A Year Older

Yesterday was my birthday, so I am now a year older and definitely wiser.  My husband and I ate dinner at Chili's for my birthday because yesterday, and yesterday only, the local Chili's was donating 10% of your bill to the National MS Society.  We got dessert to go and watched a movie at home.  Overall, a pretty good birthday!

I have been noticing that the L'Hermittes tingling is coming back - for a time I only noticed it when I was exercising or my body temperature was up, but now I am noticing it pretty much every time I lower my head.  I can handle L'Hermittes, so long as the numbness doesn't return.  It has been almost one year since I first started noticing the numbness.  My first MS symptom (optic neuritis) started last April, so it has been over a year since my very first symptom (that I noticed anyway).  This time last year, we were on vacation in Mexico with friends and when we returned, I began to notice numbness in my feet.  I am hoping that history does not repeat itself.  I will keep you updated. 

I received the following information in an email from the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation:

For those living with MS near the University of Illinois:

Increasing Physical Activity in People with MS Using an Internet-Based Program - Investigators at the University of Illinois are examining the influence of an internet-based program for increasing physical activity in people with MS. As a participant you will be randomly assigned to a physical activity program or a control program for 12 weeks. Participants should be between ages 18-64, diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS, have internet access, be inactive, and be ambulatory with or without assistance.

For more information or to participate, contact Elise McAuley by telephone, 888- 796-7966; or e-mail, inphaims@gmail.com.

For Moms with MS:

Mothers with Multiple Sclerosis - Women with MS who have made childbearing decisions are invited to participate in a study that may help healthcare professionals understand and help with pregnancy decisions. If you are between the ages of 18-45, diagnosed with MS in the past 10 years, have experienced a pregnancy and motherhood since your diagnosis you are invited to participate.

Contact Megan Castano at megan.castano@student.shu.edu, with a mailing address where study material may be sent for your review. Or call Megan Castano, doctoral student, or Dr. Pamela Foley, faculty sponsor, at (973) 275-9450.

Take a survey:

Treatment Preferences Survey for People with Relapsing-Remitting MS -The preference survey will ask subjects to rate desirability of various attributes of MS treatments, such as potential side effects, effectiveness, and administration regimen, and to indicate their preferences among hypothetical MS treatments. The questionnaires should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. Subjects will be compensated upon completion of the questionnaires online.

For more information or to participate, please contact Alexis or Tina, toll-free, at 1-866-893-0282, or e-mail Alexis at alexis.french@oxfordoutcomes.com.

Or two:

Participate in an MS Survey Earn $25 Amazon Gift Card – People with MS experience a wide array of symptoms that can significantly impact many aspects of their lives. Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy (Tucson, AZ) would like to invite any US resident who is 18 years or older who has been diagnosed with MS to voluntarily participate in an online survey asking you about your health. Go to:

https://www.mshealthsurvey.com/SiteParticipant/Consent.aspx