"My wife, Michele, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) just weeks after our honeymoon. We managed the disease as it progressed, going to support groups and dealing with each new challenge as a team. MS is not like a car accident, where everything happens at once. It comes in bits and pieces, taking out little chunks of your life. We were in for the long haul, though. I cared for Michele until her death in 2011, after 31 years of marriage. I still send out copies of her book, Living with a Hog on My Back, which is about her experience with MS. I give it to nurses and people with MS and other neurologic problems. It's inspirational. Michele was a fighter."

—Thomas Hayes, 64, Pittsburgh, PA

"My brother has had MS for 21 years. He's 47 now and lives in a community center for senior citizens, where he and these old guys sit and gab all day. They're like my uncles. In 2011, our father passed away from post-stroke complications, just before his 79th birthday. I still devour Neurology Now articles about stroke and MS. It's so important to know what's happening to different people because this is the stuff you're going to recognize among family members. I recommend the book My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor to anyone who has a loved one recovering from a stroke."

—Mary Lehnert, 54, Canton, MI

"On July 4, 1964, I was officially diagnosed with epilepsy after I had a seizure that resulted in a car crash. Thirty-five years later, I underwent surgery to remove part of my brain's left temporal lobe and now I'm free of seizures. It feels very different. I had gotten used to having seizures and my life adapted to it, but when I got my driver's license back, that was a big deal. Unfortunately, as a result of the surgery, I lost my short-term memory. I remember things from ages ago—when I was a child, high school, and stuff like that—but I couldn't tell you the name of a film I recently saw. But I've gotten along fine; I write notes to myself, and sometimes I just bluff it. Since the surgery I've even traveled to Europe and Israel with my husband—although I don't remember all the trip details. Thankfully, I took pictures. That's the most important thing, right?"

—Doris Yeager, 71, Seven Lakes, NC

"Just before Christmas in 2005, I had a brain hemorrhage. I bounced back pretty quickly and was walking again within months. Then I had a second brain hemorrhage in 2011 and wasn't so lucky. I was paralyzed and had to use a wheelchair. With my wife's support and a great team of physicians, I can now walk short distances with a walker. My wife, Darlene, and I have a lot of faith in each other, and a lot of faith in the people we work with. She helps me with my recovery. We swim and exercise at a nearby rehab center. And whenever I get a little down in the dumps, she's there to boot me in the rear."

—Max Miller, 80, Sedona, AZ

"My daughter, Tiffany, began having seizures when she was 10 months old. Initially, they were difficult to control. At school, kids and teachers thought she was contagious. Eventually, with the right combination of medications, the seizures disappeared, and she's been free of seizures for 10 years. Recently, my mother was diagnosed with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia. When we traveled to Georgia to see her, I could tell she didn't recognize us. I live far from my mother, but my brother, who lives nearby, continues to care for her, and I'm really thankful for that. He and I found some comfort in the Neurology Now story about brain donation for research of this form of dementia."

—Janet Richey, 55, Wichita, KS

"Up until the age of 50, I was always healthy. Then I began to get migraine headaches, which persisted even after taking several medications, getting plenty of sleep, and eating properly. And then one day in 2008, I lost consciousness and began to convulse. I was later diagnosed with epilepsy. Having both migraine and epilepsy is challenging, but the right medications have helped. And my husband's unwavering care helps me get through the toughest times. So does my motto, stay calm and carry on."

—Penny Dewey, 64, Lansing, MI

"Ten years ago, my son, Mark, had his first seizure at age 16. He was at a church camp and fell off his bunk bed. After that, he didn't have another seizure until he was 19, but the disorder has caused some bumps in the road. He wanted to be a police officer, but had a seizure in his first week of training, so he wasn't allowed to complete the program. That was devastating for him, but Mark's very positive about life, and other opportunities came along. He now works at a law firm, where his coworkers know about his condition and are very supportive."

—Glenda Jenney, 60, Goshen, IN

"In 2009, I lost my 43-year-old daughter, Kelly Ann, to brain cancer. She had her first brain tumor when she was eight, an astrocytoma that was removed. After surgery that summer, she was able to start school in the fall. She wore a little wig until her hair grew back, but other than that she resumed life as a normal third-grader. Unfortunately, doctors believe the radiation treatment she underwent as a child may have caused the cancer to return. In the intervening years, she got two college degrees and worked at the University of Washington in Seattle, then became a programmer for Microsoft. After she passed away, I kept reading Neurology Now. Dr. Lynne Taylor, who was on the magazine's editorial advisory board, had been Kelly Ann's doctor, and that was a real comfort to me, to know that she was part of it."

—Judy Cooper, 75, Shakopee, MN

"I've got Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, post-herpetic neuralgia [nerve pain caused by shingles], and pain from a bulging disk in my spine. The Charcot-Marie-Tooth causes numbness in my hands and feet and I have to use a cane or a walker, but so far I've stayed out of a wheelchair. I retired 15 years ago to help care for my granddaughter, and I now run an eBay store where I sell children's and baby clothes, and my husband and I plan to travel more in the future. I tell my three granddaughters, 'My insides still work great; it's just my shell that's broken.'"

—Sarah Kraker, 65, Austin, TX

"I was sickly as a child and contracted everything from scarlet fever to the mumps. In 2002, I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS. Soon after, my husband had a heart attack that required quadruple bypass surgery. I believe life is like a card game; you're dealt a hand, and how you play it shows what kind of person you are. My husband and I make the most of it, no matter what. Together, we've weathered a lot. I stay positive with the help of his love and the support of the online community I've met in MS chat rooms. I love to garden, read historical fiction, and crochet. I've even won prizes at a local county fair for my scarves and pot holders. Yes, life is good."

—Gail Cortese, 69, Port Angeles, WA

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