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

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.

This book is simplistic and annoyingly cheerful. Perhaps I know too much about multiple sclerosis after being part of my brother's struggle for 15 years and then recently being diagnosed myself. I found Blackstone's attitude like that of a kindly old aunt. Don't worry, dearie, you can overcome this nasty little problem and live a full and happy life like anyone else.

Puleese! Tell it like it is. Tell it the way Montel Williams did in his personal experience, "Climbing Higher", which was painfully honest, realistic, enlightening and inspiring.

I am stuck with this disease and must learn to accept it, but I don't need anyone to give me false hope. The author talks about the great medications they have, but doesn't spend much time on the miserable side effects. She stresses that a cure is within the near future. I hope that is true, but the doctors told us that 15 years ago and nothing helped my brother who is recently deceased.

It's nice to have a positive attitude like my amazing brother had, but it's not nice to represent MS as if it were a condition that, if you follow the author chapter by chapter, will lead you to a wonderfully fulfilling life. Living with MS requires courage, faith, endurance and hard work as you move forward into the unknown. Maybe cheerleading works for Blackstone, but I would rather have respect, compassion and an understanding of what each of us endures on a daily basis with this cruel disease.

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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.

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As another reviewer has said below, I was not impressed with the standard of research and referencing in this book. The drug section is indeed heavily biased towards the drug the author is taking and she even goes so far as to claim that other drugs are ineffective for most people-contrary to what the science says. I also found much of the emotional stuff moved too quickly for meshe really only deals with it in the first week, and as someone who has been diagnosed 6 weeks, I am still working towards the positive attitude that I should apparently have already. I also found the month 5 chapter on "life choices" difficultthe majority of stories are about how leaving your (bad) relationship will improve your life and I feel like the author doesn't acknowledge the immense comfort that a supportive partner can provide. I wouldn't recommend you purchase this to get you through the first yearI have found the information and counselling provided by my healthcare team and local MS society to be infinitely more helpful. If you are science-minded however, I found Multiple Sclerosis: The Guide to Treatment and Management to be an excellent evidence-based guide to the treatments out there.

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I ordered this because a close family member was recently diagnosed with MS. I wanted a better understanding of his experience so that I could be supportive. I read it first, then sent it to him. He said it's good. Lots of good advice. Well written. Author has MS herself. Reads like a memmoir but is embedded with medical and emotional insights along with practical advice.

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