I Have MS, and MS Has Me
December 15, 2025
I first walked into the Judith Jaffe MS Center in February 2011, after thirty years as an MS “DIY’er.” My partner, Ian Green, and I were fortunate to find Dr. Tim Vartanian — and it made all the difference in my life with MS. On Monday, October 20, I had my annual visit with StacyAnn, instead of Dr. Vartanian. Though I pressed her for specifics, she refused to be pinned down on when he would be back. On Tuesday I heard from someone that he was unlikely to return to work, and learned that...
Staying Healthy with Vaccines: What People with MS Should Know
December 15, 2025
If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), keeping up with your vaccines is one of the easiest ways to protect your health. Infections can sometimes trigger MS relapses or make symptoms worse, so preventing them is key. The good news is that vaccines are generally safe for people with MS. Most standard vaccines, including the flu shot, tetanus boosters, hepatitis B, HPV, pneumococcal vaccines, and the recombinant shingles vaccine (Shingrix), are safe and well tolerated. These inactivated vaccines can...
Numb Hands
October 15, 2025
I have been experiencing numbness in the fingers of my right hand for a few years. I have also lost some dexterity. This is a sad situation because I make a lot of things with my hands—and I am right handed. One day I started making a large papier mache hand without thinking about it, without realizing that it was possibly to do with my struggles. It wasn’t until I made the fingers very blocky and large (the way mine feel) and added bumps to indicate my arthritis, that I realized it was a...
