Donna’s personal experience about being a caregiver for someone who has MS.
My husband, Lynn, began taking Ocrevus, to treat his Primary Progress Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS) in March. As his caregiver, one of my responsibilities is to become familiar with his medications and associated risks. While Ocrevus holds great promise for individuals who have PPMS, the impact of having continuous autoimmunity as a consideration in living his life is […]
Understanding Immunosuppression Read More »
The mysteries of MS always keep it interesting as I struggle to manage my husband’s medical care and assist him in maintaining an optimum quality of life with Primary Progressive MS (PPMS). Another challenge came my way last week that stumped even his medical team after a hospital admission ruled out all sorts of possible causes. The
New Mysteries All the Time Read More »
Every time Lynn starts acting differently for several days in a row, I start to wonder if it means there’s some new problem we have to face. MS can affect so many different body parts and functions that I just never know if a new problem is MS or something else. For instance, Lynn has been
Something New to Deal With Read More »
“Can you come here a minute?” I hear that every 30-60 minutes all day long and you know what? It’s never a minute. When I enter his room to find out what he needs, I’m typically gone for 15-30 minutes. Being the chief cook, laundress, banker, shopper, mechanic, fixer-upper, and caregiver; as well as spouse,
Can You Come Here a Minute? Read More »
Life at our house over the past month has been rather challenging. My Mom was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer and lives about two-hundred miles away; so we have moved her and my Dad in with us while she goes through chemotherapy. Lynn’s Mom has myasthenia gravis and suffers from extreme weakness all the time.
Frustrations of Dealing with Limitations Read More »
After years of caregiving, I believe I know Lynn’s body and his emotional and physical needs as well or better than my own. Actually, I probably know it better because I don’t pay attention to my own. By becoming that familiar with him, I’ve been able to take quick action to prevent minor problems from
Can You Scratch My Leg? Read More »
The thermostat in my house is currently registering at 77o Fahrenheit. With all the activity I’ve been involved in today, I’m now sitting here melting at my computer. Meanwhile, Lynn alternates between being hot and cold but mainly stays cold. Before the days of MS, Lynn’s body temperature ran hot. It could be the middle
One Minute He's Hot; the Next He's Cold Read More »
Before Lynn was diagnosed with MS, my experience with the condition was from a distance. I knew of a third cousin with it that family members talked about in sympathetic tones of doom. I had a few encounters with colleagues who had MS and who shared some of their struggles with me when they asked
Early in discovering how to cope with MS symptoms, the nurse who works in Lynn’s neurologist’s office suggested that he might want to see a registered dietician. Lynn was feeling pretty rough all the time. He had no energy and more than that, he just felt bad. She shared that her husband had been seeing someone
Is There Really Anything to Being On An MS Diet? We Think so Read More »
If it’s one thing I have learned in caring for my spouse, it’s that in order to keep him healthy and functioning at his optimum level, I have to take a holistic approach to his care. Taking MS drugs to prevent exacerbations helps prevent significant loss of function; however, if his body is not in the best shape
Arsenic, Mercury, and Lead – What do They Have to Do with MS? Read More »
