MS Maze

Longing for Liberation

If you are steadily losing your ability to walk… to move… to remain independent… your tolerance for extended debate and controversy over a possible treatment, if not a cure, is put to the test. In this case, debate centers around “Liberation Treatment.” All around the world people with multiple sclerosis have been clamoring for action, ever [...]

Diagnosis, Denial, Due Diligence

So you’ve been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Now what? Denial. My own lasted only a few brief moments. The odyssey to diagnosis was a difficult one, and I quickly embraced the sweet relief of finally having an answer. But then it hit me I have MS… I have MS… I have MS… Me… MS! There was a [...]

Reconciliation: What Does It Really Mean Anyway?

Reconciliation can sound like a dirty word, depending upon who is doing the speaking, but the process is nothing new and is certainly not out of the bounds of normal politics. Introduced in 1974, the process of reconciliation is used when Congress issues directives to legislate policy changes in mandatory spending (entitlements) or revenue programs (tax [...]

Inside the Maze 3/5/10

On National MS Education & Awareness Month Multiple sclerosis. Is that the disease that puts you in a wheelchair or leads to a nursing home? Montel Williams… Richard Pryor… Annette Funicello… all names associated with MS, and isn’t there a mountain climber or two that have it? Confused? You are not alone. That’s why the Multiple Sclerosis [...]

Obama’s Call to Action: Will You Answer?

What lends itself to demagoguery and political gamesmanship, misrepresentation and misunderstanding? Health care reform is the obvious answer. “But,” said President Obama, “that’s not an excuse for those of us who were sent here to lead to just walk away. We can’t just give up because the politics are hard.” The president’s latest proposal would change three [...]

MS: Who Gets It and Why

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)… some call it the MonSter, or the Beast. It is a demyelinating disease, an invisible illness, a mysterious ailment subject to many misconceptions. Who, what, where, when, why, how… all good questions. That’s why the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation recognizes March as National MS Education & Awareness Month, and the National MS Society designated [...]

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month: A Diagnosis Odyssey

Multiple sclerosis. Is that the disease that puts you in a wheelchair or leads to a nursing home? Montel Williams… Richard Pryor… Annette Funicello… all names associated with MS, and isn’t there a mountain climber or two that have it? Confused? You are not alone. That’s why the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation recognizes March as National MS [...]

Pet Insurance for People..Marriage for Healthcare..How Far Would You Go?

Having trouble getting health insurance? Maybe you can get on your pet’s insurance plan. Probably not, but that didn’t stop Hal Ziegler from making the call anyway, after receiving the infamous rate increase letter from Anthem Blue Cross. Terri Carlson finds herself in a similar situation. Her attempt at a solution was to advertise for a [...]

Inside the Maze 2/26/10

On Writing Making goals and sticking to them… last week’s ruminations about my still unfinished book and rambling about a lack of deadlines resulted in a virtual put up or shut up from a writer friend. Actually, he proposed that we set a weekly writing goal and hold each other’s feet to the fire. Casting aside [...]

After the Health Care Summit : The Shark in the Water

“The health insurance industry is the shark that swims just below the water, and you don’t see that shark until you feel the teeth of that shark.” – Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) Despite the bipartisan health care summit, the shark is still circling. During the great airing of grievances, it became immediately clear that both Democrats [...]