"When my son would take baths before he was old enough to climb out of the tub, we would play a game called "seal" to help him get out and put less strain on my back. I would kneel next to the tub and we would place a deflated pool mat over the side of the tub. I'd wet it some and then grab on to his outstretched arms. He would slide over the edge of the tub and into my arms like a seal! When he got a bit older, we got a child's stepping stool for him to climb in and out without needing my assistance. The bar we have in the tub for my own safety has added to his safety as well!" ~ Lorna ms moms founder, Sacramento, California.

Place a smiley face on the refrigerator. Have them draw it on construction paper or something like it. Glue a magnet to the back of it. When you are having a good day leave it alone .if you are having a bad day and do not feel well, turn it upside down. Then you do not have to constantly tell the children when you do not feel well and you need their help that day .the kids can just walk by the fringe in the morning and they will know by the smiley face. That is a big help in my house. ~Mom2all

I hang a pretty ribbon like a clothesline across my kitchen door. When the kids bring home school papers that they need me to read or sign, i hang them there with a clothespin. This helps me remember where things are and prevents them from getting lost in the everyday paper pile up. ~Lettie

Tips for telling friends, family about your diagnosis.

Tip#1, be prepared. Know what you are talking about, more than likely you may be the only knowledgeable person in the room. Start with the positive, ms, can be progressive and disabling, however they majority of people live normal lives.

Tip#2, take literature with you. Ms Society will give you as many copies of any of their brochures as you need. Hand them out to the people you want to tell; first it gives them something tangible to hold and therefore makes them feel stronger. Go to the web, print out literature, discuss what ms is, I am amazed that people just do not know and then feel stupid for not knowing, therefore they avoid you, getting the facts out front and talking about it, will help the other person understand.

I make baskets and they turn out functional and really beautiful for under 5 dollars. I buy nice, but used baskets (wicker, wire and cloth) at a local thrift shop, I then place tissue paper in the bottom of it and I have a collection of thing that i put in these baskets.

I buy tea in bulk and add different tea bags, such as peppermint or sweet dream teas. Along with body lotion and body wash which I buy for 1 dollar and the dollar stores and add a bath sponge, a small candle, some bath beads, and some mints or other candy, I then wrap up the basket with colourful Reynolds wrap (it comes in great colours) or sometimes just plain clear wrap and top each basket with bow or ribbons from the dollar store.

I have already made over 20 of these baskets, takes no time at all and they are a hit! I also buy pretty jars at flea markets, garage sales, etc., and fill them with candy or nuts and put a nice bow on it and it looks great, takes all of 5 minutes.

For my dog loving friends I buy dog treats in bulk and fill jars or small baskets, again covered with wrap and a bow and give it to them and they love it! ~Gwen

i have ordered my Christmas cards now so that i can get them addressed and then can fold a letter into them later so that it will not be so hectic around Christmas. I have also started picking up presents and stocking stuffers.

Cleaning:

I keep a full set of cleaning supplies in every bathroom and the kitchen so i don't have to carry too much stuff around and everything is where i need saving me extra steps.

"I keep Clorox wipes in each bathroom and with just a quick wipe up the bathroom smells fresh and looks clean even though i did not scrub the floor. I also use the sheets for the dusters like swift to dust they are much easier than spraying and wiping." ~Carolyn from California

Cooking:

On the days when I’m feeling better, I always try to make extra of some of the basics such as rice, you can put it into a zipper bag and freeze it, and it reheats nicely in the microwave to add to a quick supper or broth. Gravy can be frozen in ice cube trays, and then popped out into a bag to use to season noodles, potatoes or even that rice you froze. ~Cindi

On days when I feel well or have more energy, I will cook a few things ahead and store in the freezer for days when I am not feeling well. You'd be surprised how much energy this saves. Some of my favourite do ahead ideas are:

1.) Chop onions, green peppers etc. And freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, place in Ziploc bag...when a recipe calls for chopped onion; just take out how much you need.


2.) Brown ground beef and store in Ziploc bags in freezer...most ground beef recipes require you to brown the ground beef first...this way, you have the most time consuming (and exhausting) part done. (2 cups cooked = 1 pound raw.) I do breakfast sausage this way too...then add it to gravy or breakfast casserole.


3.) My husband always grills extra meats (chicken, steak, pork chops etc.) Each time we grill...wrap them individually with saran wrap and store in a large Ziploc bag. When a recipe calls for cooked chicken, take out what you need, pop in microwave and you all ready to go. Grilled chicken also makes wonderful chicken salad. Use the steaks in stir fry's etc.


4.) Boil some pasta and freeze in a Ziploc bag. To serve, simply thaw by running hot tap water on it...then add to your sauce.


5.) Make mini pizzas using refrigerator biscuits (like Pillsbury,) simply flatten, top with sauce and cheese and bake. Freeze on a cookie sheet. Once frozen toss into a Ziploc bag and remove as needed. This is great for kids’ lunches. A few minutes in the microwave and yum!

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I hope this helps some of you. Even if you just double part of your recipe and freeze it...you haven't expended any extra energy and on a bad day...you have homemade taste with fast food speed! ~Kim

Furniture:

I am now using a bar stool in the kitchen instead of standing in one place to cook, do dishes etc. It really conserves energy. ~Kris