Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

I thought this was a good general introduction for those newly diagnosed with mild symptoms of MS. It's a little less scary than some of the others. Since it's newer then many other books on the market, there is more emphasis on hope for the future.
Women will like this book better than men. The emotional & wellness essays are strongest aspect of the book. There were a couple of minor errors in fact but overall a very good book.

I wish I would have found this book first when I was newly diagnosed instead of some of the scarier books out there. This book really helps you understand not just your disease and the tests and procedures you must undergo, but also the emotional process you will experience, from anger to fear to self-pity. The author has MS and shares her experiences without being alarmist or depressing. This book really lifted my sprits and made me feel like I could handle my disease. If you have MS or are getting testing and want helpful information, this is the right book.

The living / emotional side is ok - nothing great that you can't find elsewhere. The factual information is inaccurate - the author claims that to travel on an airplane with syringes you need a letter from your doctor. This is WRONG. To carry syringes onto a plane, you must have the prescription label for the medication and this is not mentioned once in the book. Additionally, the author claims information from various sources but there aren't footnotes to check on some of the claims - while they are probably accurate quotes, I would like to be able to track down the original information / study myself. There was a reference to the department of medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. When I tried to find the original source, I found that there isn't a department of medicine at the National Academy of Sciences (it's the Institute of Medicine).

Not all symptoms are discussed either - incontinence is a huge issue for MS patients and it's only discussed from a woman's point of view in relation to sex. Lastly, the discussion of medications is biased towards the medication the author takes. Overall, a major disappointment. Don't waste your money or your time.

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.

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.

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 me- she 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" difficult- the 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 year- I 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.

I burned through this book in a weekend, so curious to know what was in store for me as a newly diagnosed person. I found it to be comforting (which I needed at the time), but light in some of the issues I have subsequently faced (such as unsympathetic employers, inability to pay for injection medicines). I'd like to see a book on the challenges of everyday life for newly diagnosed...I think I could have benefitted from someone else's experinces.

and you're OK with blindly following their advice then this book is for you. I, for one, found it extremely depressing.

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.