Hello friends --I can't believe we're in the middle of October already. For as much as has happened in 2020 - it seems to be rushing right along. Good by me. Bye Felicia! I hope you're all doing well. I am continuing to re-evaluate how I spend my limited time and energy (FUMS) in an effort to decide what to give up, what to maintain and how to better manage it all. It's a really smart thing to take stock of in all of our lives. As I said in my last podcast episode, on paper, maintaining FUMS makes no sense - but my heart is here - with you all, and FUMS is my baby. If you would please, just hit reply to this email and let me know if FUMS (podcast, blog, Friday Night 6-Pack, monthly online support group, social postings, etc - any of it) has helped you and if so how. I think that would really help clarify things for me. Thanks in advance.Ok - let's get to the good stuff:1.  For MS patients with frequent relapses, stem cell procedure prolongs time to disease progression over standard drugs, study shows. Blood Stem Cell Transplants Show Promise for Active Multiple Sclerosis2.  Super interesting study looking at the "why" of depression in MS.  Feeling Down? T Cells Can Help!3.  Are you taking Vitamin D? Most MS'ers are deficient. Here's another reason to get on that!! A recent study indicated that patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who had sufficient levels of vitamin D had a decreased risk for adverse outcomes and death. This article explains how vitamin D affects immune health and how supplementing with this nutrient may help protect against respiratory conditions. Can Vitamin D Lower Your Risk of COVID-19?4.  I felt GREAT during pregnancy and HORRIBLE right after. Anybody else?? It's a rather common thing in MS. This is a very interesting study that may explain why that happens: Human Placental Extract Effectively Treats MS Symptoms in Mouse Study5.  This was news to me: hypertension is considerably more common among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States than among those without the disease, a large data study reported. Do YOU have high blood pressure???  Hypertension Quite Common Among MS Patients in US, Study Finds6.  Factors related to disease and personality, as well as specific health-related behaviors, are among the main determinants that can put people with MS at risk of unemployment, a study suggests. Risk Factors for Unemployment in People With MS Identified in StudyThat's all folks. I hope having these articles and studies curated for you saves you some time and energy and helps you to stay current on what's happening in the world of MS. Want to see this newsletter, the podcast, the blog and all other things FUMS continue? Consider lending your support with a monthly contribution. Here's where to learn more: SUPPORT FUMSWarmly -- Kathy#FUMS

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