Navigating life with MS and honoring a dedicated NJ physician

Have you ever had a doctor that made a huge impact on your life? For me, it was my neurologist of 10 years. And now that World MS Day just passed (May 30), I thought now would be a good time to highlight this particular person.

Now, you can't book an appointment with her anymore. Nor can you stop by her office. That's because as of May 2026, she has officially retired.

Dr. Raab was my neurologist from the very beginning of my neurological problems, which began right after my twin sons were born in August 2015.

Ironically, the start of her retirement aligns with the 10 year anniversary of my diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, or MS. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to this day for my own selfish reasons.

That's because of the incredible care she provided me for over 10 years. But I am beyond happy that the very doctor who took such good care of me for a decade has reached this point in their life where they can finally kick back and relax.

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Dr. Raab will be missed, but I didn't want to not acknowledge her and the impact on me as I hit this 10 year milestone battling this incurable, invisible disease.

What is MS, and why am I celebrating?

MS, or Multiple Sclerosis, is a disease of the central nervous system where your own body's immune system attacks the myelin sheath covering the nerve fibers. Think of the myelin sheath as a protective cover for your nerve fibers.

The immune system attacks that protective layer as if it's something foreign that doesn't belong. Eventually, the nerve fibers become exposed causing inflammation and disrupts the flow of information between the body and brain.

This can cause a wide range of symptoms including balance loss, long term numbness, vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination. Symptoms from one person with MS to another varies greatly since it all depends on where the damage is.

I can attest to those symptoms because I've experienced all of them to some degree. As of now, there is no known cure, but treatments have come a long way to at least helping halt or slow the progression of MS.

Why would I celebrate this anniversary

Having MS is not anything I would celebrate. But keeping MS and most of it's symptoms in check for 10 years and counting is worth celebrating.

Celebrating my ability to still get out of bed and walk on my own two feet. Celebrating that I can still use my hands effectively. Celebrating that I can still work and do something I love, which is being on the air, writing, and shooting videos for you.

But most importantly, celebrating my ability to be an active dad for my twin sons. Even though I feel OK now, I refuse to give this disease an easy path to take over. That's why I will always treat this as an active disease. Because it is.

My message to others with MS

Or others who have family members with MS. Don't let your guard down with this disease, and always listen to your body.

If you feel tired, take a rest. If you're active and notice numbness start creeping in, slow it down. Learn your body inside and out so you can make the right choice for yourself before MS decides to do it for you. And believe me, it can be crippling.

But also know that you're not alone. This disease can often be dismissed by others because of the invisible nature of it, and that can be frustrating. In fact, I think the reason most of us get frustrated is because other's don't listen to what we're trying to tell them.

To me, there's really only one way for others to know, and it's something I hope those without MS will ever understand. Unless you deal with it yourself, there's no true way to fully understand.

Try to be optimistic

I often say out of everyone in my family, that I'm glad it's me dealing with this instead of them. MS is rough, which is why you have to be as positive as possible when dealing with this disease. Please, don't let yourself fall into a state of denial just because you're feeling OK now.

There are plenty of support groups out there for both MS patients and those who know someone with MS. And for as long as I have this platform both right here on your screen, and on-air during my weekend shows, I will always be here for you.

If you ever want to talk about MS in any capacity, just reach out to the station and we'll connect. As someone dealing with this disease myself, I get it. It's why it's also important for me to be open and transparent about it.

As the saying often goes, I may have MS, but MS doesn't have me. And I do my damndest to keep it that way (more from the National MS Society can be found here).

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.