Whether it’s fatigue, concerns about accessibility, or even sensory overload, MS can make the festive season feel like more trouble than it’s worth. If you’re tempted to just stay home and sit the celebrations out, this episode is for you. We’ve got 12 tips to make sure your social life isn’t a casualty of MS. Plus, you’re gonna wanna share this episode with the party people in your life, because we’ve got tips for what your friends and family can do to make sure you can all enjoy the holidays together. 

Episode Highlights:
Show Open (00:00)
Tip 1: Picking an Accessible Party Venue (02:50)
StopGap.Ca: Organization Making Custom Ramps for Inaccessible Venues (03:50)
Tip 2: Pre-Rest Before Events  (05:17)
Tip 3: Be Flexible           (08:01)
Tip 4: Let Go of the Guilt           (09:42)
Tip 5: Lower Your Expectations (12:43)
Tip 6: Have a Plan B      (15:11)
Tip 7: If You’re Sick, Stay Home  (18:43)
Tip 8: Cut Corners         (20:48)
Tip 9: Communicate at a Neutral Time   (24:37)
Tip 10: Drink Water, Stick to your Diet, Exercise and Sleep Routine (28:39)
Tip 11: Do not Judge    (30:52)
Tip 12: Plan for Downtime the Day After a Party            (33:17)
Alex’s Band: Howlin’ Circus       (34:54)

About Tripping On Air
Tripping on Air is a monthly video podcast that brings Ardra Shephard's part-confessional, part-informational blog Tripping on Air to the podcast airwaves! Ardra and co-host Alex Hajjar discuss what it's like to live with MS, from the best products for those with chronic illness, to successfully navigating a disability benefits claim.

Ardra Shephard is a writer, consultant, and speaker, whose award-winning blog Tripping On Air, enjoys an international reach and reputation.

Ardra is the creator and host of AMI-tv's lifestyle series Fashion Dis. Ardra has a regular column with BezzyMS (Ask Ardra Anything), and is a reporter with LivedHealth where she leads informative and educational conversations with leading MS specialists.

Ardra is on a mission to change minds about what it means to live with chronic illness and to have disability positively reflected as part of a diverse society. Accessible bars in Toronto would also be nice.

Follow Ardra on Twitter: @tripping_onair and Instagram: @ms_trippingonair

Alex Hajjar is the host, producer, and creative overthinker behind Social Animals, a podcast about friendship.

A civil engineering technologist by trade, Alex is also a punk-rock bass guitarist whose hobbies include world travel, hanging with his cat Nacho, and figuring out how to find chill about his beautiful wife Nicole's MS diagnosis.

The Tripping on Air podcast airs monthly on AMI-audio. For more information, visit www.ami.ca/Tripping-On-Air.