Multiple Sclerosis Expert Gina Gunkel shares Multiple Sclerosis management news and commentary at MultipleSclerosisCentral.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866 http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866 http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/39968/ms-voice Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:39:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel I woke up on the first “Back to School” day with pep in my step. Yes! Finally, some time alone.  After the kids were off, I hopped on my sofa, snuggled up to my dog and grabbed the TV remote control.  HMMM, Choices… I scanned the menu and decided on some reality TV.  What my son and husband refer to as a “girl show”.  With this new genre of reality television, you never know what will... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/39968/ms-voice http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/39088/calgon Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:50:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel Well, it’s 4:11AM and I can’t sleep.  And I’m freezing. Arctic cold, actually. It is my own fault.  Last week I went away on an eight day vacation to a lake house in Maine.  It was lovely.  I guess that I wanted to “get away” from everything and purposely didn’t pack my medicine.  I just wanted to leave reality back home. I had such a wonderful time.  I canoed (a... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/39088/calgon http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/38549/admit Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel This week I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Cohen, author of Blindsided: Lifting a Life Above Illness: A Reluctant Memoir.  He is also the husband of  Today Show co-host, Meredith Viera.  I was at a sporting event with my family.  As I entered the arena, I exclaimed, “Oh my, there’s Richard!”  My children wanted to know which athlete I was talking about.  I told them that it... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/38549/admit http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/35293/learned Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:40:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel This past week was tough for me.  I had to reveal my MS to a friend.  I’ve known this person for about a year, have been over her house, shared meals, and laughed many times together.  I just never mentioned that I had a chronic illness.  I don’t exactly know why.  Maybe I feel like, when people know, they know. I can’t take it back.  They could then tell others.  I don’t want... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/35293/learned http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/34586/friday Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:52:38 -0000 Gina Gunkel Wow! I spent this past Friday night at a concert and I feel terrific!  It was the final concert at Shea Stadium, before it gets torn down.  Fatigue has been a real problem for me this summer.  As I was resting that afternoon, I actually thought about canceling. It was just easier to stay home than get on a train and travel to the show.  I’m so glad that I chose to use up my dwindling energy and go.  It was... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/34586/friday http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/33769/shoulda Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:46:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel   Oh, Boy!  I’m so tired.  These are the dog days of summer.  I know that because I seem to be on the same nap schedule as my puppy. All I want to do is rest and occasionally lift my hand with my TV remote control. I woke up this morning to see if any cable TV marathons were running.  Bad sign.    The fatigue that I feel reminds me of a specific amusement park ride.  The one that pins you... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/33769/shoulda http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/22858/hood Tue, 25 Mar 2008 19:50:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel Once again, I was reminded of the importance of MS maintenance. The value of not postponing doctor visits because "I feel fine". Recently, I noticed a lingering burning smell in my basement by my water heater. My husband suggested that we get our home's chimney swept. What I thought would be a twenty-minute, under a hundred-buck visit, turned into something much more... When the chimney guys removed the water heater... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/22858/hood http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/21245/great Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:55:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel I sat with my accountant to file my taxes this week. UGH! I dread it every year. Partly for the number crunching and partly because of my MS. Yes, I said MS.  I feel like there is this "Great Divide" between what I want to do and what I can actually do. Every year I leave my accountants office saying that next year will be better. I will work more and earn more. Yet, I always come in his office and say the same thing. Gee, I... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/21245/great http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/20725/2nd-3rd Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:32:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel After such success with my first pregnancy and birth, my husband and I decided to expand our family. Again, I was nervous and scared. How long could my luck last? Well I didn’t have any problems with my second pregnancy or birth. I had planned on breastfeeding for six months, like with my firstborn. Well, 4 weeks after my daughter was born, I awoke and was having trouble seeing out of my right eye. It was a weird double vision... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/20725/2nd-3rd http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/20324/pregnanc Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:05:00 -0000 Gina Gunkel Thirteen years ago this month, I became a Mom. It was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, turning points of my life. We just celebrated my son's birthday with a fun day at a skateboard park followed by a surprise gathering of family and close friends. Thirteen...Wow!  About fourteen years ago, after visiting some friends that had just had a baby, my husband and I made the decision to "try." Of course, I was scared... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/1866/20324/pregnanc