Lady with the Cane.com

Multiple Sclerosis is not only an annoying, frightening, ridiculous disease of inconvenience; it is also highly expensive. Between doctor visits, highly over-priced drugs, physical therapy and exercise programs, dietary recommendations, and lack of disability avail abilities, there is also the cost of MS accessories. Yes, you heard me. Multiple Sclerosis requires a certain number of "accessories".


Orthotic management is something relatively new to me, but I am catching on fast. Probably one of my biggest issues with my MS is drop foot. Treatment of drop foot involves exercise to strengthen the affected leg, foot, and ankle as well as bracing the foot with an ankle foot orthosis, or AFO. The goal of orthotic management is to provide toe clearance while the affected limb is swinging, and stability while the affected foot is on the ground.
Upon the recommendation of my physical therapist, I acquired my very own AFO several months ago. At first I was excited about the amount of mo…

Thirteen more days until MS Awareness Month. 

I know, I know; enough with the countdown already. This is big thing for me , though. Instead of badgering folks every day of the year with my MS speak, I save that for March, for two reasons:
1. March is MS Awareness Month (Betcha didn't know that.)
2. March is my birthday month; so I get to talk about what ever I want for the entiremonth. (Sure took ownership of that, didn't I?)

 And I want to talk about MS. Not just my MS, but the MonSter in general. 



Multiple Sclerosis is so very unpredictable, as I am certain you all know or are learning. Just when I thought that extremely warm temperature is my biggest enemy, the recent extreme dip in temps has me staved up as if I ran a marathon without training. It's awful. If I do not stretch every day, sometimes several times throughout the day, I have limited mobility tripled from my normal complaint. Right now I am seated at my desk with my legs twined around one another in an attempt to…

Are your MS symptoms playing hide and seek?




Twenty more days until MS Awareness Month, yet MS symptoms have no calendar schedule. They are every day.
And every day sometimes brings something new to the table. something different, something frightening, something intellectually stimulating.
I began my Gilyenya journey several months ago and so far things seem to be A-Ok. But we need to be on top of our treatments with a daily check. Is there anything different from yesterday in my walking gait, mental abilities, eye sight? I know we are not doctors.

No, we are not. We are something much moire powerful.

We are Warriors of MS. We are the experts. We know more than any medical professional how we feel.
Lately I have been experiencing some rather strange headaches that begin right behind my eyes. I also feel kind of nauseous. (OR is it nauseated? I always get that confused.) So, I began reading up on this thing called optic neuritis. I don't know if it is the culprit or not, but this is some…