Carnival of MS Bloggers #118

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

MS in the Movies, Best and Worse Things to Do After Diagnosis

Movie Time!

by Thomas at BiPolar, MS, and as handsome as ever

You know, there are days when you think you're doing real well with these disorders. This morning I was up early, shared breakfast with my wife, sent her on her way, and then did some reading. Following a chapter of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer story (yes, I enjoy the classics), I did my stretches, exercises, and then hit the road for a mile walk, headphones and all. Back home, I grabbed the newspaper, plopped on the couch, opened the paper and immediately fell asleep for one hour. This set back all other planned activities. Yesterday MS/BP let me ride my bike to run errands, then work in the yard, and get a lot of reading done, including Chris Matthews' book on JFK. Thought I could get two days in a row. Silly MS boy. Now since I'm all messed up and foggy as a London night, I'll try this.

Let's go to the movies!

It's Tuesday as I write this and I usually take in a flick today at one of the local movie houses. It's also two dollar popcorn day, and if the person taking the money and giving you your ticket is "of a certain age", I can squeeze in as a senior. Once you hit 55, and have a pension to live on, the words "early bird special" start coming out of your mouth. So over this summer I've seen everything from Prometheus to Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer. I'll leave reviews of those epics to others, but just a note to the Abe Lincoln producers - please remember to keep that mole on his face all the way through the film, and by the way, during his Presidency, he had two other kids aside from Willie. I know, I know it's all made up. Alas, that's where some kids get their history from.

Anyway, below is a list of movies (and TV show) that featured a character who was either diagnosed bipolar or with MS. No one would ever figure on someone who had both, right?

Bipolar disorder: Splendor in the Grass (1961), A Woman Under the Influence (1974), Mr. Jones (1993), Michael Clayton (2007), Observe and Report (2009), The Informant! (2009), Shine (1996), 3 (2012), Homeland (TV) (2012), Lust for Life (1956), Frances (1982), Cobb (1994), Call Me Anna (1990), A Fine Madness (1966), Bulworth (1998) (for the rap scene alone)

Multiple Sclerosis: Hillary and Jackie (1998), Duet for One (1986), The West Wing (TV) (1999)

Bipolar is winning the race for most characters, probably because if you need someone manic, you can get it, if you need someone depressed, eventually you'll get that. Now these lists are not complete certainly and are from various sources around the web. You can find most if not all at Netflix or Amazon. I have seen some of these films and I intend to see more, but here's the one I'd like to talk about:

Duet for One. This is a small film, and is really based on the life of Jacqueline du Pre', so I guess you can watch either of the MS films noted here and get the same idea (See, it's not that Hillary and not that Jackie - it's the du Pre' sisters, Hillary and Jackie). Anyway, Julie Andrews was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance as a concert violinist who contracts MS, and the movie is about how the decisions of her life after diagnosis affect those around her. You also get to see Julie undress, have sex with Liam Neeson, and say the F word a lot, which to a mind that still sees Mary Poppins and Maria from Sound of Music is a little disconcerting, but Ms. Andrews is a fine actress, and is supported by such greats as Max Von Sydow and Alan Bates who I think was in every British movie during the 70s and 80s.

But here's what bothered me. The character Ms. Andrews plays, Stephanie, constantly refers to herself as "a cripple." Now this movie was made in 1986, and since we're looking at 25 years ago, there were limited treatments, if any, and so she deteriorated at a faster pace, but a cripple? Perhaps I'm looking at the film (and before that a successful stage play) from too far away, or perhaps its a British thing.

But take a look at it yourself....

The whole thing is on You Tube. 10 parts but easy to follow.



Do you think we could ask Martin Sheen if he'd like to be President again? I'd rather have the guy with the MS than what we've got now on either side. Heck, we did pretty well with the guy in wheelchair. Oooops, no politics. Sorry. I'll be viewing Hillary and Jackie this week and will add some comments later.

Of course, these diseases are always good ones to flare up just when the story needs a push.

I'd like to close with a bit of dialogue from the film, this being said by Stephanie to her doctor.

"Sitting there year after year listening to miserable people like me tell you how the world does destroy them. Have you ever once felt anything like the pain they feel? All the despair, all the fear? You make your living from their suffering and you don't understand a shred of it. Anyone of us is more qualified to speak than you because we have been there. We're still there."

AKA-If you ain't got it, you don't get it. Other films? or TV shows?

The Five Worst Things I Have Done Since Being Diagnosed with MS 

by Marie Cooper of MS Renegade 

Although I am a relatively smart person, I can admit to having done some pretty dumb things in my life. A lot of the dumbest things came after finding out I had MS. I thought if I listed the top five, it might save someone from repeating my blunders.

Mistake #1: Not immediately making long-term financial plans.

I was eight weeks into a brand-new job in 2005 when I was hospitalized with transverse myelitis, which was followed by a diagnosis of MS. I should have looked into disability right away, even if I wasn’t ready. I should have learned everything I could have about it.

Instead, I went back to work way too soon and focused on keeping my job instead of maintaining my health.

Despite worsening symptoms that were seriously compromising my mobility and function, I kept pursuing a high-stress career that I was both good at and enjoyed. I ignored the handwriting on the wall regarding my own future.

After two frantic years of working 12-hour days, being on call 24/7, determined to prove that MS would not impact my performance, my position was eliminated and I was out of work. Before finding a new job had never been a problem. But things were complicated now. I couldn’t “pass” any more. Now I needed assistive devices, a cane or a walker or more frequently, a wheelchair, to get around. Huge red flag for hiring managers, although, of course, there is almost no way to prove that.

Two years have passed. Realistically, I am unlikely to ever return to the work force. I am just too sick. I have finally applied for disability, now that my savings are gone and I am in dire financial straits.

Mistake #2: Not immediately looking into more accessible housing.

I adore my cozy, 1930s seashore home. It is my dream house. I bought it completely on my own, with no help from anyone, and I have been inordinately proud of it. When we moved in I pulled up ratty old carpet, painted, plastered, fixed, planted, you name it. It is a charming place, full of sunshine and color, where guests settle in and are reluctant to leave because it is so comfy.

I used to be able to blow through the house in an hour, vacuuming, dusting, mopping. While running a few loads of laundry. While setting the sprinkler out for the garden. While dragging garbage out to the garage.

I never anticipated that one day it would take monumental effort to get up the three small steps from the back door to the kitchen. I can no longer do stairs. Or clean the house. Or dig in the garden. Or paint or do any of the things I so reveled in when I bought my house. I, quite simply, cannot take care of it anymore.

If I had made plans early on to move to a smaller home or apartment, one that would be easy to clean and could accommodate my wheelchair, my life would be so much simpler. Yes, I will miss my house and mourn it forever. But the stress of trying to maintain it is sucking the life out of me. And now that the market is horrendous, I will be lucky to get any equity out of it at all.

Mistake #3: Not having a frank discussion with my children about my illness in the beginning.

I have four grown children. They are good people with good hearts and I know they love me. But they are really struggling with accepting the harsh reality of how sick I am. I have done both them and myself a disservice by not forcing us all in the beginning to sit down and talk about what MS is, what might happen and what we were going to do about it. I have always been The One In Charge, strong, bossy, doing it all. My husband died when the kids were little and I have misguidedly tried to shield them from pain ever since. By pretending I was fine, by acting as though there was nothing wrong, what I’ve done has caused even more pain.

So do whatever you have to in order to get your family on the same page and to an understanding of the potential progression of the disease. You might never get to a really bad place, but being prepared together is so important.

Mistake #4: Not taking people up on their offers to help.

My amazing friends and my wonderful sister have stood by me for decades through sorrow and joy. And through MS. They were there for me from that first hospitalization. Always, always, always offering help. “What can I do?” they would ask. And what have I replied? “Oh, nothing, I’m good.” I have said this when I am up to my eyeballs in laundry, dishes and housework that was getting harder and harder for me to do.

It has taken me years to finally admit I need help. And lots of it. I am incredibly lucky that everyone is still around offering, because those offers do tend to fade as time goes on and people tire of asking when they are repeatedly turned away.

Mistake #5: Not taking care of myself.

I found out I had MS. Did I start eating really wholesome food? Did I do whatever exercise plan fit my abilities? Did I take my myriad of medications regularly and carefully? Did I rest and avoid stress as much as possible? Did I make sure I got plenty of sunshine and fresh air? Did I force myself to get out and socialize so I wouldn't get depressed?

No. No, no, no, no and no.

I kept working incredibly stressful jobs and hours. I did not focus on nutrition. I swam for a while, until I broke my shoulder. But when I couldn’t swim any more, I did not look for an alternate way of staying fit. I avoided friends and stayed in my room, in my bed, with the shades drawn. Medication?!? Tuh, (I spit on the floor), I don’t need no stinkin’ medication.

That is how you spell D. E. N. I. A. L. With some stupidity and stubbornness thrown in. Yeah, really helpful coping mechanisms.

BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to panic, but do yourself a favor and make plans. You might never need to use them, but get your safety nets in place. My denial has cost me dearly.

The Five Best Things I Have Done Since Being Diagnosed with MS 

by Marie Cooper of MS Renegade

As I noted in last month’s post, the mistakes I made since being diagnosed with MS were all pretty big and dramatic. The best things I have done since diagnosis are mostly small and practical, banal even, but they helped all the same.

Best Thing #1: Writing my blogs 

Hands down, blogging is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, period.

I have been writing since I was old enough to know what it meant, but I never made the time or had the courage to put it out there or try to have anything published.

Then came blogging. I had been thinking about writing a blog for a while, but I was really apprehensive. I took my time, did a lot of preparation and then, nervously, took the leap.

Well, I have had the best time writing these blogs! My readers are utterly wonderful and many have become true friends. I have received feedback that is so touching, so kind and so encouraging it has been a real gift.

My point here is, do what you love. You deserve it. It’s time. When we have a chronic illness, it is easy to fall into a life that is limited. We don’t feel well and everything is an effort. But try and ask yourself, what is the passion that you have been too busy for? This is the chance to cultivate the things that are most meaningful to you.

Best Thing #2: I acknowledge what my body is telling me. 

Me? Listen to my body?!? Hahahahahahahaha. The only thing I ever listened to was the voice in my head that ran persistently into the future, telling me all the things I had to do. It. Never. Stopped. For. One. Minute. Then came MS.

In the beginning, I ignored my symptoms. I DEFIED them. I kept working, cleaning, shopping, doing, doing, doing. And I paid the price with regular relapses, needing a course of IV steroids to get me functioning again. I had more and more residual deficits each time. It took forever, but I finally allowed myself to respect the fact that I needed to listen for cues and anticipate my needs before they got to a crisis point.

Best Thing # 3: My “overbed” table

Go ahead, laugh. It is, after my laptop, my most treasured possession in the world. After my diagnosis with MS, I was juggling my entire life on my bed and nightstand. Juggling unsuccessfully, I might add. So a friend suggested getting “one of those tables like they have in the hospital.” I am a nurse and I have seen unspeakably disgusting things on bedside tables. I can cope with these things professionally. But I certainly didn’t want those memories lingering near my own bed.

So I resisted. And I spilled things and lost things and sat on things because my bed was a disorganized mess. In desperation, I priced what are called “overbed” tables. I was delighted to find they had a different name: laptop tables!! Well, these didn’t conjure up memories of basins or bedpans for me. What’s more, they were reasonably priced. So I bought one. And I love, love, love it.

It has a tilt top side for my laptop, a solid side for books, cups, plates, etc., and wheels that allow it to be pushed out of the way. The wheels are probably the weakest link as they will not roll over anything thicker than a human hair, but that is just a quibble. I stitched up a big tote bag with half a dozen pockets that hangs over the side of the table to hold my knitting, my iPod, my mobile phone, CDs, pens and notepads. It is like another limb.

Best Thing #4: Reach-y thingies

Whether because of the numbness and weakness in my hands or because I am simply clumsy, I do not know. I just know I drop and/or knock over everything. And, because of being so spastic and weak, I have the darndest time picking up the things I have pitched to the floor.

It took years before it occurred to me, but with a lightning strike of brilliance (yes, that is sarcasm), I finally bought several reach-y thingies. I do believe that is the technical name for them. [Note: the technical name is reachers.]

I bought ones that fold in half for the kitchen and bedroom, and that have wide, rubberized tips so I can pick up a variety of things. For the den, where I sew, (this was extra brilliant) I bought one with a magnetized tip because I am sick of playing 500 pick-up with the cups of pins I am perpetually spilling. Voila! Now all I have to do when I need a pin is stick my magnetized reacher on the floor and I come up with a dozen. I usually come up with a dozen other things as well, but we won’t talk about that.

Best Thing #5: Admitting I have MS

Crazy, huh? That having MS would be on any sort of “Best Things” list? Having MS certainly isn’t the best of anything.

I resisted the MS label for a long, long time. Denial is a great protective mechanism for a while. It is a good place to hide while the shock registers in your brain. But, when you’re in it, it is really hard to discern when denial goes from protective to destructive. For me, it was damaging when I wasn’t taking care of myself or accepting help because I refused to accept that I was sick. MS has no tolerance for not taking care of yourself. It is a punishing disease that punishes you even more if you disregard it. By admitting I have it, I am free to take better care of myself.

That is the uniting theme here in my Five Best Things – do what is best for you. What is best to make your life simpler, happier, healthier. I am not a fan of the saying, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Life is hard enough at the best of times. My opinion is, if life gives you lemons then you have too many dang lemons. And I don’t even like lemonade. But we are stuck with this disease and taking good care of ourselves is the best way to cope. I suppose that could be considered a form of making lemonade out of lemons. Although if I have to make something, then what I’d really like is lemon vodka. :)


This concludes the 118th edition of the Carnival.  The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on July 19, 2012. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.

Thank you.

Comments for this post.

Carnival of MS Bloggers #103

Welcome to the Carnival of MS Bloggers, a bi-weekly compendium of thoughts and experiences shared by those living with multiple sclerosis.

Mothers, Love MS, Job Accommodations

Clinging

by LauraX of Shine the Divine

Even life forms we consider to be simple are uniquely rich in their complexity. They cannot survive alone, but must cling to something else for nurturance. Solitude is precious, so too is connection. Finding a balance between the reality of inter-being and our cyclic desire for separation is a dance we are ever engaged in.

I am watching this in the relationships between my two teenage daughters and me, their mother as they become increasingly more independent —- “Mom, are you kidding? (exasperation) Leave me alone!” —- “Mom (in tears) what should I do?” -- a back and forth, not so gentle tug on my heart.

I see this in my own need for assistance from others due to the physical challenges resulting from Multiple Sclerosis and my longing (like my children) to do things on my own, to be by myself, and to figure things out in my own way in order to continue my human development.

There is a healthy clinging, we must acknowledge, in the midst of blossoming into who we are becoming; sometimes it is subtle, other times gripping, still despite yearning to detach, differentiate, be “ourselves,” we inter-are, and that is the way it is.

~~~~~~~~~~

It is official. I am no longer a "cool" mom. Not even to Rosie:-( --almost 15 and for Belin being almost 18, this is not news. Somehow it is harder with the youngest, more surprising, though you'd think it would be the other way around. I am in the thick of it now! I'm not sure exactly when the turning point happened, when I became more exasperating, annoying, irritating, tear-provoking instead of the fun, funky artist mom to be proud of, the go-to hugger and comforter with absorbent shoulders for tender tears (ok that still happens, occasionally). I suppose it has been gradual, and is of course developmentally appropriate. That doesn't make the poison dart comments, eye rolling or extreme sensitivity and misunderstandings of pretty much anything I say any easier to sit with, but having been a teenager a long time ago with the same feelings about my parents back then (we are very close now!) and having taught teens for years, listening to them complain to me (I was still "cool" then, I wasn't their Mom) about their perfectly loving and admirable parents (my peers)...I get it. When I think of all that I know about child development as an educator and my own experience, it IS a relief to recognize that none of this has anything to do with Multiple Sclerosis. While it certainly has an impact on our family life, these are all par for the course growing pains that every family must endure. The really good news, and there is some, is that like all things in life, everything changes...and gauging from my relationship with my own parents, in 10 or 20 years, give or take, this too shall pass:-)

Death of a mother is the first sorrow wept without her

by Heidi of Journey with MS

In the midst of moving and starting a new job, my mom passed away.  My wonderful, happy, amazing mother.  She drove me crazy, but she always cared 100%.  I was her only child, and she cherished me.  I don't think I ever realized how much I cherished her until she was gone.  It's been 9 days now.  There have been 9 days of my life that she has not been on this planet. 

I miss her terribly.  I would give anything just to be able to talk to her one more time.  To hug her one more time.  To listen to her ramble one more time.  To deal with her pack-rat tendancies one more time. 

I love you mom....I hope you know how much. 

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hartfordcourant/obituary.aspx?n=barbara-j-gutekenst&pid=154426008

STOP FIGHTING YOUR MS. Be a Lover.

by Diane J Standiford of A Stellarlife

A reader asked me to write a post about what it means to "fight" MS. She said it is "...beating the crap out of her..."right now. The phrases "fight MS," "fight Cancer," "fight Hunger," are, in my mind, too overused. Simply put, it would mean to do something to try and stop whatever, from having the upper hand; don't crawl in a corner and say, "I give up. I just will die. This is more than I can do anything to stop." It also is used to imply a gathering of troops to do battle against an enemy. Note, however, that we don't say we will "fight bullying," no, that we say we will, "Stop." Again, stopping that which is hurting us. Why don't we have the slogan, "STOP MS?" or "Stop Cancer?"

The reason we don't use the word 'stop' is because we know that we can not stop those diseases. Only science and medicine can stop a disease. So, with MS, the only option contrary to crawling in a corner and suffering, is fighting. Well, I am a lover, not a fighter. My view is a bit different.

When you learn martial arts, you learn to move with the kick, punch, or throw, that comes your way. In acting class you learn it is the receiver of a slap who moves with the slap before it strikes, as it strikes, like a dance. In yoga, you learn to move INTO each pose, into the tightness, and relaxation will follow. I am not a "MS Fighter." I am a MS Lover. I move with my symptoms to lessen their blow. I look into the mirror and love who I see; if I hated who I see, how could I expect anyone else to love that person?

Within hours of hearing, "You have MS," I accepted that MS was now a part of me. I told my family, friends, and co-workers as soon as I could. If any of them couldn't accept me with MS, then they were not going to remain in my life. Maybe because I am gay and had spent too many years not being, in Oprah's words, my authentic self, this new aspect of me was not about to shove me back in a closet. That was that. It was never an issue. The positive response from my friends and co-workers was overwhelming. But, understand, I didn't need their support to fight MS, I needed their support to LIVE with MS.

Yes, your doctor can give you medicine to help and in some cases stop certain MS symptoms. But nothing stops MS and do you REALLY want to fight with yourself all your life? You think you are exhausted now?! EMBRACE. There is nothing you can't embrace that is a part of you. When MS slaps you, move with it. If it takes away your vision, get free books on tape. If it makes your hands unable to hold a book, grab a magazine. EDUCATE yourself about MS symptoms and make a plan. (My blindness took me off guard and I was scrambling in the dark --pun intended-- to find agencies that could offer ideas for continuing with my life. I learned about free phone services, free books on tape, many, many services as you can imagine. And chances are strong that YOUR MS blindness will go away. Just a punch you can embrace and move with instead of fighting. While legally blind, I continued to work, enjoy books, take walks, even care for my quite ill partner, oh, and BUY A CONDO!) I can't imagine wasted time "fighting" during those days. I had too much TO DO!

When I was too weak to lift a paperback book, I starting lifting a pencil as if it were a 10lb. weight---every day. How embarrassing would that be at work, if you had not embraced your MS? After awhile I could lift a pen, then a rebar chunk paperweight---get the idea? Now, I don't call that fighting MS, I call it learning ways to live with it. Every symptom MS threw my way, I thought up a way to improve what it took from me. Little by little, and all the while building my overall health in all areas. I start with lists. I am a lister. It helps keep me focused.

When you are so depressed about your lot in life, EMPOWER YOURSELF. How do we do that? By first accepting personal responsibility for our lot in life. Look at Christopher Reeves, wow, could there be a worse lot? He blamed no one, not even his horse! Once we stop blaming something else, we can use that energy to focus on how WE can help ourselves. Humans need water, air, and, in my opinion, laughter. We NEED to laugh. Find your inner laugh-a-thon and pursue that. If you can't laugh at yourself, now is the time to change that because MS can be damned hysterical. Going to feed the dog? NO you are not! You are going to KISS the floor! Hello floor, just wanted to touch base! First time I fell I thought it was the end of the world. The last time (so far) I fell I thought it was all over. I cursed the TV! (yeah, that's how bad I felt!) But, I reminded myself that what goes down must come up and that made me laugh. My own silliness made me laugh. One finger typing? SERIOUSLY? Hysterical! My typos are so funny, I often want to leave them!

A killer MS punch? My 'wedding ring' can no longer fit over my contractured ring finger. I just was so down over that for YEARS! Then I looked in the mirror and said, "Diane! Wake up! It is just a symbol." And I figured out I would wear it around my neck. Now, I can't believe I wasted so much of ME by feeling sad about such a simple to change symbol. CHANGE. MS is so changeable, unpredictable---so...since I have embraced it as being a part of me and since I want to love me, I now must love change. Not my natural personality, but wait---how much do you hate to hear, "That's just the way I am!" I always hated hearing that and swore I'd never say it. Well, now I must LIVE it as well. (Walk the talk or roll the goal, as we in wheelchairs say.)

Find a purpose. MS took my job from me. I felt so fulfilled at my job. What was I to do? So much fatigue, weakness, slurred speech, weakness, cognitive losses, fatigue, I KNOW, I'll try a blog. My readers won't know when I type one letter and have to nap or type a sentence then call my caregiver for a toilet break and maybe, just maybe, I can help others with my stories, my ideas, my silliness---and now I am a published author. My sense of purpose has returned. We all need that. Face book has given me a platform to address my political issues and to make new friends. The Internet is a friend of people with illness--no need to ever feel all alone. Make friends.

Fight MS? A waste of energy. Learn how to live with it. Embrace. Love. Educate. Plan. Execute. Laugh. Fall back with the punches, you will be amazed at how few fights your opponent wins!

Ask an MS Navigator: What are job accommodations and how do I get one?

by Kris Graham of National MS Society Blog

We recently received a question about how to obtain accommodations when MS starts to get in the way of doing your job. What perfect timing! I was just about to write my first post on employment and MS …

First, you need to know whether or not the ADA applies to your situation.  You can request reasonable accommodation under the ADA if:

• You work for an ADA-covered employer
• You are “qualified” to do the job; AND
• You are a person with a disability as defined by the ADA.n>

ADA-covered employers include private employers with 15 or more employees, all state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions.

“Qualified” to do the job means that you have the “skills, experience, education, or other requirements” of the position, and you “can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.” (See Disability Law Handbook - Employment and the ADA)

Person with a disability, according to the ADA’s definition, now includes most people with MS, thanks to the passage of the ADA Amendments Act and updated Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations.

Accommodations can be things like new equipment or changes to existing equipment. Another example is a change to your work routines, such as hours worked. Read a few real-world examples of accommodations that have worked for people with MS.

Two important things to remember about accommodations:

1. You must be able to perform the essential functions of your job. The ADA does not require employers to reduce essential job functions, but you can ask to change how you perform an essential job function. Usually employers decide which job functions are essential.
2. Your employer does not have to provide you with your first choice in accommodations. The employer has to provide an accommodation that is reasonable and effective, if available—so be ready to discuss alternatives.

Be prepared! Before you request accommodations, make sure you can answer all of the following questions:

• How is MS affecting your job, potential job, or application process?
• Why are you requesting accommodations?
• What accommodations or changes to your work will be effective?
• What information will you need to provide to your employer (or potential employer)?
• When should you speak with your employer (or potential employer)?
• Who should you involve in the conversation?
• How should you follow-up on your request?
• What are your rights if things go wrong?

These resources can provide more help and information:

• The Win-Win Approach to Reasonable Accommodations
• ADA - Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability
• Employees' Practical Guide to Negotiating and Requesting Reasonable Accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• SOAR (Job Accommodation Network’s Searchable Online Accommodation Resource)

Not sure if your employer is covered by the ADA? Contact your regional ADA Center and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) to make sure. Both organizations are free and confidential resources. JAN has staff trained in exploring possible accommodations for your particular situation.

If your employer is not covered by the ADA, contact an MS Navigator® at 1-800-344-4867 for assistance in exploring other possible legislation that may protect you.


This concludes the 103rd edition of the Carnival.  The next Carnival of MS Bloggers will be hosted here on December 22, 2011. Please remember to submit a post (via email) from your blog of which you are particularly proud, or which you simply want to share, by noon on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.

Thank you.

Comments for this post.