15 msfocusmagazine.org assistants, etc.) and researchers and we have a mighty team. But we also need to remember the amazing work done by advocacy groups – such as MS Focus: The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation – and the resources they put into this fight.We may be the ones going toe-to-toe with MS, but when the going gets tough, we should not forget all these others who have our back. Yes,IgetangrywhenIreadtheprofit reports from the MS pharmaceutical companies, and knowing what my insurance is charged for my disease- modifying therapies. But that angeris tempered more these days as I better understandthedrugdevelopmentand approval process; how many drugs never make it to the pharmacy yet are studied in trials for years; and what investments pharmaceuticalcompaniesputintotreatingMS, while financiallysupportingwork to find a cure. The more advocacywork I do that involves the business side of MS, the greater appreciation I have for the need to educate everyone about the role of pharmaceutical companies as our allies and not view them exclusively as the enemy. Never doubt we can all be advocates, we just do this work in different ways and some of us just get more public recognition than others. Advocacy and MS has many ways to play out. Each time we talk about MS to others, we are spreading awareness. Each time we connect with others living with MS, we are offering support. With every email, phone call, or tweet we direct to our elected officials about the need for healthcare for people with MS we are speaking up. All of these are critical advocacy roles and I am proud of all the advocates in my MS community. Each time we talk about MS to others, we are spreading awareness. Angela Savinda: Your life isn't over. Every little new symptom does not mean a relapse is occurring. MS isn't the only thing that can cause changes to your body! You shouldn't hold yourself back from doing things, within reason, due to fear. However, you know your body and shouldn't do more than you can handle,especially in the heat! You are your own worst enemy sometimes. Things will not get easier if you continue to worry, eat poorly, sleep little, and not exercise. You need to make a change for the better. A lumbar puncture is not always absolutely necessary for diagnosis. MRI scans may be sufficient. But most of all: don't settle for just any doctor. Find a reputable neurologist that you trust and feel comfortable with. Holly Wierenga: I think I wish I would have understood the misconceptions that people have about all this. [I’ve heard] the “you aren't in a wheelchair yet, so you can't be sick,” or my favorite, I was told this just a couple weeks ago, "My grandma's sister’s boyfriend was completely cured by juicing kale.” If you are newly diagnosed, please save yourself some angst and learn to laugh. And I wish I had learned to recognize my limitations and be kinder to myself. Kristy Van Den Broeke: Get a neuropsychological evaluation done to get a baseline! What do you wish you had known about MS when diagnosed?