I love the fall. It’s the perfect balance of weather between the summer’s heat and the winter’s snow. I love wearing layers of clothing, and when the leaves on the trees change their colors it means we’re closer to my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I also love the fall because there…
The Beginner's Guide to Walking - a Column by Jennifer V.
Children don’t see race, age, wealth, weight, or disability, we’re told. Instead, they look for unconditional love. I believe that’s true until a certain point; then their innocence is forever lost. My 11-year-old daughter, Sophie, has always been a generous person. Even when she began to grow up and realize…
Even though summer isn’t officially over yet, it already feels like the end. This year, I’m feeling a bit emotional about it, and I’m sure my neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has something to do with that. Living with NMOSD has made me hyperaware of the effects of…
You can’t find it if you don’t know what you’re looking for. That’s how I feel every time my Facebook and Instagram communities related to neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) discuss a news topic I hadn’t heard about. I’m left madly searching the internet to get caught up. Meta,…
I’ve been trying to stay active, but after a long family bike ride, I was exhausted. I opened my fridge looking for a fast and easy snack and audibly cheered when I found the strawberries I’d washed, chopped, and neatly placed into Tupperware earlier that day. Had I not found…
There’s no way to fully prepare for a flare-up of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) when I’m traveling, though I try. I’ve invested in additional travel insurance when out of the country, thankfully never having to use it. I bring records of all my medications should a treating…
Passing through the Great North here in Canada reminds me of how much I love being connected to nature. I never get enough of it when living in a metropolitan city. Modern medications are saving my life, but I can’t help but wonder if the answer to neuromyelitis optica…
“It’s like heaven and hell at the same time.” That’s my response whenever I meet another neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) patient who asks me about our Canadian healthcare system. Don’t get me wrong: I’m an incredibly proud Canadian. There are wonderful aspects to our “Great North,” including our…
“The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest Hemingway, “A Farewell to Arms” One of my favorite things to do is prepare a meal while a good friend is seated at my kitchen bar, a wine glass or cup of tea in…
One of my greatest pet peeves since my diagnosis with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is when people tell me it’s OK to be sick. I don’t need their permission to be who I am. What they’re really saying, though, is that they expect me to be a…
Recent Posts
- Every time I turn to Dr. Google, I get an immune system mystery
- Conventional NMOSD treatment effective in double-negative cases
- Grieving how NMOSD has left me uncomfortable in my own skin
- Enspryng outperforms standard immunosuppressants in NMOSD study
- Slow and steady: I’m ditching big resolutions and easing into a new year
- Late-onset NMOSD responds better to newer, highly effective therapies
- New biomarker may help gauge disease severity in NMOSD
- The longest night of the year offers hope of brighter days with NMOSD
- Advanced plasma exchange therapy effectively eases NMOSD attacks
- Reaffirming that access to healthcare is a human right