300 Tips for Making Life with Multiple Sclerosis Easier
by Shelley Peterman Schwartz
Review by Elsa Teilimo, Finnish Representative Persons with MS International Committee.
 This book has tips, advice and techniques to help people who
are seriously disabled with multiple sclerosis (MS) find ways to
manage an ordinary but challenging day.
Written by Shelley Peterman Schwartz, who has MS herself, the book deals with the different situations that arise in everyday life, such as housekeeping, dressing, shopping and meal preparation. She has put an enormous amount of work and imagination into writing this easy-to-read guide.
There are some ingenious tips, such as putting your medication bottle into your slippers at bed-time so that you don’t forget to take your pill in the morning, or using rubber bands around your drinking glass to give you a better grip.
However, there are also many other tips that can only be put into practice in the USA, where the author lives in her own home.
She is apparently well to do and many suggestions reflect her way and standard of living.
What is not taken into consideration is the situation of people who do not own their own homes and who are subject to restrictions regarding structural changes to their accommodations, which is common in many parts of the world.
In addition, many of the useful addresses in the last chapter list toll-free telephone numbers that are only accessible if calling within the USA. To be more accessible for non-Americans, it would have been helpful to have website addresses as well as postal addresses.
In summary, the book is easy to read and provides helpful information, although non-American readers may find that many tips are not applicable in their own countries.
Demos Medical Publishing Inc, USA.
1999. Price $16.95.
ISBN: 1-888799-23-4
Multiple Sclerosis: The Questions You Have – The Answers You Need (2nd Edition)
Edited by Rosalind C. Kalb.
Review by Tom Houle, US Representative, Persons with MS International Committee.
 This is a solid reference book that should be made available to anyone with MS, carers, and others working in the field of MS. Its comprehensive coverage of topics and manner of presenting information make it a valuable resource.
Each of the 17 chapters, written by an expert in MS, addresses a specific topic through a question/answer format.
In addition, each chapter provides a list of follow-up readings, and six appendices at the end of the book add to the wealth of information. Two areas lacking coverage are on issues for carers and on complementary and alternative medicines. While information is present on each topic, separate chapters would have added to their importance.
Of necessity, authors occasionally use scientific terms and more explanation of these terms would be helpful for those with less technical knowledge.
In some chapters it would help if the author had given additional emphasis to ways people with MS could use the information. While the information is sound, readers would profit from more advice and encouragement on how to translate those words into practical action.
Lastly, it should be noted that this book was written by North American specialists, and while the medical and technical information may apply universally, some topics of a social nature, such as insurance, psycho-social issues, employment and long term care, tend to be culturally specific and may have less value to non-Western cultures.
Notwithstanding these comments, there is much to recommend this guide for those seeking substantial knowledge about MS in one book.
Demos Medical Publishing Inc, USA. 2000. Price $39.95. ISBN: 1-888799-43-9
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