Physically, though, the doctor's words were more bleak than the reality he has carved for himself. Three times a week, Lander does physical therapy. He takes a drug that was unheard when he was diagnosed, Avonex, once a week. For a while he had taken another medication by shot three times a week. Avonex works better for him.

He sees a chiropractor who has experience with MS patients. He never misses his flu shot, because influenza can be dreadful for someone with MS. And he's "satisfied" with his treatment plan and what it does for him.

His legs and fingers are not numb, which is a very big deal. He walks well, though slowly, and never hesitates to ask for a ride in large areas like airports. Climbing stairs is more problematic, if there's no handrail.

And he keeps his sense of humor. Since his MS leaves him with an overactive immune system, he jokingly wonders whether getting AIDS, which creates a suppressed immune system, would cure him.

Some of his humor, he admits, seems odd to people who haven't lived his disease. But when he jokes about it with others who have MS, they totally get it and laugh, he said.

And he recognizes that the disease could limit him more than it does.

His take-away message has a couple of parts. First, it's important to keep laughing.

And the importance of early treatment can't be overstated. He avoided things for too long. You have to admit you have an illness before you will commit to treating it.

When he was diagnosed, he devoured books, most of them medical tomes written fairly joylessly. His favorite parts were always the brief anecdotes. He decided his book would be more like that and online reviews say he succeeded. People with MS and people without it write about laughing hysterically in certain parts.

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E-mail: lois@desnews.com