I was devastated when I first was diagnosed with MS, but music (especially Bruce Springsteen!) has pulled me through any difficult day I’ve had living with this dise ... read more

Wheelchair users: If you don’t have an accessible grabber, try bbq grill tongs to reach and pick up light items.

Try to watch out for signs that MS symptoms are flaring up. For example, is your friend or partner fidgeting in her seat, or shifting where she's standing? Is there ... read more

Minimize distractions. Try to create an environment that allows you to be as distraction-free as possible. Find a quiet place to do work, keep eye contact with peopl ... read more

Practice positive affirmations. Verbalize aloud what you are grateful for. Once you start adding it up, you'll be amazed at how many things you have to appreciate. A ... read more

I never leave home without bottled water. I simply won’t go out in extreme weather. And I’ve learned the art of saying, “No” when I know the weather is going to wrea ... read more

When I gave myself shots, I would get hard itchy sites. My PA suggested I use a microwaveable gel pack. I heat it up 35 seconds in the microwave, wrap it in towel an ... read more

Focus on making things simple and practical. For a client who has MS, we used smoothies for her morning nutrition. Even if she had a rough day, the smoothies were ea ... read more

My service dog retrieves things for me. You can train any dog to do this. Keep small treats available so you can reward him/her. I keep a cup of them on my walker so ... read more

In the beginning I was frightened of telling clients my diagnosis because people simply don’t understand an illness like this and immediately think you’re no longer ... read more

Listen to your body, rest when you need to

Go easy on yourself. It's okay to rest and not have the perfectly clean house or perfectly maintained yard. As a type A personality, I've had a very hard time accept ... read more

I carry a crossover purse so I have a hand for my cane and a free hand to open doors.

People are very kind, sometimes too kind. But I need to do things myself or I might lose the ability. Some were freaked about the diagnosis years ago, but we’ve talk ... read more

A cane!

Plan ahead for increasing disability. That means putting up sturdy handrails on both sides of any stairs, and putting handrails in stall shower, tubs, and even next ... read more

Stay inspired…seek others who do well managing their symptoms. When there’s hope you always feel better!

Try to use materials other than glass around the house. You might be surprised at what a common material glass is, and by how easy it is to replace. For example, at ... read more

Slip on shoes are a game changer. I can slide my foot in/out of shoes with some effort, but I needed full assistance with regular tied shoes.