Serena Hostvet has trouble keeping her hand steady when drawing something simple like a pumpkin, and it infuriates her.

“At this point, I would just give up,” said Hostvet, 43, of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. “Art is an essential part of me. Not being able to do it as often or as well as I used to is depressing.”

It’s also how she makes a living. Hostvet designs jewelry and creates original illustrations for small businesses. “Everything I do is with my hands,” she said.

Hostvet has multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and the nerves that extend from her spinal cord into her body. In addition to shaky hands, Hostvet’s vision is compromised. She struggles at times to come up with words in everyday conversations.

Her specific type of the condition is the most common

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