b'Life with MSAAddjjuussttiinnggttooUUnnwweellccoommeeLLiiffeeCChhaannggeessBy Marcia Harris Marchwassupposedtohavebeenbusy, Youmaystarttofeeldepressedbecauseyouarebutalsoafunandeducationalmonth.Afterall, sotiredandthenewsconstantlybroadcastedMarchisNationalMSEducationandAwareness aroundyouissofrightening.So,whatcanbeMonth.Thisyearsthemeforthemonthwas done?ImVisible.Educationalprogramswere Doyoudoanythingjustforyou?DuringscheduledforallovertheU.S.,includingLas thistime,itsgoodtothinkofthingsthatyouVegas,St.Louis,andSanJuan,tonameafew. candoforyourself.Takeawarmbath,listenHowever,bythesecondweekofMarch,all tosoftmusic,relaxandescapebyturningotheprogramswerepostponedbecauseofthe thenewsonTVandtheradio,aswellastuneCOVID-19pandemicspreadingacrossthe outotherelectronicgadgets.Becausegoingcountry.Schoolswereclosed,restaurantsand tothegymorpoolisnotanoptionwiththeotherpublicestablishmentswereshutdown, socialdistancingorderinplace,trydoingsomeandself-isolationorsocialdistancingbecame exerciseathome.Takeawalkandgetsomethenewwayoflife. freshairifyoucan.Orderininsteadofcooking.However,thisarticleisnotaboutCOVID-19. WatchthatmovieyouvebeentalkingaboutItisaboutadjustingtounwelcomelifechanges for months. Find time forwhatever fun isthatyouhavenocontrolover.MSisoneof possiblewithinclosequarters.Theimportantthoselifechanges.LivingwithMSisvery thingtorememberisthatyouarenotalonestressfulinitself.Itsunpredictable,andyou and,althoughisolationisessentialinorderarealwaysadjustingtonewsymptoms.There tostaysafeforthetimebeing,therearewaysseemtobesomanythingstoworryabout, tondsupportduringthisdiculttime.suchastakingcareofthekids,needinghelp Doyoubelongtoasupportgroup?Ifso,fromfamilyorfriends,schedulingdoctors calloneoftheothermembersandtalkaboutappointments,thecostofmedications,and yourfeelings.Atatimelikethis,thereareconcernsaboutyourjobsituation.Justhow denitelylinesofcommunicationssetupfordoyoudealwithallthat? thespecicpurposeofhavingthoseofyouFirstofall,youhavetoacknowledgethat isolatedinyourhomesbeabletondsomeoneat times such as theseyou may feelyour tohelp,someonetojusttotalkto.Maybeevensymptomsmorestronglybecausetheenergy joinagroupcalloravideochat.Ifyoudonttodealwiththemhasbeendepleted.Youmay belongtoasupportgroup,callorjoinone.feel fatigued, which is already a common Attendingourprogramscanbe fun andsymptomofMS,butnowitmaybemuchworse. educationalatthesametime, givingyouthemsfocusmagazine.org 46'