My MS lesson

On May 12, Dan and I will join our friends and family in Frankenmuth, Mich., for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s largest fundraiser, Walk MS. The walk is always a great event; good people, good times, an exciting atmosphere, weather that is often awful but despite that, the day is always wonderful. This is the 10thyear for our walk team, Team MonsterS. And I am the lucky captain of the team, which was among the state’s top 100 fundraisers in 2011. Yes, I’m so proud of our team. Which makes it ironic when earlier this week my mom asked, “Don’t you...

You’re invited!

National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week is March 12-18, and we have an incredible opportunity to increase people’s understanding of this chronic disease of the central nervous system. Central Michigan University’s Clarke Historical Library has invited us to present as part of its annual Speaker Series, and our event is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in Park Library right at the heart of MS Awareness Week. Check out this flyer that’s being used to promote our special presentation, which you all are invited to attend! And we encourage you all to do...

‘Despite MS, to Spite MS’

I keep telling Jennifer, “This really is going to happen!” We’ve written our book, “Despite MS, to Spite MS.” Our designer sent it to the printer on Tuesday, Aug. 2, and we’re hoping you are as excited to read it as we are to share it with you! “Despite MS, to Spite MS” is a compilation of our essays describing our experiences, emotions and attitudes in living with this chronic disease of the central nervous system. We were quite nervous and overwhelmed when it first was suggested to us that we should pursue self-publishing a book of our stories. But the...

Bug bites

A bug usually bites me a couple times each year, but its most recent nip was somewhat venomous. Try as I may, I can’t seem to stop scratching the mark it left. It’s like any other bug bite: Each time the bite itches, I scratch it. Again. And again, and again, and again … It’s close to summertime, so it’s natural to think something like a mosquito bit me. But it’s bigger than that. This bug bite has driven me to take my concerns from the local city council to the Michigan State Capitol Building in Lansing and just today to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. It’s...

Walks MS and what WE do to fight our dis...

Dan and I didn’t have a choice when we were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and combined we have battled it for nearly 25 years. But we soon realized that the choice was all ours when we decided how we were going to live with the disease. As we’ve often told the members of our MS support group, be your own best advocates in living and dealing with this disease. And members of the group came together on April 30 to do exactly that by participating in the Walk MS event in Midland. With Dan serving as the captain of the group’s team – GC Sea Turtles – our...

The bathroom floor imprinted on my face

Yes, on my face. Couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Or so I thought. Right there on a break from my class, Dan was helping me to pivot in the Anspach Hall bathroom and SMACK! Profanity! Profanity! Profanity! And Tears … tears … tears. And that wasn’t just me. I heard profanity and tears coming from Dan too. It was frightening, fast and so sudden. I couldn’t even lift my head off the tile. I didn’t want to even move and I was face down on a public bathroom floor. That’s how bad it hurt. This was supposed to be a standard trip to the bathroom. Same as we...