Ed,
That's wonderful to hear. I love stories which are like yours in that someone is living basically as if MS isn't a part of it beyond the medication reminders.
I don't personally know what that is like because I've had (wait, let me try to count) eight relapses in under 7 years. But I consider myself to be doing rather well.
I'm glad that you are sharing your positive story. Sorry that too many stories you may have read online were frightening and less than hopeful at the time you were diagnosed.
We need more "I'm doing great!" stories. Thank you!
Hey Lisa
I'm glad you're okay. I think its a great idea to say aloud. Sometimes I feel better just putting it into words. For example,I'll say to myself "you can do it" or I'll recognize "today has been good" or I feel good this morning. sometimes these verbal staments help me "focus" on whatever I'm trying to do or get through.
Glad you're good today. Just for today, I'm okay too.
Just keep doing what you do!
Helen
Helen,
Glad you're good today (well, yesterday). How's the new place?
Putting the goodness or okayness into words sometimes makes me nervous, because I have a tiny fear that it will go "poof" and disappear. Like tempting fate.
I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weather we are having. I have the windows open and am listening to the birds.
Have to run to the store later to get a few last-minute supplies for my trips this week. Tomorrow I'm headed to New Jersey to talk about patients and social media, and then Tuesday I'm headed out of town again to talk about MS patients and work/employment. Not coming back until Sunday. It will be a long, but hopefully very fun, week.
Keeping smiling, my friend.
I feel like some MSers may think I am too positive....This is a great post, glad your MS is stable etc
Hi Kim,
Sometimes when I read other MSers, I wonder am I the one who is too positive, too negative, too academic, too personal, not funny enough, not relevant, too jealous, too self-less, too whatever.... I try to remember that I can only be who I am and my experience is my own.
Thanks. I do feel stable. It's funny, I measure my MS activity by months rather than years. I think that I had a one-year stretch where my MS was really quiet but that was the same time that RA reared its ugly head. Go figure. But I've been stable since January this time. Feeling strong.
Sometimes I do think that we need to be positive for ourselves. It helps when things get tough and it definitely helps when things are going well.
This is an attitude that I need to remember, of being ourselves...I can only think of little things going on in my life to post about. If it is too positive, I cannot worry about that.
I am Thankful that I have not had a relapse since I started the interferons in 1994 (I am sure I have deteriated with age) :)
I do think we need to be positive for ourselves! That is a great thought.
I am so thankful that i am doing so well, and i attritribute that to Tysabri. I have not had a relapse since I started Tysabri 4 years ago, and I am walking better than before I started Tysabri. Ifirmly believe Tysabri has slowed the progression of my disease. I have had MS since at least my mid-30's but was not diagnosed until I was 62 years old. I am now 69, and doing very well, thank you. I do u se a cane when I am out of the house, but I make that fun also - I have 22 different canes! i figure that if you can't walk all that good, you should do everything you can to LOOK good! of course, all of this variety in my canes brings lots of comments from friends and strangers - what a great conversation piece - and I use it to my advantage. What better way to discuss the disease of MS and make others aware that it's okay to do okay with MS!
I have had to defend my positive outlook for many years while blogging about MS. There is also a very popular MS message board which I quit posting on due to someone actually saying they didn't care to hear about my great success during the Gilenya trial, but rather wanted to hear from those who had serious adverse events. My last post on that site was something to the effect that if it was a train wreck they wanted to see, then they were looking in the wrong place.
I, too, have often felt almost ashamed of my positive outlook. But over the years I have come to realize that we DO touch others – granted not everyone – with our uplifting messages, so I refuse to back down. I will own up to my positivity and try to spread it around.
Having a chronic, degenerative disease like MS is no picnic, but it's a personal choice to let it swallow you up and rob you of happiness, or to find something to feel blessed about each day of your life. I choose happiness, and in doing so I feel that positive outlook has a direct effect on my overall health. By thinking positive, I tend to make positive choices. It has a snowball effect.
Good for you that you are feeling better – and proud to say it. 
I have had to defend my positive outlook for many years while blogging about MS. I quit posting on a very popular MS message board due to someone saying they didn't care to hear about my great success during the Gilenya trial, but rather wanted to hear from those who had serious adverse events. My last post on that site was something to the effect that if it was a train wreck they wanted to see, then they were looking in the wrong place.
I, too, have often felt almost ashamed of my positive outlook. But over the years I have come to realize that we DO touch others – granted not everyone – with our uplifting messages, so I refuse to back down. I will own up to my positivity and try to spread it around.
Having a chronic, degenerative disease like MS is no picnic, but it's a personal choice to let it swallow you up and rob you of happiness, or to find something to feel blessed about each day of your life. I choose happiness, and in doing so I feel that positive outlook has a direct effect on my overall health. By thinking positive, I tend to make positive choices. It has a snowball effect.
Good for you that you are feeling better – and proud to say it.
It has been a while since I have posted anything. A lot has happended in my life, I lost my mom, she was very, very dear to me, I am just about to be over it, that is what she would have wanted, so I had to get over it, I should know better :) She was a strong lady and would not hve wanted me morning her for so ong (shame on me:( ) But I am soooo much better now she is in a much better place now, she had alz. and would not have wanted to live that way. My MS is just that MS my walking is the only thing that it hs really affected, I have not got on the new med yet still waiting, but I go to the doc next week, so we will see what the hold up is. I m doing good though, still doing my crafts, and still have not cleaned up my craft room, (still my junk hole) but I love it!Have not bought anything else to put in in though. But going to have the annual Memorial Day Cookout. BBQ Chicken, BBQ Ribs, Hamburers, Hot Dogs, Fried Fish, Salad, Pasta Salad, Punch Bowl Cake, Grilled Flounder, Soda, Punch, Corn on the Cobb grilled in the hull, come on down we will save U a plate!
It has been a while since I have posted anything. A lot has happended in my life, I lost my mom, she was very, very dear to me, I am just about to be over it, that is what she would have wanted, so I had to get over it, I should know better :) She was a strong lady and would not hve wanted me morning her for so ong (shame on me:( ) But I am soooo much better now she is in a much better place now, she had alz. and would not have wanted to live that way. My MS is just that MS my walking is the only thing that it hs really affected, I have not got on the new med yet still waiting, but I go to the doc next week, so we will see what the hold up is. I m doing good though, still doing my crafts, and still have not cleaned up my craft room, (still my junk hole) but I love it!Have not bought anything else to put in in though. But going to have the annual Memorial Day Cookout. BBQ Chicken, BBQ Ribs, Hamburers, Hot Dogs, Fried Fish, Salad, Pasta Salad, Punch Bowl Cake, Grilled Flounder, Soda, Punch, Corn on the Cobb grilled in the hull, come on down we will save U a plate!
HI Shirley,
I'm sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Although you having been dealing with a chronic illness (eg. migraines) for over 20 years, it is still very difficult to be diagnosed with a new illness. I was dx due to lesions in the neck.
Have you found a neurologist who specializes in MS? That is important when dealing with this disease. How are you doing? Are you still experiencing the numbness?
Please feel free to share your story.
Lisa
Shirley,
What to expect is so very different for each of us. The symptoms of MS vary greatly from person to person. Altered sensations is very common with MS. The coldness you feel could be due to nerve signals which are disrupted.
Try not to worry for your children and grandchildren. They will be okay. They may not understand MS and might not know what they can do to help. Try to be open and communicate your needs and thoughts. When you need help, please let someone know. It took awhile for me to really learn that lesson.
If you notice changes in your symptoms which stick around for more than a few days, definitely call your neurologist. When you have a relapse, the sooner that steroid treatment begins, the more effective it will be. Talk to your doctor about different treatment options to battle the disease itself. There are lots of choices now and they have been shown to slow down the disease and help to delay progression.
Most importantly, be patient with yourself. There is alot to learn and the first year seems to be the hardest physically and emotionally. Hang in there.
Lisa
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I'm grateful for the wild birds outside my window that keep me entertained and sometimes surprise me. I'm grateful for teams of people who raise money for causes. I'm grateful that I've been walking without a cane or rollator for about two months, and am able to stand for longer periods of time.
Hi Lisa, Thanks for the thought-provoking post. Sometimes I think that if I'm okay, then I'll fuel the "there's nothing wrong with her/me" self-talk that I struggle to overcome. It's okay to live in gratitude! -Joan
Hi my friend,
Two months without the fancy rollator - hot damn, good for you!
Yesterday I got a look at the newest baby dove who hatched under the eave of our porch. Maybe I'll try to get a photo up on Facebook. But it's your photos which I love to see of your bird families. :)
I'm thankful for friends and for diversity in life. :)
Lisa