Living Well With MS & Disabilities: Ellie's Blog

As I had mentioned before in another post I'm a firm believer that you should advocate for what you believe is important.  As I feel most people know very little about Multiple Sclerosis and are not aware of the ramifications living with Multiple Sclerosis can have.  As this is Multiple Sclerosis week I have used the opportunity to write a letter to the newspapers.  Below is the letter that I sent to our local newspaper and other newspapers in the area.

Every hour a young adult is diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. In fact Multiple Sclerosis is the number one disabler of young adults. Young adults who are starting out in life developing their careers, starting a family, settling in a community also have to learn to live with a chronic progressive disease of the central nervous system. This is why MS can be such a burden not only to the individual with MS but also to their family.

And this is also why research to find a cure or ways to help the body repair itself through re-myelinating nerves to prevent loss of axons in the brain and spinal cord are so essential. Equally important is the development of new medicines to help with the symptoms and to slow down the progression of the disease.

Looking back 20 years or so a diagnosis of MS was difficult to make until the disease was more progressed. And there was essentially no treatment except steroids for severe attacks which could have serious side effects. Then a new technology the MRI was developed and so much has changed. From enabling an early diagnosis of MS to increased valuable understanding of this complicated disease. And then in July 1993 the FDA approved the first ?interferon?drug Betaseron to be effective specifically for Multiple Sclerosis. There was now a drug available to reduce the relapse frequency and severity of this disease.

This was the beginning of increased scientific research to understand this very complicated auto- immune disease with a genetic component and environmental triggers.

By keeping abreast of the amazing advancement of the scientific research and technology I do see progress and feel a cure is quite possible. If not a cure soon definitely I do feel that a way to repair the damage (re-myelinating of nerves and axon repair) is very possible. And even a full cure and a vaccine to the prevent MS will eventually happen.

People with MS today are benefiting from the research that produced the interferons and all the other drugs that they can use to help them to have more mobility,more energy, less pain and better bladder control.

And they are also benefiting from the advances in technology from assistive and mobility devices to the computer and all computerized devices. They are just so helpful.

And we must not forget the changes in the environment. The passage of the ADA in 1990. This law enabled the disabled for the first time to be able to get into public and other buildings. Because of this law you see the ramps, the elevators, the signs for handicapped bathrooms etc.

And with the recent revision to the ADA people with MS will now have more protection from discrimination in the workplace.

As a retired physical therapist with Multiple Sclerosis I have watched and experienced over the years the difficulties that MS brings. The advances in the last 20 years have made such a difference. I know that with continued scientific research, advancement in technology, and laws to protect the equal rights of people with Multiple Sclerosis and other disabilities my life and many of your neighbors will continue to improve