[Re-sent] August 7, 2024

Hey - I am bracing for the potential impact of Hurricane Debby. I'm hoping the course will change just enough not to mess with our plans to move my daughter this weekend. Here's hoping. 🤞🏻 Hurricanes remind me a lot of MS symptoms - you know it could be anywhere from a Category 1 to a 4 - you just don't know for sure until it hits. After the storm, you assess the damage and start the cleanup. Until the next storm shows up. And so it goes. I had a bit of a storm blow my way this week: I had a complete shutdown of my MS'y brain this week - while in a work meeting. UGH. It was mortifying. I talked about it on my TikTok channel - did you know I had one of those???  I'd appreciate it if you'd go and subscribe. Here's where you go: FUMS on TikTok. I post a lot of videos over there. Be sure to say hi and let me know you came from the 6-Pack!!  Here's a video I did about my noggin' freezing up: (click on the picture to go to TikTok to watch the video)So - let's take a look at what's happening in the world of MS:1.  About a third of people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) exhibit cognitive impairments, according to a review by Australian researchers of 50 previously published studies. The findings suggest that cognitive issues might be somewhat less common in RRMS than previous reports have indicated, with prior estimates ranging from approximately 40% to 65%. Is anybody else surprised by this? I talk to a lot of folks with MS and other than fatigue, this is a top complaint. 🤷🏼‍♀️  Cognitive impairments affect about a third of RRMS patients: Analysis2.  Did you see actress and MS patient Selma Blair's video about how much Mavenclad has helped her? It's interesting that I know so many people with MS and so few (that I personally know) are on Mavenclad. If you are, I'd LOVE to hear from you about your experience. 😉  Selma Blair Shares Her Latest Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: ‘It’s Been Amazing’3.  CODE ORANGE (big news):  A new drug, PIPE-307, shows promise in reversing multiple sclerosis (MS) damage by promoting MYELIN REGENERATION around nerve cells, POTENTIALLY RESTORING MOVEMENT AND FUNCTION!!! 😳 please make it so, please make it so, please make it so 🙏🏻 🤞🏻 New Multiple Sclerosis Drug Regenerates Myelin, Improves Movement That is a title I've been waiting to see for a long time.4.  Here's an article about what you can do to help slow the progression of your MS. Some lifestyle changes combined with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may help reduce MS symptoms and slow disease progression. These include exercising and ceasing smoking, among others. Lifestyle Changes to Slow MS Progression5.  I just read a statistic that brings home the fact that unfortunately, our community is growing - and at quite a clip: about 200 new cases in the U.S. EVERY WEEK! Here's where to find some interesting (and sobering) MS stats: Map of MS Prevalence6.  In my research for this week's 6-Pack, I came across this story and found it uplifting. I thought you might too: Overcoming the impacts of MS through the Wheelchair Games

✨Inspirational FUMS'er✨Ardra's attitude is clearly very FUMS! 😉If you don't know her - this is Ardra Shephard - of the Tripping on Air MS blog, podcast, and social channels. AND - Ardra is the creator and host of AMI-tv’s lifestyle series Fashion Dis (Canada). Ardra’s personal essays and non-fiction work have appeared in FASHION magazine, InStyle, WebMD, and others. Ardra has a regular column with BezzyMS (Ask Ardra Anything), and a powerful social media presence. Yahoo Lifestyle reported that “@ms_trippingonair is the number one chronic illness account to follow on Instagram.”  She's so funny. And honest. And real. And and and. She has inspired me since the first time I interviewed her for FUMS Podcast - FUMS 056 – Ardra Shephard: Making Mobility Aids Fashionable in 2020 and again FUMS 119 – National Lampoon’s Chronically Ill Christmas with The MS Pod Squad (along with several other MS advocates) in 2022. Let you in on a secret: she's working on a book right now. 🤫  *Head over to her Instagram page (like & follow) and tell her you're an FUMS'er - and Kathy sent you. 😉That's all folks. Let me know if you have any questions or if I can help you in any way. Otherwise, just keep saying FUMS!! 

Cheers -- KathyKathy Reagan YoungFounderFUMS

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