Our kitchen counter is filled with foundations for two Thanksgiving side dish staples: green bean casserole and scalloped corn. Don’t get us wrong, turkey is the main attraction, but in our minds the sides always have the starring role in this annual tradition. Come Thanksgiving morning, we’ll wake up early and prepare three pans of…… Continue Reading
Catch the Digmanns in the news
Why telling others your MS story is good for you
Sharing your Multiple Sclerosis stories is a key component to self-care. I often say that I’m going to keep talking about Multiple Sclerosis so much that people will cure the disease just to shut me up. But they haven’t cured it yet, so I’m still talking. Dan and I recently had the opportunity to speak…… Continue Reading
Winter is coming: MS preparations for when it’s here
Talk to people about their Multiple Sclerosis symptoms, and many are quick to come forward with sensitivity to the heat. Jennifer and I get it. We also are weakened most times the temperature tops 80.3 degrees, give or take a few depending on weather wildcards like direct sunshine and hovering humidity. Summer heatwaves are so…… Continue Reading
Sharing knowledge for the newly diagnosed with MS
Jennifer and I spend a lot of time on our blog writing about the things we are doing despite and in spite of our Multiple Sclerosis. Our hope is that by showing what still is possible, these stories will help other people to move beyond their MS or whichever challenges they’re facing. These are the…… Continue Reading
MS and camping at Coldwater in incredibly cold weather
The same thought crossed both of our minds shortly after midnight as we huddled together shivering under five blankets. “We won’t die from hypothermia if it only gets down to 34 degrees, will we?” Jennifer reassured herself that we had keys to the van, and we could just go home where it was warm, while…… Continue Reading
Virginia is for … conquering MS fears
It seems like we just got back from our epic trip to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia to present at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Brian Mason Weekend Escape. Guess when you successfully tackle one of your biggest flying fears, the adrenaline rush takes its time leaving your system. Sure, we’ve taken direct flights countless…… Continue Reading
Taking MS back to school
Catching the “Back to School” spirit, Jennifer and I remember the excitement that came with each new year. Things like new clothes. An unopened box of 64 Crayola crayons, with the color sharpener in back. Promising yourself that this is the year you’re going to stay on top of your homework, get a good night…… Continue Reading
Judas Priest! How we won at the casino.
And to think we didn’t really want to go to the concert in the first place. Even though our friend Steve Jessmore texted us to see if we were interested in going, and Jennifer’s brother, Steve, also called to invite us, we weren’t sold initially. Not that we were anti-Judas Priest or Deep Purple. We…… Continue Reading
Boat breaks down barriers for wheelchairs on the water
We learned this past weekend that wheelchairs indeed can float on water. And with this, Jennifer hooked us all with her knack for fishing. For real. Thanks to the determination of our dear friend Pete, we experienced the ultimate in accessible adventures courtesy of Barrier-Free Boating. In his quest to find a place where Jennifer…… Continue Reading
My Sonny day
All I could think was, “Oh my God! I’m so low to the ground!” My wheelchair was nowhere in sight, but this was exactly where I had wanted to be for nearly three years. I finally was riding shotgun in Dan’s Buick Verano. Its shiny brown-metallic exterior had mocked me since he bought the car…… Continue Reading