MS Strength

I have a bit of an interest in the fashion industry. Back when I was in school, I did a 1-year program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC) and got a minor in buying and merchandising. It was one of the most interesting years of my life. Lived in midtown the fall semester (on-campus housing), then moved downtown to the East Village with an old friend during the spring semester. I enjoyed Manhattan and all its eccentricities, its art and music scenes, as well as its unbeatable fashion industry. Although I have to admit that I now pretty much dress like a page from the weekend-wear section of an LL Bean catalog.

Despite my lack of fashion these days, I still really like Tommy Hilfiger’s clothing and accessories, largely because they’re accessible to the general population. The products are durable, and you can get them on sale at Macy’s (and Macy’s online) and find great buys at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. So maybe you’re wondering why I’m going on about such a fluffy topic……Well, Tommy Hilfiger, as some people know, has a sister with multiple sclerosis.

Hilfiger, in collaboration with Nancy Davis, an MS patient and known philanthropist, put together a yearly event called “The Race to Erase MS.” This year marks the 15th event. Now I have read Davis’s book, Lean on Me, about chronic illness, and although I don’t think she represents the general multiple sclerosis constituency (lower- to upper-middle class and moderately to severely affected by the disease), I feel that anyone who has the connections and money to help the MS cause should certainly do so. And I’m happy to see that Tommy Hilfiger does what he can with this event, which features a high-end auction (including jewelry and luxury trips) and a celebrity fashion show. Hilfiger has also designed various orange (MS’s new identifying color) fashion items, including a bracelet and t-shirt, and all the proceeds from these sales and the auction go to the “Nancy Davis Center Without Walls” program. This is a collaboration of the top multiple sclerosis research facilities in the nation: Harvard, Johns Hopkins Hospital (Maryland),Yale University School of Medicine, The Mellen Center (Ohio), Oregon Health Sciences University, and the Universities of California and Southern California.

Celebrities form the honorary committee: Teri Garr, Tom Arnold, Tony Danza (and wife), Sela Ward, Don Henley (and wife), Natalie Cole, Dustin Hoffman (and wife), and others. The patron committee boasts even more famous names. The event takes place out in LA in the spring, with a next day meeting (free and open to the public) for anyone who would like to pose questions to the represented research facilities.

This 2 day event raised more than $2.5 million in 2007. The price of tickets for 2008 started at $1,000. It’s nice to see that wealthy, high-profile people are putting their money where their mouths are and using their celebrity to help raise a hefty amount of money for multiple sclerosis.

For further reference:

• Nancy Davis and Tommy Hilfiger Present
• The 15th Annual Race to Erase MS

Before I had MS, I never thought I’d seek the help of a therapist. My life was pretty normal and nothing was so stressful or overwhelming that positive thinking or a good night’s sleep couldn’t cure. I knew some other people who were in therapy and/or taking antidepressant medications. For one reason or another, they had to seek counseling to sort out their problems, whether they were family-oriented, job-related, or from plain old organic depression.

Then I became the first out of my cohorts to develop a chronic, serious medical condition, otherwise known as MS. I became the one who people commented about: “How’s Jen doing?” “Has Jen been feeling okay lately?” And I suspect: “Do you think Jen will be okay? Do you think there will be a cure for her before she gets too bad?” This alone could send anyone into therapy.

When I was 34, my multiple sclerosis attacks became more serious, as I experienced a long bout with double vision, was unable to drive for 6 weeks, had many struggles making it to my part-time, low-stress library job, and was getting acclimated with doing injections and suffering from their side-effects. The job of do-it-yourself therapy came to an end as I realized the need for emotional counseling. This is what I discovered:

• The odds of having MS and needing an antidepressant are great. Multiple sclerosis can cause situational as well as organic depression. Coping with a chronic, life-altering disease can be depressing, and taking a disease-modifying medication (interferon drugs particularly) can add to depression. Interferon meds— Betaseron, Avonex, and Rebif— are proven to lower serotonin levels (the physiological cause of depression.) Add to this the possibility of acquiring MS lesions in areas of the brain that monitor mood, and there are overwhelming odds that depression will set in.

• There are various types of therapists at our disposal. A psychologist, a PhD-holding professional, can counsel patients and offer psychological feedback. A counselor, a professional with a master’s degree in psychology, is another type of therapist. Social workers, with master’s degrees in clinical social work, also counsel patients and have access to many community resources for further help. I have been in counseling with a social worker for over 2 years, after first seeking the help of a psychologist. I found the latter type to be more interested in the psychology of my problem, whereas the social worker gives more practical, everyday advice.

• Psychiatrists, who have the reputation for being the most highly-educated psychological professionals, now usually just prescribe medications. They have gotten away from the counseling and tend to “check in” with patients and see how the antidepressants/anxiety meds are working. Something to do with what insurance companies will presently pay them.

• Therapy can be as much as a few times a week or once every couple of months. I initially went once a week, then I cut it down to every other week. I went once a month during the easier times, then once every couple of months, and now I’m back to once every couple of weeks as I sort out this most recent multiple sclerosis relapse/setback.

• Counseling is covered by most insurance plans. I pay the same copay as I would for a primary doctor’s visit. However, there are sometimes caps to how many visits a person can have for a one-year time period. It’s important to check with your insurance provider.

• Counseling helps me vent my frustrations, anxieties, and goals to an unbiased ear. This is the counselor’s job, whereas my loved ones sometimes need a break from the MS woes. Being unbiased, the counselor can also give practical advice. She isn’t swayed by emotions, and will help me make objective plans and figure out new strategies.

• Therapy is not for everyone. I find it cathartic, much like writing for this blog. Others might not feel this way. It’s an individual decision, just like deciding to take an antidepressant or any other medication. If you are suffering from anxiety or depression, it might be a good idea to seek counseling, though, because you don’t have to suffer. It’s your decision. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama states in his recent book How to Practice the Way to a Meaningful Life, “Please adopt whatever might assist you. If you do not think it would be helpful, just leave it alone.”

Hallelujah! It’s a nice, non-humid day in New Jersey. I volunteered at the library for 2 1/2 hours, looking up the age/grade levels at the Amazon and the Barnes and Noble websites for the donated “Sparks” program books. The volunteer coordinator said they sent their 1st batch of crates to the 2 social service agencies, where kids waiting to be placed in foster care can choose 3 books and receive backpacks. I also put “This book belongs to_________” plates in the front of a bunch of books. This program is great, and I’m glad I started working on it during its infancy. I’m finding that if I take my medication earlier in the day, I don’t get “wake-up” fatigue, so I have been able to get to the library 4 out of 5 times so far. Not bad!

So I’ve been getting myself out and the next thing to tackle is a yoga class. A woman is holding them at a first aid building down the road. Sounds like she has worked with people with diminished mobility (she has had classes where people use chairs for aid.) I’m gonna try the Tuesday evening class first, because I really am still a night owl.

We’re probably gonna go see the new Batman movie sometime this weekend. And I’m visiting my friend/old roommate and we hope to hit the LL Bean store (only one in this neck of the woods.) I will go slow and rest when I should, even though I don’t want to.

Peace out and enjoy the weekend… Jill, if you’re reading this post, we’re trying to get to the aquarium before you go back to teaching. We want to get Steven there, because he had such a great time last year.

‘Bye!

PS: Look for information on MS and seeking emotional therapy in the next post.