive systemic ...
Let people tell their own stories.(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... It was unnecessary and insulting to append an afterword to Julia Graham's story. A first-person account should stand alone, especially an account of an individual's experience of MS. The statement "Julia is in the minority" seemed to be an attempt to relegate Graham ...
"Never give up".(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I can relate to Julia's story. I was diagnosed at age 53. I was very active, had my own business, and worked very hard. Within two years I could not walk. In three, I could not use my right arm. I have a wonderful husband who gave up everything to ...
Clay Walker.(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I absolutely loved "Clay Walker Talking" (April-May 2006). I have seen him in concert and I have heard him speak at an MS function--he is the real deal, and my #1 ...
Leaky faucet.(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... "Living with an MS Bladder" (April-May 2006) was a lifesaver for me. I have had MS for three years and my bladder has always been a problem. I tried self-catheters 1-1/2 years ago, but it just didn't feel comfortable or natural so I gave up. After reading ...
A place to tell our stories.(in box)(Letter to the editor)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I'm wondering if there would ever be a place in the magazine for people with MS to share their stories on a regular basis? Todd McCagg, via e-mail That place does indeed exist--online. FaceOfMS.org is an ...
Activists in action.(health lobbyists with multiple sclerosis )
Aug 01, 2006; ... "Engaging in advocacy gives me optimism," said Scott Hanson, who has lived with MS for eight years. "My doctor believes that I'm actually getting healthier with age, and I think that's because I'm involved in fighting for myself and others." Hanson once organized hotel workers ...
Public Policy activists converge on Capitol Hill.(fighting for changes)
Aug 01, 2006; ... More than 300 MS activists, pulled by the Society's annual Public Policy Conference, arrived in Washington, DC on April 29th to tell their elected federal officials about living with MS and the national policies that hurt or help them. These volunteers are willing to deal with a ...
Isolation: you can be in a wheelchair or without a visible symptom or hobbling somewhere in between, but anyone who has MS can experience isolation. It's just a question of degree.
Aug 01, 2006; ... I didn't think isolation affected me until my girlfriend called and asked me to volunteer for a fundraiser she was organizing. As long as I don t have to stand," I said with zero enthusiasm. She cheerfully responded, "No problem. You can do the box office. We'll get you a chair." ...
Come on in, the water's fine!(shrewd moves)
Aug 01, 2006; ... For years, after my 1987 diagnosis of MS, I dreamed of jogging. The stark reality of minimal leg strength, poor leg coordination, and unstable balance made jogging a distant memory. I was resigned to going for short strolls with my cane--and later, a walker. But in 1998 I ...
The 2006 MS Walk and Bike: good news keeps rolling in.(national MS society)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2006 ... Our spring 2006 MS Walks are over but the count is still running. Over 250,000 people walked in more than 600 communities. From Annie's Army to Weezer's Walkers, 35,000 Walk teams brought together family and friends to support people with MS. Twenty-one Walks brought in more than a million ...
New endowed fund for research.(national MS society)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2006 ... The Carol Snyder Nichols Research Opportunity Fund is named for a talented mathematician, wife and mother, who developed progressive MS. Her brother, Richard Snyder, a past chair of the National Board of Directors and currently ex-officio member of the Research Programs Advisory Committee, ...
He showed us the money!(national MS society)(Cuba Gooding, Jr.)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2006 ... Last April, at the 58th annual American Academy of Neurology (AAN) meeting in San Diego, Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr. received the AAN Foundation's 2006 Public Leadership in Neurology Award for his work ...
A new treatment option: Tysabri returns, with controls.(news)
Aug 01, 2006 ... On June 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released Tysabri back to market for people with relapsing MS, despite its risk of causing PML, a potentially fatal disease. To minimize this risk, the drug will be available only at authorized infusion centers using a rigorous ...
MS research advances reported at AAN.(news)(American Academy of Neurology)(Conference news)
Aug 01, 2006 ... The results of more than 200 MS-related clinical trials and studies were presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 58th Annual Meeting in San Diego this past April. Among the highlights: Early good news that will need confirmation * A study funded by the ...
MedlinePlus launches magazine.(MedlinePlus Magazine)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2006 ... Started in 1998 by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Medline Plus (www.medlineplus.com) is one of the most visited health-related sites on the Web, receiving millions of hits every month. The site provides up-to-date information for professionals and lay people on medical ...
Inner conflict: the fight to regulate the immune system in MS.
Aug 01, 2006; ... The FDA approval of Tysabri in 2004 and its withdrawal from the market three months later almost seemed like a cruel joke. As Ed Duggan, Maryland Chapter Board of Directors member, saw it: "Tysabri was the result of a rational, focused exploitation of a key new insight about the disease ...
MS, yoga, and me.(spot light)(Personal account)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I have known I had MS almost as long as I have been doing yoga. Taking yoga classes started out as a fun activity to share with my partner at the time. She had a bad back and needed a gentler activity than the rugged hiking or hours of frisbee throwing that we both enjoyed. ...
Mind over Yoga.(eye on CAM)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Yoga is a Hindu spiritual discipline that developed thousands of years ago in India. The word "yoga" means "to join"--to unite the mind, body and spirit in harmony. Hatha yoga, the physical aspect of this discipline, combines movement, breathing, and mental focus and has become a generic ...
Attention service veterans with MS: are you eligible for VA benefits?(consumer alert)(Brief article)
Aug 01, 2006; ... If you are a veteran diagnosed with MS within seven years of your separation from the military, the VA (Veterans Administration) will classify your illness as related to your military service and award you a serviceconnected disability. If you separated more than seven years ago, you may ...
Easing the stress of injections.(working it out)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Giving yourself a shot can be a pain in the butt--or the arm or the thigh. Of course, I'm grateful that drugs are now available to help reduce severity and slow down progression in relapsing types of MS. However, if you're like me, you know how counterintuitive it is to stick yourself with ...
I-Can't-Chew Cookbook.(Book review)
Aug 01, 2006; ... I-Can't-Chew Cookbook BY J. RANDY WILSON, WITH A FORWARD BY MARK A. PIPER, DMD, MD More than 40 million people in the U.S. have chewing, swallowing, and dry-mouth disorders. Some of them are people with MS. People who must modify their diets to accommodate one of ...
Multiple Sclerosis: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier, 2nd Edition.(Brief article)(Book review)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Multiple Sclerosis: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier, 2nd Edition BY SHELLEY PETERMAN SCHWARZ There are exactly 300 tips in this book, which sounds like a recipe for chaos. Fortunately, that's not the case. Schwarz divvies tips up into seven different categories, each ...
... About heat sensitivity.(let me tell you)(Personal account)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Until the summer of 2004 I was a person who loved the heat. I stayed outdoors every chance I got. I went to the beach, rode a bicycle, and played volleyball and basketball. I could stay out in the sun for hours. In March 2004 I was diagnosed with MS. A month later I lay down in ...
MS and isolation.(on my mind)(Personal account)
Aug 01, 2006; ... Recently I was invited to speak at a National MS Society luncheon in High Point, North Carolina. I was thrilled to be a house guest with my co-speaker, Sue Thomas. Sue's been deaf since she was 18 months old. Through the sacrifices of her parents and the determination of ...