5 surprising (perhaps) misconceptions about MS: 1. Most patients do not need a wheelchair 2. Pregnancy often reduces symptoms 3. Misdiagnosis rates are extremely high 4. Risk significantly increases farther from the equator 5. The disease is often invisible #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Happy June 11th! I shout out to all the MSers struggling to make their way through life with the trials our disease presents. Despite the challenges, try to remember: Happiness is a state of mind, a decision one makes. Cheers from the Sonoran Desert. Painting by my wife: Before the Fearing Time #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety #Art

We do what we have to do, but that’s a lot of money! The average out-of-pocket expenses for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients vary based on specific insurance plans, but research estimates average direct out-of-pocket costs at nearly $10,000 per year, with out-of-pocket costs for prescription Disease-Modifying Therapies (DMTs) ranging from $6,000 to over $11,000 annually after meeting deductibles. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Rock and rollers with MS? How about Ronnie Lane? Founder of the British rock bands Faces and Small Faces. Popular from 1965 to 1973. Perished from aggressive MS at 51. Cool fact: Jimmy Page, Rod Stewart, and Ronnie Wood funded his medical care when financial options weren't available to Lane. A testament to friendship and respect. RIP youtube.com/watch?v=fayL1WTR… #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Amazing. 2 prominent athletes with MS—identical twins Lina and Laviai Nielsen from Great Britain—are planning to compete in the 2028 Summer Olympics in track and field. They won bronze medals together in the 4x400m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety #Wheelchair #WC

That’s something disabled people hear all the time. The reality is disability isn’t about whether you can physically force yourself to do something once. It’s about whether you can do it safely, in a reasonable time, and repeatedly without exhausting yourself or making things worse afterwards. The other day I got stuck on the floor and later had to stop and sit on a bench walking back to the car because my body had completely had enough. These are the realities people don’t always see behind chronic illness and disability. ❤️ #MultipleSclerosis #MSAwareness #DisabledLife #ChronicIllness #DisabilityAwareness #PIP #MobilityIssues #InvisibleDisability #WheelchairUser #MSCommunity #LifeWithMS

EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL…. Get ready for our series about what living with MS actually looks like. LIKE, FOLLOW AND SHARE, #lifewithms #UGCCreator #authenticcontent #ugc #waitforit

well the test ride on the three wheeled scooter of death worked well today..more speed lol amazing what a bit of lube can do .. 8mph lol mylivinghell.co.uk #MultipleSclerosis #MSAwareness #LifeWithMS #ChronicIllness #disabilityscooter #MondayMindset #mentalhealth

I had a bad fall onto tile in my home office and split open my forehead, leaving me with a concussion and a brain bleed. After paramedics delivered me to one ER, I was ambulanced to the Barrows Neurological Trauma ICU. After one day of multiple scans in the ICU, I was released because the images showed the brain bleed had not spread. Five days later, I had a delayed allergic reaction to the contrast dye administered for the brain scans, and my entire body was covered in red splotches, which are thankfully gone. I feel like I've wasted a month of my life. Never boring at Casa Cruickshank! Can't wait to get back to writing and editing as I work hard to get an agent for Doheny Drive: Three Boys and The Girl. Cheers from the Sonoran Desert, Ken PS: For you electric W/C users, in the next couple of weeks, I’ll post the story of how an out-of-control chair (my fault) pounded me from wall to wall in my office and sent me to the ER! There are lessons to be learned, namely, don’t be stupid. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety #Wheelchair #WC

The left side of my body has always been the most affected by my MS. I look at photos of myself, and the way my left arm is positioned annoys me. I drink through straws because I can’t hold glasses or mugs anymore. I’ve been in a chair for 20 years. My list of weird medical issues is long. But life is grand. I believe that happiness is essentially a state of mind. That said, anyone with MS has met really good people who struggle with the same disease but seemingly can’t get a break. To all the MSers and chronically ill, I hope your holiday seasons lead to hope, comfort, and love. Cheers from the place called Arizona. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Faith & Hope in Healing Faith doesn’t always remove pain — it helps you breathe through it. Hope isn’t pretending; it’s believing light exists even when you can’t see it. Healing starts with faith, grows with hope. #HopeInTheJourney #LifeWithMS

Good Day vs. Bad Day with MS Some days I wake up light and clear, that’s a good day Other days, my body fights invisible battles; that’s a bad day Both matter. Both are valid. The good reminds me of who I am. The bad remind me how strong I’ve become. #LifeWithMS #ChronicIllness

When brain fog meets SoundCloud’s interface, chaos reigns no #podcast tinyurl.com/3274bdsu #MyLivingHell #MultipleSclerosis #BrainFog #Podcasting #SoundCloudFail #DisabledVoices #ChronicIllnessHumour #MSwarrior #LifewithMS

“Got told off by a chatbot today. Apparently my #diet offends its algorithmic morals. Kale smoothies for everyone. 🤖🥬 #ChronicIllness #AIcare #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #spoonie tinyurl.com/y88cm9fj

So I asked Grok AI for a good MS-in-the-morning joke. Here’s what I got: “My mind says, 'Get up,' but my body says, 'Bite me!'" Maybe AI understands! Cheers from Arizona. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Sometimes we just need to smile. 1. An MS sufferer walked into a bar... and a table... and a wall... and a door. (Proof that life's obstacles are just plot twists in our personal comedy routine.) 2. MS? More like "Mighty Strength"—because who else could juggle symptoms and comebacks like a pro? 3. Why did I get MS? Because my nervous system needed a plot twist—now every day's an adventure in rerouting! #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Bad MS days come uninvited—fatigue, numbness, emotions. But somehow, we push through. For some, it’s prayer, others music, or journaling. What helps you on tough days? #MSCommunity #InvisibleIllness #LifeWithMS #MSAI

The three primary fears/concerns of people diagnosed with MS, per a survey by the UK MS Trust: 1. Deterioration of mobility and loss of ability to walk. 2. Losing independence and becoming a burden on family or others. 3. Future disease progression and relapses. I held these concerns when I was first diagnosed 33 years ago (SPMS), and they remain, though never dominate. Despite being wheelchair-bound for 20 years, I try to see the glass as half full, realizing that my challenges pale in comparison to those of many others. MS is a wicked adversary, but it can be tamed, and life can still be beautiful in countless ways. If that is our starting point, our foundation, then everything will be okay in the end, despite the trials. These are my opinions. Cheers to anyone battling this or other autoimmune diseases. #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Things I've learned through trial and error on my MS journey: 4. If you have an amazing caregiver or partner helping you travel your MS journey (like the hottie in the attached photo), let them know how much you appreciate their love and support every day! The photo of my wife and me was taken at a speakeasy party at our club over the weekend. I was disappointed when someone said they loved my "professor" costume. I was going for the gangster look! Like from the cast of Peaky Blinders! Oh well… #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS #MSSociety

Ever screamed at a toaster or cried over a dog food commercial? Let’s get messy and human. New blog post – read it before you explode again. #MentalHealth #SpoonieLife #MS #MSawareness #ChronicIllness #MSwarrior #LifewithMS tinyurl.com/msps8wyv