About
About this MS Website
Hi and welcome to MS Strength. My name is Jen and this is my multiple sclerosis website. I feel that living with MS is so complicated that sometimes I need to write about my frustrations, my worries, my discoveries, as well as my victories and great moments. And there are a lot of great moments. This website is not meant to be a source for a lot of self-pitying. I realize that some people with MS have far easier courses than mine, and many have far worse courses. This is more for logging the ups and downs of having the disease which I’m sure, if you have it, you know all about them. It’s also for you, the reader, to relate and comment with your own stories, whether they are similar or far different. And it’s for the loved ones of those with multiple sclerosis, because they are also strapped in for the roller coaster ride, whether they like it or not. Bless them!
About my Multiple Sclerosis
I am a 39 year old woman who has had MS for about 12 years. I believe myself to be the “average” patient, at least statistically. I realize there is no exact standard for this disease, since it varies so much from patient to patient. Nevertheless, I am female (in the majority), the disease started in my late twenties (very common decade for onset), I have the relapsing/remitting variety (again, the most common type), and at the present time I have a moderate course of the disease. I average about one full-blown relapse a year, although I have recently gone 2 years relapse-free, probably due to my taking one of the disease-modifying medications.
About my Education and Career
I have a BA in English and have worked in the health/public service fields for more than a decade. For two years I was an Americorps service worker (considered the domestic Peace Corps), where I worked in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity, Meals-on-Wheels, Adopt-a-Highway, and I provided services at a local food bank and area soup kitchens. One of my favorite affiliations was with a county park, where we helped maintain their greenhouse and planted a large flower garden for the public.
I then trained and became a registered ultrasound technologist, because aside from writing, I’m very fascinated with the health sciences and I like helping people. I worked full-time for several years, and did a “stat” call after hours for a local rehab hospital. Loved the senior patients there. At this point my MS symptoms were becoming more apparent, although I still didn’t know exactly what was going on. I was fatigued so I reduced my hours to part-time and this seemed to help. But I knew in my heart that this fast-paced, on-my-feet career would eventually wear me out.
At this point I began to volunteer at an area library. I absolutely loved it. This field seemed to marry my two passions: helping people locate creative works. They hired me as an assistant and I was there for about 2 years, but I had my first big attack— double vision in my left eye for 8 weeks. Eventually I stopped working outside of the home and I did seasonal telecommuting work through a vocational rehabilitation program for 2 years, helping people find and order forms and publications through the Internal Revenue Service.
I currently find volunteer library work and freelance writing endeavors to be my best career solutions. I’ve contributed articles to South Jersey Mom’s health section and I’m a former feature columnist for the Suite101.com’s Women’s Health section. My most recent work for EMD Serono pharmaceuticals involves writing and videotaping segments about my life with MS for their website: www.HowIFightMS.com. I am also currently writing about incontinence and prostate issues at HealthCentral.com.
About my Plans for this Site and for Combating MS
My plan is to bring the most up-to-date multiple sclerosis information to this website. Look for tips, bios, book reviews, healthy recipes, supportive stories, and ways that you can get involved to join “the movement.” If you are not already a member, please join the National Multiple Sclerosis Society: www.nmss.org (or your own MS society if you are from another region of the world.) I am doing my part by volunteering with my local chapter. A great thing about volunteering with this organization is that no one questions your fatigue, your “trick” bladder, your weak left arm, or your motivation. Think about it.
Once you have discovered this site, if you love it, spread the word………
Thanks.
Sincerely,
Jen
Janice Says:
Jen,
I love your website.
I just turned 52; diagnosed 1 1/2 yrs ago. I am out of work due to cognitive dysfunction and fatigue. I loved my career – was also in health systems.
Two I am happy about for you:
1. You remain motivated.
2. You have done a wonderful thing for others with MS by putting this website together.
By the way, you are motivated…
Janice
Posted on February 11th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Jen Says:
Thanks for commenting, Janice. It’s always nice to hear from the folks who read— it makes me feel really great…..I have fatigue and problems with bladder/bowel and balance as continual issues (during remissions.) Overall, I’m doing fairly well. I started this site because I love to write and I have experience with and enjoy the health topics, so writing about MS and my adventures seemed like a no-brainer.
I wish you lots of luck and good health during your MS journey and hope to talk to you again soon!…
Sincerely,
Jen
Posted on February 13th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Suzanne Says:
hi jen,
i’m on twitter and facebook – how do I follow you at those sites? I have not been diagnosed with MS and have been sick for almost 2 decades. It didn’t show up on my spinal tap in 1998 and I will never go through that test again. Nothing has shown up on brain MRIs but I haven’t had one of those in about 4 or 5 years. There is a small cystic lesion in the paraverteral region but don’t think that’s part of MS. When I was younger, I had abnormal EEGs but was never followed up on.
I went to the internist today for pre-op visit and he noted that i have nystagmus of the eyes and is sending me to an MS clinic just to shut me up I guess. I have a list of symptoms a mile long that come and go and then reappear again and swear I have MS.
Thanks for all the information you’ve provided so far.
Suzanne
Posted on May 4th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Jen Says:
Hi Suzanne–
Thanks for writing. Hopefully a neurologist at the MS clinic will send you for new MRIs. Yeah, I also have some strange little cyst in my brain (just an “incidental” my neurologist told me. I think its actual name is a “pineal cyst.” I think…) It took forever for me to get diagnosed because I had few lesions— only several on my cervical spinal cord—and I had a bout of Lyme disease which threw everything off.
Good luck with the MS clinic. Hopefully they can make sense of all of it. You can look MS Strength up on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/blognetworks/blog/ms_strength/
*****I don’t Twitter ’cause I already do enough procrastinating on FB—LOL…
Jen
Posted on May 5th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Bruce Says:
Hey Jen,
I’m part of the minority (males) who was also diagnosed late in life. I’m currently 53 and was diagnosed just before Christmas in 2007.
I probably had MS for a much longer period but a serious rollover auto accident back in 2000 and the physical aftermath hid the real cause for a slowly developing limp and my mobility issues.
I’m lucky enough to still be working at the same job I have had for over 36 years but am also worried about the future. I came out of the MS closet just before last Christmas to two upper management co-workers and shared my condition with two more this past week.
Kudos on your web-site! I have booked marked it and look forward to visiting it regularly as a resource. As my condition changes I am starting to go back in the research mode to educate myself.
It’s obvious you are a glass half full lady and I believe that helps. My motto which I told my bosses when I shared my condition with themwas… I still had a great head on my shoulders and I could still get across the room when needed… it was just going to take me a little longer in the future.
Regards,
Bruce
Posted on September 26th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Jen Says:
Thanks for commenting, Bruce. Sounds like you’re a “glass half full” kinda person too. Best of luck with your job. “Coming out” can be very scary, but it sounds like your peeps are supportive- GOOD!
Thank you also for reading!
Jen
Posted on September 27th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Mike Says:
This site is great! Thanks for finding me! I belong to an MS group that meets on the 4th Friday of each month and will happily pass your url along! Oh yea the meeting is right in Toms River if you are interested.
Posted on October 20th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Jen Says:
Awww…thanks, Mike
Jill mentioned you a while back and then I saw your post on FB, so I remembered about you. I’m glad you’re enjoying my site and would definitely appreciate your passing the URL along. Let me contact you on FB because I DO actually want to go to an in-person support group. I think it’s time!
Jen
Posted on October 21st, 2009 at 3:34 am
Michelle Says:
hello to you…. do you know of any jobs that I can do at home I have MS
Posted on December 7th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Jen Says:
Hi Michelle–
I have worked for NTI (the National Telecommuting Institute), which lists at-home work for people with disabilities. They’re out of Boston and they’re a non-profit: http://www.nticentral.org
Also: http://www.alpineaccess.com (has online customer service jobs.)
Hope this helps!
Jen
Posted on December 8th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
dreamer Says:
Hi Jen,
I’ve enjoyed reading your site. Lots of helpful info. I am a 47 yr old female, recently diagnosed (in October) after having my first(?) episode which started in July (still haven’t completely recovered). In hind-sight I most likely had other MS symptoms/issues at various points during my life. I also have osteoarthritis (bone-on-bone) in both knees. However, I am still mobile, still working full-time, and feel I have much to be thankful for in my life.
~dreamer
Posted on January 11th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Jen Says:
I’m so glad you’re out and working and that you have such a positive attitude, Dreamer (and I also love your screen name
.) Thank you for reading and much luck to you, although I think your attitude itself will take you far!
Jen
Posted on January 12th, 2010 at 5:05 pm