View allAll Photos Tagged multiplesclerosis!
People who have multiple sclerosis vary in how many medications they take. Some people don't take any. Many give themselves an injection each day or each week, because the best meds to ward off exacerbations are injectables. MS is often a hidden disease because the symptoms are not evident in casual social situations. The same applies to what an MS person does routinely at home.
Andrea and Michael Steele, Monica Turner. Photo by Tony Powell. 2014 Women on the Move Luncheon. Marriott Wardman Park. April 30, 2014
It’s been 2+ years since I had my stem cell transplant to halt my MS. It not that it’s better for me nor that it’s easier to accept. It’s that I’m understanding more that I’m a different person now.
The old me is dead. Rebirth is not an overstatement. I still struggle. Especially understanding my limits and adhering to them. My world is very different. Everything is in a very different light. I think I’m on the other side of my mourning. I recently had a dream that I was on a space station over the Earth. The whole station was on fire. Yet I was totally not scared. I saw a yellow stick note and I was able to read the words clearly:
“You can still fly”
© 2022 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
An upload and run shot due to the busy-ness of today. These are bubbles coming from a bubble machine a the O2 Shop, Parc Trostre, Llanelli today. Today was the day I was photo-ing a Family Fun day with proceeds going to the MS Society UK. At the same time, not only was I doing a bucket collection but was interviewed by The Wave local radio who were broadcasting from there, and also doing my 'Wear your Wig to work' personal fundraiser. I was also busy Tweeting updates and pics from there. The day went exceptionally well on many levels - and my thanks go to all who donated to my personal justgiving page for that bit of fundraising. Below is a phone pic of me in my wig before the event started *cringe :)
I brought the bins in from the street… for the first time in years. Better yet… I did it WITHOUT my cane!!
It really is the small things :-D
On April 18, 2010, it really happened. I walked the entire 3.2-mile WalkMS in a dress and high heels. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I could walk the whole way with the shoes, and seriously considered taking them off a couple of times. But I knew that at the end of the Walk, I can take the shoes off and the discomfort would eventually go away. My wife, and everyone else with multiple sclerosis, doesn’t have that luxury. So I just kept walking. One step at a time.
Thank you so much for everyone who sponsored me – your donation is helping to make the National MS Society an even better resource for people with multiple sclerosis. Thank you very much for everyone who walked with me on our team – I’m glad you didn’t mind going so slow. Thank you to everyone who has enthusiastically responded to this whole thing – every message I received really inspired and touched me. Thank you to Lan Yin “Eiko” Tsai for inspiring the look of my ensemble. And most of all, thank you to my wife for encouraging me and understanding the very serious ‘why’ behind this silliness.
Photo by Rose Kwasnicki
5 years ago, at 12:09 PM, I received my stem cells. I still struggle every day. Am WAY better though. The alternative would’ve been… dire.
I’ll never have to ask:
“What if…”
© Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
Subtitled: a funny old life with MS.
In May 2013 I was asked to go to Cardiff to photograph the author for a feature written about her in the MS Society UKs 'MS Matters' magazine. The feature however was nothing to do with her writing because at the time the author merely blogged about her life. Pointless me typing a load of bumph when you can read about Barbara here on Amazon, and from where I ordered this two days ago
www.amazon.co.uk/Barbara-Stensland/e/B00SYC9L9C/ref=ntt_d...
It really is a strange old life with MS because it has the potential to devastate lives of those living with it and those with whom they come into contact.
In my case however having lived a lifetime with the condition I'd say it's taken me places I'd never have dreamed of. I published my own book in 2006 and have been subsequently published by others, yet the greatest joy of all is still being able to take photos.
For the folks who know me this will be more dramatic. Before HSCT I lost 30 lbs in one year. Most, was muscle mass. I’ve done the P90X 7 times and enjoyed 20 mile bike rides. I was not slim, a big guy actually. I saw a picture of myself just before I left for Puebla. And I was saddened by it. I’m only recently starting to gain some weight back.
Copyright © 2021 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
MRI CERVICAL SPINE
---
PROCEDURE: Multiplanar MR imaging of cervical spine without
contrast.
COMPARISON: None.
FINDINGS: There is patchy signal abnormality in cord, with more
focal lesions seen at C2 in dorsal cord, C3-C4 on right, C4-C5 on
right, C5-C6 in mid dorsal aspect of cord as well as a lesion at
C6-C7 on right. There is minimal associated expansion to the
cord opposite C3. Visualized posterior fossa is unremarkable.
Alignment appears normal. Vertebral body heights are maintained.
Disc space heights are preserved.
There are very mild degenerative changes, including minimal bulges
at C4-C5 and C5-C6 and minimal hypertrophic changes to the
posterior elements at C5-C6. Mild uncovertebral hypertrophy is
present at C6-C7 on left.
There is no evidence of focal disc herniation, central canal
stenosis or neuroforaminal narrowing.
Impression:
Multifocal intrinsic cord signal alteration with mild expansion at
C3 level. The findings are non specific but compatible with
demyelination.
It took 10 years to be diagnosed and during that time I had countless weakness episodes. Because I have the Relapse Remitting type of MS it would come and go all the time. My right leg was the most affected one and it still is. If I force it too much with walks, standing for too long or exercising too much I feel It hitting me again. I can't run. I can't jump. But I can walk and that's what matters.
Along those years before the diagnosis I remember dragging myself to go to places. One day, struggling to climb the stairs at work, I noticed some people looking at me as if somehow I was making all that up. Many people thought I was creating that or that there was some psychological problem. Many of my family members thought this.
This picture expresses exactly how I was feeling during the strongest relapse of all. The one that led me to the doctor who diagnosed and treated me for years until I moved to the US. My whole body was losing the strength. Every step was an unimaginable struggle. It was like I was wrapped in some kind of power that weakened my strength everyday a little bit more. By that time my mother took me everywhere looking for answers. I couldn't walk by myself. I was at my worst. I was at the limit by then, but a thought always crossed my mind—nothing lasts forever. This too shall pass. I felt the truth was close to me. It felt frightening and liberating at the same time.
As a volunteer photographer, I have had the privilege of being an official photographer for the MS Society for the past four years. It never ceases to amaze me the grit, determination and passion of these riders who not only raise funds for the event but also pay to be a rider and put themselves through months of training to have... THE RIDE OF OTHERS' LIVES!
I got 4 rounds of chemo. 2 at the start to stimulate the stem cell production from my bone marrow and 2 after the PICC line was installed to ablate my old immune system. The first round was the toughest because chemo is so foreign to the body. It was very important to drink tons of water in order to flush your system of the chemo.
Copyright © 2020 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
Ihate that sometimes I wake up, and a 95 year old woman has taken hold of my body. Everything hurts. I overdid it. The biking and the heat. I was asking for pain. But I hate this. I want to be superwoman. I want to at least have the strength and energy of the average person my age. I hate feeling weak.
Got this tattoo on 4/11/12 on my right wrist, it reads "no fear"... goes with my left wrist tattoo which reads "m.s. warrior" Written in my own lousy handwriting :)
Everything ready today for our Cake Break Event later.... bunting, raffle prizes and electric ballooon pump on standby for these...
Volume Rendering of an MRI scan of the brain.
Disseminated sclerosis.
Stereoscopic view.
Rendering done with a Carestream workstation.
The development of multiple sclerosis (MS) involves cells of the immune system crossing the blood-barrier into the central nervous system (CNS), where they can promote inflammation, tissue damage and ultimately neurodegeneration.
To watch the video where this image is taken from go to: random42.com/multiple-sclerosis
40th Annual Race Against MS June 22, 2023/ Belmont Park/ 2150 Hempstead Turnpike National Multiple Sclerosis Society NYC - Southern New York Chapter
I think this is the worst selfie ever I've done in my life with me looking so miserable and holding a scribbled banner instead of a neat one, also the awful background - but having been involved all week in the MS Society's #treatmeright Awareness Campaign I felt compelled to do it. You can read more about it here...
www.treatmerightms.org.uk/about/
I'd already taken my Photo a Day before going out this morning but I'm submitting this as today's Photo a Day..... *cringe ..........
My intended one in comments.
Carrie Marriott, Amy Knight, Ann Romney, Norah O'Donnell. Photo by Tony Powell. 2014 Women on the Move Luncheon. Marriott Wardman Park. April 30, 2014
The pain from the surgery ebbed and flowed, but she kept smiling today, knowing what she had gained.
Photograph by me, quote taken from spinlights.
Between my chronic pancreatitis and multiple sclerosis. This is something I must remind myself on a continual basis.
I'm posting this shot of my wife, Janice, with the intention of submitting it to the group, "Positivity, Honesty, and Happiness in Chronic Illness and Disability." Despite having multiple sclerosis, which comes with slow walking and lessened coordination, she walks the zoos with me, even in brutally cold temperatures. Regardless of her physical struggle, she has a blast.
Sometimes, we're among the few people crazy enough to be there!
That's a quick testimony on the first day of the New Year. People can overcome challenges!
40th Annual Race Against MS June 22, 2023/ Belmont Park/ 2150 Hempstead Turnpike National Multiple Sclerosis Society NYC - Southern New York Chapter
The day before I left for home, after the neutropenic stage, I went to the roof garden, while my apartment was being cleaned, and got some quiet reflection time.
It was a sunny day and “Popo” (short for Popocatépetl, the volcano) was active.
I’ll never regret taking this journey. Ever. Not even after 4 of my flights were cancelled or even contracting COVID. All is complete now and I’ll fly home tomorrow.
Copyright © 2020 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
As many of you know that I, Ann-Marie Simpson was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis(MS) in 2017, an unforgettable day. I didn't see it coming so I was shocked, devastated, livid, kept asking myself why me, etc....
It took months and months for me to accept this horrific diagnosed. With the help of my family, my friends and coworkers, I started to figure out how to get back to feeling like myself. Also with their help, I’ve been learning how to live with this disease and how to thrive despite of it.
With the help of friends and family, we created two Walk MS teams (AnnMSimpson Is Stronger Than MS), one in CT and the other one in NC. I'm going to be walking in the Walk MS: Fairfield 2020 on May 2, 2020 and, I’ll be walking in the Walk MS: Greenville 2020 on April 25, 2020.
We would absolutely love for you to join one of our teams. If you are not able to join, please consider donating to our team. Absolutely all donations go directly to the National MS Society.
Team Page Link: main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/ANNMSIMPSONISSTRONGERTHANMS
Personal Page Link: main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/AnnMSimpson
For the past three years, it has been my mission to help bring awareness and to raise money to help the National MS Society provide award winning programs, services for those affected by MS and to help move closer in finding a cure so we can have a world free of MS.
Thank you so very much! Together we are making a difference! Your continuing support is deeply gratifying to us.
Love,
AnnMSimpson Is Stronger Than MS!
Team Link: main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/ANNMSIMPSONISSTRONGERTHANMS
Personal Link: main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/AnnMSimpson
These two beautiful women, Marinela and Nila (both have Multiple Sclerosis) were so proud to have their pictures taken at the Fairview MS Achievement Center.
An odd thing happened yesterday. As my wife and I were going home from a doctor’s appointment, I suddenly felt better. The sensation hit so suddenly that it really threw me. I immediately did a physical accounting of myself and could not pinpoint what was better. The closest thing I can compare it to is a bulb that’s been burned out for years and it suddenly came on without explanation.
Copyright © 2021 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.
Volume Rendering of an MRI scan of the brain.
Disseminated sclerosis.
Stereoscopic view.
Rendering done with a Carestream workstation.
This is a pseudo-colored image of high-resolution gradient-echo MRI scan of a fixed cerebral hemisphere from a person with multiple sclerosis.
Credit: Govind Bhagavatheeshwaran, Daniel Reich, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health
Tonight I was very proud of my OH as she walked the fire for MS. Thanks to all friends who took the time to come and support her and to all who have provided sponsorship. Your support and help has been more than appreciated. Diolch.
I let my students/grads know this week, these plans have been in the works for months now. This will be my last year as a full time instructor due to my health’s rapid decline. I'll be switching to part time and fade into the shadows.
Copyright © 2020 Vic Bonilla All Rights Reserved.
Do not reproduce this image without expressed permission from the photographer.