Tammie Decroteau has multiple sclerosis. Her service dog Logan helps her with simple tasks throughout the day. She says that Logan’s companionship has been ‘life-changing’ for her. Service dogs are trained to fit an individual’s specific needs related to their…
Kimberly Miechiels, a physician’s assistant at Shepherd’s Center Multiple Sclerosis Institute, shares some advice for those newly diagnosed with MS. She suggests you educate yourself, establish a support system, exercise, and empower yourself. “First, don’t allow yourself to be…
At the age of 29, Yasmin Sheikh became paralyzed overnight for which causes are unknown. She has used her experiences to become a disability consultant, coach, public speaker and mentor. “I got up three or four times to wee and…
Glenn and his family faced an unexpected life change when he suffered an unprovoked disc rupture that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Glenn faced challenges when he got home, and had to make major changes to his home,…
“Everyone has a story,” says Paul Mariager. Paul is a C5/C6 quadriplegic who states after watching a documentary about a person with a spinal cord injury he was left feeling that his determination was being questioned. The documentary ended with…
TJ Griffin became a C5/C6 quadriplegic as a result of a football injury. He says that he could not imagine how he would live life while sitting in a wheelchair. TJ pressed on by setting attainable goals to achieve during…
Physical embraces have the potential to be an awkward experience, especially for a wheelchair user. Krystina (a quadriplegic) and Robyn Jackson have come up with the following four techniques to use when attempting to hug a person in a wheelchair.…
Tracy Todd was injured in a horrific automobile crash when she was 28 years old. Now, nearly two decades later, Tracy lives her life as a high level quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down. She has chronicled the ups and…
Jack Osbourne, T.V. personality, has used his status as a celebrity to bring awareness to multiple sclerosis in recent years. Jack was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in 2012. He has created a website called “You Don’t Know Jack…
Jill Coval is the Director of Psychological Services at Shepherd’s Center Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury program. She states that there are two major types of stress for people living with a spinal cord injury: immediate stress and long term stress. Immediate…