November 2, 2008 Newsletter
We had announced that the speaker for our meeting for November at the Hilton Garden Inn would be Dr. Jeff Dunn from Standford University. Unfortunately, Dr. Dunn had to cancel, but our ever on-the-ball NMSS coordinator Ann Johnson, was ready with a brand new DVD from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society entitled “Hold that Thought!, COGNITION and MS” for us to view and discuss instead.
Have you ever stopped to think, and forget to start again? Well, this DVD addressed several aspects of MS and cognitive problems. The main three addressed were Memory, Spatial (visual), and Executive (decision making) cognition problems. It also discussed how our diminished reserves can cause feelings that lead to a spiral of depression which can lead to fatigue, which in turn causes greater depression, and so on. The DVD also addresses what they referred to as Compensatory Strategies, or crutches which will help make daily life easier for those afflicted with the cognitive issues.
Ann has supplied us with a copy of the DVD for anyone who is interested in viewing it, or reviewing it. Just drop us an e-mail, or call Beth, Patricia, or Robyn, and we will see that you get a chance to view it. It also might help if your family or support persons would like to watch, so that they might better understand what you deal with on a day to day basis. It is well worth the 30 minutes.