A Couple Takes on MS

“We want to continue doing things.” — Jennifer Living with Multiple Sclerosis involves more than managing symptoms. There’s also the work people don’t always see. In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS , we pull back the curtain on the hidden work of living with MS and the reality that, as Jennifer puts it, “Everything takes longer.” But this isn’t about complaining. It’s about acknowledging what...

“I’d rather live my life than have MS live it for me.” We’ll admit it: For a long time, whenever we saw stories about gut health, diet, and Multiple Sclerosis, we pretty much shrugged our shoulders. After all, we’ve each been living with MS for more than 25 years. What difference could gut bacteria possibly make for us now? Turns out, that may have been the wrong question. In this episode of A Cou...

“Those moments are teachable, not only for others but for ourselves.” Sex. Drugs. Rock and roll. Yep, we're going there. Well, sort of. In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS , we're talking about three recent experiences that reminded us how living with Multiple Sclerosis can turn everyday moments into opportunities to advocate, adapt, learn, and sometimes laugh. Join us as we take on: Sex, disa...

Editor's note : As students prepare to head back to school, we’re excited to revisit one of our favorite conversations. Children are naturally curious, and the way we answer their questions about disability can shape a lifetime of understanding, kindness, and inclusion. This episode was originally released on July 15, 2024, during Disability Pride Month, but its message about talking to children a...

"We have to stay on top of it. There isn't a golden year where MS suddenly decides to be kind to us." Growing older is something we all experience. But when you live with Multiple Sclerosis, aging often raises a different question: Which changes are simply part of getting older, and which are caused by MS? In this episode, we reflect on a recent MS Views and News webinar featuring Dr. Aaron Boster...

"Sometimes the best medical news isn't dramatic. Sometimes it's hearing one simple word: Stable." Continuing our previous conversation about Multiple Sclerosis progression and reclassification, we're back with the update we'd been hoping to share. After meeting with our neurologist, reviewing MRI results, and establishing care with a new primary care provider, we're reflecting on what stability re...

"We aren't looking for answers yet. We're learning how to sit with the questions." As we prepare for an upcoming appointment with our neurologist, a simple question from Jennifer sparked a conversation neither of us expected to have. What if Dan's MS has progressed? To be clear, nothing has changed. We haven't received any new diagnosis, and Dan has not been reclassified from relapsing-remitting M...

“For a long time, I assumed caregiving was simply what spouses do. Then hernia surgery showed me just how much family caregivers carry every day.” We have participated in Older Michiganians Day at the Michigan State Capitol for more than two decades, advocating for programs and policies that help people age and live independently in their own homes. What began as advocacy for Jennifer and the MI C...

“Is it ever enough… or are we always waiting for the next breakthrough, the next voice, the next reason to hope?” We found ourselves in an unexpected place for this episode: talking about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) through the lens of the NFL Draft. Of course, the #1 overall draft pick and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was making lots of headlines, but the stories went way beyond his leaders...

“I don’t expect to see a cure in my lifetime… but I will never give up hope.” Some conversations feel bigger than the milestone they represent. As we reach Episode 100 of the A Couple Takes on MS Podcast , we knew this moment was about more than looking back. It was about honoring the people who helped us move forward. For us, that starts with Cathy Chester. In our 100th episode, we sit down with...

“How would you feel if everybody’s talking about you behind your back? You need to be talking to the actual patient.” Just days before our conversation for this episode, Briana Landis was on Capitol Hill advocating for the Multiple Sclerosis community and bringing real stories into rooms where decisions are made. Her work in Multiple Sclerosis advocacy continues to push for better research, access...

In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS , we welcome Brian Wallace, a former University of Michigan offensive lineman who helped lead the Wolverines to four Big Ten championships and three Rose Bowl appearances. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in 1997 at age 27, Brian has spent nearly three decades navigating life with MS while continuing to move forward. Today, Brian hosts the MS Michigan...

When you’re diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), there’s often an unspoken expectation that you’ll process it, accept it, and eventually move on. But what happens when the thing you’re supposed to “move on” from is a chronic, progressive disease that you carry with you every single day? In this honest and deeply personal conversation, we unpack the myth of moving on with Multiple Sclerosis, and...

In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS , we sit down with our pastor, Pastor Dana Hendershot, to talk about one of the biggest questions that can rise up after a diagnosis like MS (or cancer): Why did God let this happen? Dan reflects on 26 years since his MS diagnosis and how faith can change over time, not always through easy answers, but through presence, perspective, and community. Pastor Dan...

Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation, and when you live with Multiple Sclerosis, even a “routine” surgery can totally upend daily life. In this episode of A Couple Takes on MS , we get real and open up on the weeks following Dan’s hernia surgery and how recovery has affected our caregiving dynamic, routines and sense of normalcy. Just 11 days post-surgery, we share what we feared most, what surpri...