Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Wednesday, May 19th, 2010 in Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
Life with chronic illness tends to be stressful, but there are three things you can do right now to simplify your life. It has to do with your home, your sanctuary, and streamlining…
Photo Copyright: WebCamp One LLC
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Thursday, April 29th, 2010 in Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips, Symptoms.
Spring is in full bloom and summer is beckoning. It’s a lovely and uplifting time of year, but for people with multiple sclerosis, summer’s heat and humidity can cause symptoms to become more extreme. These temporary flare-ups are called pseudo-exacerbations and they pack a powerful punch.
They are common enough that before the introduction of MRI and other modern testing, the ‘hot bath test’ was sometimes used to diagnose MS. Doctors would observe people who were immersed in hot water and watch for neurological impairment that improved after cooling.
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, April 5th, 2010 in Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips, Symptoms.
You can walk the dog, walk with the kids, or just take a stroll by yourself. However you do it, walking is good for the mind, body, and soul, and here’s why:
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Thursday, March 25th, 2010 in Health Care Policy, In The News, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips, Medications.
Marijuana, legally sold and taxed, might soon be reality in California — and we’re not talking strictly about medical marijuana.
The L.A. Times reports that an initiative to legalize marijuana will appear on the November ballot. The initiative calls for allowing adults 21 or older to possess up to one ounce for personal use, or to grow up to 25 square feet of marijuana per residence or parcel, and allows cities and counties to raise revenue through taxation of cultivation, transportation, and sale of marijuana. Budgetary concerns in California make this particularly appealing, but it is certainly not without opposition. Between now and November we can expect to hear interesting cases made both pro and con.
While it remains a federal crime to possess or sell marijuana…
Read this post in its entirety, and check out the poll and the petition:
Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1206038
National MS Education & Awareness Month
Coping with MS: Breaking the Cycle of Defeat Life isn’t fair. Much like a board game, we pick a card… roll the dice… spin the spinner… and we get what we get. Unlike a simple child’s game, though, there are a myriad of choices to be made that directly affect the outcome of those random events.
Your Choice: Exist with It or Live with It What wife asks her husband to stop doing the dishes? I can almost hear the collective groan from wives the world over, but there was a method to my madness.
Longing for Liberation All around the world people with multiple sclerosis have been clamoring for action, ever since cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Paolo Zamboni released his controversial findings, challenging everything we thought we knew about MS.
Diagnosis, Denial, Due Diligence What do you do when everything you know about yourself changes just as you are hitting midlife? How do you plan for life’s second half with a body you’ve never met before?
MS: Who Gets It and Why The who, what, where, when, why, and how of multiple sclerosis.
A Diagnosis Odyssey It began with a seemingly benign but persistent tingly feeling in my upper right arm. It was the kind of thing you tend to dismiss and certainly not the kind of thing that makes you rush out to see a doctor… but there was more to come.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 in Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips, Symptoms.
Shock and awe. That about describes the feeling when multiple sclerosis entered my life.
In the years following the diagnosis, changes came in small doses for me, some changes more obvious than others. No matter how I look at it, everything is different than it was before, though not in an entirely negative way. Perhaps some of the changes that I casually attribute to MS would have come regardless.
Unlike the neat chapters in a book or the tidy absolutes of episodic television, life’s ups and downs tumble around in no particular order or regard for what else is going on. New episodes begin even while old ones are in mid-stream and unresolved.
Most of us understand and accept that life isn’t fair. Much like…
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Photo Copyright: WebCamp One LLC
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, March 15th, 2010 in Caregiver's Corner, Doctors, Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips, Symptoms.
“I know this is going to sound like an insanely ridiculous thing for a wife to say, but I would appreciate it if you would stop doing the dinner dishes.”
Well that actually does sound like an insanely ridiculous thing for a wife to say to her husband, but I said it nonetheless. It was another baby step in my overall plan to take back the life that MS would destroy if I allowed it.
After the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and MS patient-advocacy groups unleashed a mountain of printed material and videos upon us, and we set about the task of learning all we could. Even prior to diagnosis, our suspicions of MS lead us to online research. We began with well-known and well-respected medical sites, then gravitated toward something less formal but slightly more tangible — other people with MS.
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Multiple Sclerosis Education & Awareness Month
A Diagnosis Odyssey: Learn why a diagnosis of MS may take years.
Who Gets It and Why: Get the who, what, where, when, why, and how of it.
Diagnosis, Denial, Due Diligence: After the diagnosis there may be a period of denial. Then the real work begins.
Longing for Liberation: Controversial new Liberation Treatment turns conventional MS wisdom on its head.
Photo Copyright WebCamp One LLC
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 in Extras, Managing MS Tips.
Have you got style? If so, you probably don’t want to get caught using one of those old clunky metal canes. You deserve nothing less than a decorative cane that suits your personal style.
Last December, my eye was irresistibly drawn to a passerby with a cane. Not just any cane, mind you, but a ladies’ cane, all decked out in holiday glam and glitter. It was a bit over the top, but I admired the owner’s sense of individuality and playfulness.
My own red paisley cane makes a fairly bold statement, but decorative canes have risen to a whole new level. Whether you need a cane as a mobility aid, or are an enthusiastic collector of walking canes, Valentine’s Day walking canes are functional and fun… pinks, reds, and even an imported hand crafted red rose adorn these beauties.
Fashionable Canes offers a gorgeous selection of decorative canes to suit every taste or occasion. Browse their online store and you’ll see what I mean. You’ve got style — show it off!
Related Reading :
Fashionable Canes on the Front Lines
Cop an Attitude with a Fashionable Cane
“If You’re Going to Use a Cane, Use a CANE!”
More Information:
Fashionable Walking Canes on Facebook
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored post. The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I am, in fact, a satisfied customer of FashionableCanes.com and personally use and recommend their products. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, January 25th, 2010 in Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
When you first learn that you have multiple sclerosis, you will likely experience a range of emotion from relief to fear. Then come the questions.
One of the first might be “What is my prognosis — what is a typical case of MS like?” The hard answer is that prognosis is all but impossible, but along with that uncertainty comes hope. Undoubtedly, you will hear horror stories about MS as well as uplifting stories about people living strong, healthy lives. The fact is, life with MS is unpredictable. That’s about all one can predict about it.
The trick is…
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 in Health Care Policy, In The News, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.
Under the ADA, a person with a disability is defined as one who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. If you believe you meet that criteria, it is important to familiarize yourself with the ADA and understand your rights under the law.
What follows is a brief description of some these important protections as well as links for further information and support should you need assistance…
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, January 18th, 2010 in Caregiver's Corner, Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
One of the most frustrating aspects of life with chronic illness is the constant state of flux. It is true of all types of multiple sclerosis, and relapsing/remitting MS certainly lives up to the name.
The fact that many of these on-again off-again symptoms are invisible to observers makes it a particularly difficult series of emotional adjustments, especially if you are prone to worry about what other people think.
It’s hard to be taken seriously when people see you looking the very picture of health one day and claiming to be the opposite the next. It probably doesn’t help their perceptions when we go to great lengths to hide the truth.
We hear a lot about…
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, December 28th, 2009 in Extras, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a big difference in quality of life and maintaining independence.
If you have relapsing/remitting multiple sclerosis, as I do, it’s easy to overlook simple things that can make life easier when in relapse. Since my own diagnosis in 2004, I have come to appreciate some simple household helpers that assist me in managing daily life with MS.
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, December 21st, 2009 in Emotional Issues, Family, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
You have been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Perhaps the diagnosis was months, or even years in the making. Tremendous relief at finding the answer is followed by a myriad of questions. One of the first is who should be told… and when… and how much?
This is an intensely personal decision, and one which should not be rushed.
Immediate family members who share a home with you… spouse, children, parents… should probably be told. They will be involved in the day-to-day issues as they arise and may be called upon to assist, or at least to provide emotional support.
Reactions to your diagnosis will be varied and unpredictable…
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Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Thursday, December 10th, 2009 in Extras, Managing MS Tips.
A cane is nothing more than a mobility aid, right? Well, maybe, but if you’ve got style and personality, why not show it off?
Walking canes and walking sticks can be so much more than mobility aids — the right ones can also be fashionable accessories for the men and for the ladies.
For example, check out the Genuine Zebrano adjustable folding cane. This sleek number is all about attitude and style. The wooden Zebrano handle and sassy pattern add a touch of flair to this adjustable walking cane. As practical as it is gorgeous, this beauty is height-adjustable and folds up for easy storage when not in use.
Or how about a sleek folding adjustable cane? The Chrome-plated derby-handled aluminum walking cane not only provides sturdy support, but the look is one of pure sophistication, smacking of inner confidence.
If, when you think about canes, you still automatically conjure up an image of those clunking metal canes that one might find in a hospital or nursing home, it’s time to reconsider all previous notions about canes and get with the program.
Dull and drab is out — personal style is in. With so many materials, colors, and patterns to choose from, there’s no excuse not to own a cane that suits your individual taste.
Need a walking cane? Get one that cops an attitude!
Browse through the Fashionable Canes and Walking Sticks website and become a fan on Facebook.
Read about my first cane with attitude: “If you going to use a cane, use a CANE!”
Disclosure: This is a compensated post, but I am also a satisfied customer of Fashionable Walking Canes and Walking Sticks.
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Monday, November 30th, 2009 in Caregiver's Corner, Emotional Issues, Linked Articles, Managing MS Tips.
Sometimes the positive attitude patrol functions as a guilt trip in disguise. Are they really promoting a positive attitude in the best interest of someone else… or is it a lopsided attempt to protect themselves from having to deal with someone else’s disease or disability?
Keep up the positive attitude because I can’t deal with your problems.
Do people with health concerns have a responsibility to people around them… to protect them from dealing with the uncomfortable?
Read this post in its entirety and vote in our poll:
Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1108245
Written by Ann Pietrangelo on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 in Emotional Issues, Family, Managing MS Tips, Symptoms.
“If you’re going to use a cane, use a CANE!” I heeded that advice and never regretted it.
I was in my early 40s and my multiple sclerosis was as yet undiagnosed, but walking was becoming a problem, especially in public settings. My awkward gait and lack of confidence made me feel rather conspicuous, but I was not thrilled about the prospect of using a cane at my age.
We’d picked up a cheap metal cane at a drugstore for a trial run, soon realizing that I would actually look and feel more confident and natural with a cane than without. But that cheap metal cane was not exactly the image I wanted to project.
So the online search for a more presentable cane began. Still somewhat self-conscious about the prospect, I sought out canes that would blend into the scenery. I thought that my cane should be useful, but not particularly noticeable. I wanted a boring, fade-into-the-background look.
That’s when my husband stepped in. “You’re looking at this thing all wrong. If you’re going to use a cane, use a CANE! Don’t be embarrassed by it… make a statement with it. Own it.” Wise man, my husband.
That’s how I ended up at a website called Fashionable Walking Canes. The assortment of walking canes and walking sticks for men and women evoke the style of a bygone era, the cane not only a mobility aid, but a fashion statement.
My search for the perfect ladies’ cane ended when I spotted a red paisley adjustable folding cane. That’s right — red paisley. I knew I could forget about fading into the background with that one, but like the man said, “get a CANE!”
That cane is still my favorite, although I’ve since added others to my collection. And I do get noticed — not because poor pitiful me has to use a cane, but because people stop to compliment me and want to know where they can get one.
Visit the Fashionable Walking Canes website: www.fashionablecanes.com or on Facebook.
Disclosure: This is a compensated post — but a 100 percent true story.
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