MS Michigan Man 64

Brian Wallace

MS Michigan Man 64 Podcast is about Multiple Sclerosis and other chronic diseases. My name is Brian Wallace, and I am the MS Michigan Man 64. Four years before diagnosis I was on the field playing in the 1992 Rose Bowl for the University of Michigan. I will discuss how playing Michigan Football helped me prepare for the toughest test of my life and how I handled the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Fighting a chronic disease is about having an attitude! Introduction Part 1 is about my life before Multiple Sclerosis. I played on four Big Ten Championship teams (88-91) and was a State Champion (88) in Ohio playing high school hockey. I also completed the National City Triathlon (94) in Cleveland, Ohio after graduation from Michigan. In 1997 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and have been fighting ever since. Follow Instagram and TikTok: @MSMichiganMan64

  1. Episode 97 Interview with Dan (MS WARRIOR)

    10/15/2025

    Episode 97 Interview with Dan (MS WARRIOR)

    Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today, I'm talking to an MSer from Texas, Dan, that was diagnosed with his MS in 2022. Dan started having issues with his walking and having pain that he thought was a pinched nerve. Dan's wife encouraged him to see a neurologist asap and when he went to the neuro tests were immediately ordered and Dan was told he had MS. Dan talks about how he had no idea what MS was and how he didn't even hear anything after those words but thankfully his wife was with him listen to Dan's diagnosis too. Dan and I discuss the mental shock of being diagnosed with MS and how he had to begin to learn his new life and the mental struggles that come with it. Dan and I talk about how we met on TikTok and how he learned so much about his MS from talking to other warriors on TikTok LIVES. Dan shares the incredible devastation he is dealing with right now as his beautiful wife and childhood sweetheart passed away two months ago after a six year battle with lupus and suffered from kidney failure and multiple other issues taking her life. Dan is absolutely an amazing warrior with how he id using his wife as motivation to keep fighting this fight! Dan, thank you for sharing your journey with me and trying to help people understand and keep fighting no matter what happens in life! Knowledge is power and ignorance is a choice! FUMS! Follow on TikTok @msmichiganman64, Instagram @msmichiganman64 and Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick Ohio

    39 min
  2. Episode 96 Interview with Ashleigh (MS WARRIOR)

    10/13/2025

    Episode 96 Interview with Ashleigh (MS WARRIOR)

    Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Ashleigh from Virginia, diagnosed with MS in 2014 at 22 years old. She woke up unable to see out of one eye. At the ER, they told her Optic Neuritis could be a first symptom of MS - imagine hearing that so young! On September 11th, 2014, neurology called with her official diagnosis. We talk about how wrong it is to deliver a serious diagnosis over the phone. Ashleigh opens up about her recovery from alcoholism - how it started as a couple drinks but escalated when alcohol became a tool to manage MS symptoms and escape her disease. A phone call and road trip from her dad changed everything. That act of love was enough for her to accept change. She made that choice in 2023 and just celebrated 2 years of sobriety! If struggling with alcohol, call SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357 or visit samhsa.gov We talk about the mental strain of this disease, accepting changes, dreaming of the past but waking in your current reality. We discuss asking "why me?" only to realize there's nothing you did wrong. We cover support systems, DMTs like Ocrevus and Mavenclad, and mobility aids. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64. I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. Connect with Ashleigh on TikTok @SchlapMyAsh of us on TikTok. Let's dive in.

    38 min
  3. Episode 95 Interview with Franky (MS WARRIOR)

    10/08/2025

    Episode 95 Interview with Franky (MS WARRIOR)

    Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Franky from Indiana. Her journey started with numbness from the belly button down and right side weakness. The hospital dismissed her - told her she was just overweight and needed to walk more. She spent a year trying to adjust while working full time with a 1-year-old. Life wasn't stopping while she tried to figure out what was happening. Neurology wrote her off and sent her to rheumatology, who misdiagnosed her with Lupus. It wasn't until a fall was captured on a Ring camera that her neurologist finally agreed to testing. MRIs, spinal tap, then that in-person call - her whole life changed in an instant. She had multiple sclerosis. We talk about how your head spins for years before you get a grip on the diagnosis, and how careers can change overnight. Franky discusses the disability fight and those endless hoops. She's always pushed herself and learned to adapt. A walker helped her practice - and that helped her both physically and mentally. We dive into "mom guilt" - not participating in activities, kids missing events because she can't get them there. We discuss being open with kids about MS, DMTs, and the support we've found through TikTok lives in the MS community. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram @msmichiganman64 and I'm also on Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio. You can connect with Franky on TikTok @FuckinFranky. Let's dive in.

    34 min
  4. Episode 94 Interview with Carmen (MS WARRIOR)

    10/06/2025

    Episode 94 Interview with Carmen (MS WARRIOR)

    Hey everyone, welcome to MS Michigan Man 64. I'm Brian Wallace, and this is where we get real about living with multiple sclerosis - no medical jargon you can't understand, just honest conversations between people who get it. Today I'm talking with Carmen from Arizona, officially diagnosed in 1999 - but her journey started a decade earlier. At just 7 years old in 1989, she began experiencing unexplained falls. Back then, MS wasn't recognized in adolescents, so doctors missed it for years. She dealt with falling, vertigo, and gait changes before optic neuritis finally caught attention. They misdiagnosed it as a stroke, and it took another year and a half before they admitted failing to check her spinal tap results and finally diagnosed MS. Carmen talks about childhood resilience and carrying that strength forward. We discussed her homeopathic approach for 7 years - diet changes and medicinal marijuana - before transitioning to traditional MS medications. We both share how exercise helped retain mobility. We dive into relationships and MS - from diagnosis around age 18, through culinary arts school where she built confidence. She opens up about pregnancy with MS and post-pregnancy symptoms that progressed her from cane to rollator. Carmen met her significant other through a dating app. He didn't see her illness first; he looked beyond the diagnosis to who she truly is - finding a partner who is understanding, compassionate, and involved. You can find me on Instagram @msmichigan64, Facebook @Brian Wallace Brunswick, Ohio and I'm also on TikTok @msmichiganman64. You can find Carmen at https://carmenlucia.shop/. Let's dive in.

    50 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

MS Michigan Man 64 Podcast is about Multiple Sclerosis and other chronic diseases. My name is Brian Wallace, and I am the MS Michigan Man 64. Four years before diagnosis I was on the field playing in the 1992 Rose Bowl for the University of Michigan. I will discuss how playing Michigan Football helped me prepare for the toughest test of my life and how I handled the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Fighting a chronic disease is about having an attitude! Introduction Part 1 is about my life before Multiple Sclerosis. I played on four Big Ten Championship teams (88-91) and was a State Champion (88) in Ohio playing high school hockey. I also completed the National City Triathlon (94) in Cleveland, Ohio after graduation from Michigan. In 1997 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and have been fighting ever since. Follow Instagram and TikTok: @MSMichiganMan64