Hello friends --Well - here we are again - Friday - or should I say FriYAY!!  What's on your agenda this weekend? Shopping? Cleaning? Watching Hallmark Christmas movies? Decorating? Watching football? Catching up on your sleep? I have a volleyball party to go to with my youngest and I have 2 parades to go to if I'm up to it. I LOVE PARADES!!!  I'm a freak about parades. So - if I can possibly drag myself to them - I will!!  Hope you have some fun plans. Please - hit "reply" to this email and let me know what they are. I LOVE hearing from you. Which reminds me - thank you so much to those of you who are reaching out and chatting and to those of you who thank me for this email - thank YOU. Feeling like I might actually be helping people makes me ridiculously happy.  Ok - enough gushing for shit sake - get on with the 6-pack, lady!Alright, alright. Don't be so pushy. Here you go: 

1. Surprise! Episode 27 of The FUMS Podcast Show published today. That wasn't supposed to happen. Don't you love automation software???  But - it is what it is. The ep is all about dealing with stress around the holidays. I interview author Lene Andersen about her new book "Chronic Christmas." She's really smart and has great suggestions on how to dial down that holiday stress!  Check it out right here: Chronic Christmas

2. Selma Blair, that actress who recently shared her MS diagnosis is coming to terms with MS - and is mourning the loss of various things. Interesting read. More interesting: have you "mourned" anything because of your MS dx?? Read more here: Selma Blair

3. Stem cells with unusual metabolism may be a therapeutic approach to fighting inflammatory diseases like MS. Here's the article: Stem Cells

4. This study suggests that our lipid levels are higher than people without MS and that we may benefit from lipid-lowering drugs that could thus lower inflammation. Here's the article: Hey Lady, Lower Your Lipids (that's not really the title - just me having a little fun!)

5. MS Prognosis and Life Expectancy - what an uplifting topic, right??  Well - "when it comes to the prognosis for multiple sclerosis (MS), there’s both good news and bad news. Although no known cure exists for MS, there is some good news about life expectancy. Because MS isn’t a fatal disease, people who have MS essentially have the same life expectancy as the general population." And the bad news is: you have to deal with this shit throughout your normal life expectancy. There's something to be said for quality of life over length of life. Just sayin'  Here's where you can read more: MS & Life Expectancy

6. And in other news: FUMS has stepped into 2018 (just in time!) by signing up for an Instagram account. It's tough for this old dog to learn new tricks so be patient. But - I'm trying! Follow me at FUMS.now

So - that's all folks! Hope you find value in this weekly email and in the bi-monthly podcast episodes and in the incessant ongoing chatter going on on Facebook, Twitter and now Instagram! OH YEAH - don't forget to check out the new FUMS logo'ed merchandise - a gift for you or a friend, perhaps. Find it right here: FUMS Shop

Warmly -- Kathy#FUMS 

Sometimes it helps the stress, just to say "F-U-M-S"