I don't know about the accuracy of studies, but I would like to say, from just what I have witnessed in my family, and also what I am experiencing, that there is some credibility to people being diagnosed when they are older, dying due to MS.

My second cousin, was diagnosed, at age the age of 48, and died due to his MS at the age of 66. There weren't any DMD's when he was diagnosed, and by the time there were DMD's, his MS had progressed so much, that they didn't do him any good.

My uncle was diagnosed in his late 50's, and died due to his MS.

I was diagnosed at the age of almost 58-2 & 1/2 years ago, I am on my 2nd DMD, and my MS is progressing. DMD's are not guaranteed to slow progression.

Chelle

I am so sorry for your losses, Chelle. It does not mean that
you will follow suit, however. It is not written in the small
print of the MS contract.

Thank you, Sally. I miss my cousin Irv and my Uncle Chuck so much! But, watching them suffer was unbearable.

I'm not worried. I have a very deep faith in God.

Chelle

What I had difficulty with, in the original abstract, was the language, that there just wasn't enough information to make direct correlations. Social circumstances weren't able to be compiled, and though it mentioned a higher rate of suicide, there were no statistical numbers to back up the statement.

One of the things, I usually grapple with, upon reading that someone famous has passed away(or even not so famous), is that MS-related. Not necessarily the disease itself that was the cause of death.

Did one catch pneumonia and pass on, due to having a weakened auto-immune system, or was it just from being elderly?

Was it not from being on DMD's? Because there is the DMD correlation made, in the article, I question, where the study was funded? What was the paper trail? Is it a corporate push, to get more people onto DMDs? That's the business major in me, questioning that side of literature.

Otherwise, the NYTimes article was interesting.

I do appreciate sharing. And conversations like these, are usually welcome in my book! Knowledge is Power, in my book!