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msfocusmagazine.org
    MS Focus Activities
A ceremony was held last year on Nov. 19 
to present some of us with “milestone awards” 
for years worked here at MS Focus. One of 
our executive directors pointed out that all 
the recipients have chronic health conditions 
yet continue to work. The caption under the 
picture read: 
“We celebrated this year's Milestone 
Anniversaries today. Together, six ladies 
have put in 100 years of service to the MS 
community. Congratulations to Janet Glenn 
and Sherroll Patterson on 25 years, Monique 
Fraser and Patty Totera on 15 years, and Marcia 
Harris and Kashanna Allen on ten years 
with our wonderful organization. Each of you 
impresses me with your work ethic, your 
compassion, your humor, and your heart!” 
While I cannot speak for my coworkers, I 
have said in the past that I do not have MS. But 
I have had brain and thyroid cancer surgery 
and have temporal lobe epilepsy I see my 
neurologist for. Despite this, to a stranger, I 
look typical, as there is no normal, right? 
Other than the fact that I am getting a little 
older, I keep myself in decent shape and am 
quite active while working full time at  
MS Focus.  
At MS Focus, we are very lucky our directors 
have made arrangements that allow us to 
work remotely some days. Not all companies 
are so accommodating.  
It is not always so easy to continue working 
when you have MS. We hear the stories of 
what happens at doctor visits, grocery stores, 
and even when people are simply taking a walk. 
MS Focus has bumper stickers that say, “Not 
All Disabilities Are Visible.” The invisible 
symptoms of MS are the common ones such 
as fatigue, pain, cognitive problems including 
memory loss or trouble solving problems, 
weakness, blurred vision, numbness, prickly 
or tingling sensations, heat sensitivity, dizziness, 
balance and coordination problems, and bladder 
or bowel problems.  
Of course, some MS disabilities are visible. 
We cannot assume that someone who slurs 
their words or has a problem walking has 
been drinking or is impaired. I have heard 
countless stories from our clients of people 
being accused of being drunk when they 
have MS.  
For this reason, MS Focus has a free First 
Responder Card any individual with MS 
should have signed by their doctor and always 
carry with them. It states the person bearing 
the card has, and is being treated for, MS. 
Additionally, it states the following symptoms 
of MS can potentially include: 
• Slurred speech 
• Poor balance or coordination  
• Difficulty walking or altered gait 
• Numbness or partial paralysis 
• Double or blurred vision 
Not all Disabilities are Visible
Not all Disabilities are Visible 
A first responder card can help.
A first responder card can help. 
By Marcia Harris

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