MS & Me

This week Fergal Hughes writes about watching his children grow up, making the most of quality time and the lessons he’s learned as a father. This is heartfelt, perfect reminder that for parents, often our children are the better teachers.

This week Emma Rogan writes about Pride. The MS community is a mix of humanity- straight, LGBTI, different ethnicities, cultures and experiences. For Emma, the power of the MS community, the value of being visible and the progress in patient empowerment is worth celebrating.
 
This article puts two important aspects of my life together and I wondered how to do it. What is pride about? Is it about identity? Is it about confidence? Then I stopped wondering. This story is about when I stopped pretending I was someone I wasn’t and began to be who I was meant to be. Twice. As uncomfortable as it was at the start, there could not be any other way.  

Sunday 17th is Father’s Day and this week Keith Byrne describes the joys of being a Dad. Read on for how he’s balancing life tasks so he and his family stay healthy and how being open to challenges helps him build resilience while living with MS.

Next week, 11th to the 17th June, is Carer’s Week in Ireland. We’re delighted to have Guest Blogger Gemma Donnelly Cox writing about being a Carer and how she balances life in the ‘here and now’ while also planning for the future.

This week Niamh McCarron shares her experience of having MS and working. Read on for her story of working and striving to stay professionally active and financially secure.

Have you joined the Kiss Goodbye to MS squad? This week Grace Kavanagh tells us why she joins in with thousands of others for the massive global campaign. It’s all about the Kiss!

MS is a difficult disease to live with. It's so unpredictable and is often described as an “invisible” illness because so many symptoms are felt by the person but not seen by others. As a result, having MS can be really isolating. We can’t always take part in activities or outings because just getting out of bed is a herculean effort. We’re not rude or antisocial - just exhausted, struggling or in pain. This isn’t the same for everyone but that sense of isolation can hit any of us.

This week the MS and Me AnonMS blogger, a health care professional, shares with us an insider’s perspective on disclosure. Does disclosing MS status lead to the condition overshadowing all other aspects of a person’s life and reduce them down to a diagnosis?

This week, in a letter to her nearest and dearest, Willeke Van Eeckhoutte puts down in words how she really feels. “What do you want me to say?”

This week Mary Deveraux shares with us her experience of Primary Progressive MS. Akin to the big stories we’re all familiar with, PPMS brings unexpected twists to life no-one ever expects. 

This week we welcome new writer Ciara O’Meara to MS and Me. Read on for her unique perspective on the MS patient experience.