The First Year: Multiple Sclerosis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed

I was recently diagnosed with MS 6 months ago. This book was the best book anyone in my position could have read. It was so helpful to me. I am in the process of sending the book to my parents who live in another state, so they too can understand the complexity of this disease. Hats off to the author.....

I burned through this book in a weekend, so curious to know what was in store for me as a newly diagnosed person. I found it to be comforting (which I needed at the time), but light in some of the issues I have subsequently faced (such as unsympathetic employers, inability to pay for injection medicines). I'd like to see a book on the challenges of everyday life for newly diagnosed...I think I could have benefitted from someone else's experinces.

I am in the process of being diagnosed possibly with multiple sclerosis and have had some rather scary problems of at times of not being able to move my legs and other problems. I read another book on MS and it scared me to death. This book is honest but yet hopeful and is written to give the on the way to diagnosis or newly diagnosed patient specific information they are looking for at the time. It also introduces the reader by babysteps to the trials and ,yes, victories, that await them in living with multiple sclerosis. Very clear, honest, and precise, yet sympathetic and understanding. A definite for someone facing or given the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and their loved ones. It has greatly helped me.

I wish I would have found this book first when I was newly diagnosed instead of some of the scarier books out there. This book really helps you understand not just your disease and the tests and procedures you must undergo, but also the emotional process you will experience, from anger to fear to self-pity. The author has MS and shares her experiences without being alarmist or depressing. This book really lifted my sprits and made me feel like I could handle my disease. If you have MS or are getting testing and want helpful information, this is the right book.

I was actually diagnosed a year and a half ago so this book was less useful for me but boy, I sure would have loved to have had it those first few weeks and months when I was going through the stages of grief and trying to deal with so many emotions and thoughts all at once. This is better than the "newly diagnosed" book I had when I was hit with this reality. I can really see myself in these pages. It walks through all sorts of things you face emotionally but also gets to aswering questions that you have when first diagnosed. The book is broken down into chapters called Day 1, Day 2, etc. Really it's more like Week 1, week 2 etc. But within each chapter it has "living" which talks about what you may be feeling emotionally and it gives good perspective on that emotion; and then it has a section on 'learning" and that's where certain questions about MS or about living with MS are addressed. Each chapter is broken out that way. So it addresses not only the emotional side but also the thinking side. I think its a great book. Even though I'm past many of these questions I keep the book around and refer to it once in awhile to give myself a kick in the pants to exercise or eat better, etc. As my doctor told me, MS is like running a marathon - you're in it for the long haul. It took me a year to really understand what was meant by "chronic" illness -ie.e., yea this really isn't going to go away. This book is great though in helping to be proactive about the disease, not feeling gloom and doom. Highly recommended.