Multiple Sclerosis Expert Vicki 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/32873 http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/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/32873 http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/95334/aids Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:56:00 -0500 Vicki Vans seem to be perfect for handling wheelchairs and the people who use them. The same adaptive equipment that allows cars to accommodate people with walking difficulties can be added to vans as well. Some of these devices have extra features especially for wheelers using vans. For example, the swivel seat that reaches out from a car door, actually reaches out and down to lift the person into the tall van. A fully-equipped van can be as... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/95334/aids http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/94768/ms Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:48:00 -0500 Vicki One young woman writing about her MS experiences said she did not want to call herself an MSer. She certainly did not want to use the word "disabled" in reference to herself. She had accepted the fact that she had MS, and that a natural progression of the disease leads to an introduction to life with a disability. She understood and accepted that reality, but her problem was actually saying those words.Language is powerful, and can be harmful or... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/94768/ms http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/94380/owned Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:59:00 -0500 Vicki Using a wheelchair, scooter or power chair enhances your mobility in and around the house. Suddenly you have control and you want to go further — across town or across the country. You'll have to transport your wheelchair, too, either with public transportation or private transportation. Today, I am talking about cars used to drive both you and your wheelchair within the city and beyond.It's funny how some people think. When I was first... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/94380/owned http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/93412/public Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:06:00 -0500 Vicki Using a wheelchair, scooter or power chair provides enhanced mobility in and around the house. Sometimes wheelchair users want to go further — across town, across the country or around the world — and the wheelchair has to go, too. Transporting the wheeler and wheelchair is a challenge not met without accommodations. Options are public transportation and private transportation. Today I am talking about wheelchairs and public... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/93412/public http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/93109/central Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:17:00 -0500 Vicki How do we get the money? We all want to hear that an MS cure has been found, and that will happen with the right research.  Research takes time but it also takes money. Funds for research are sometimes privately funded and sometimes provided from our taxes.  Congress often controls funds provided for medical research, even going so far as to designate the condition and research facility that money funds. Individual senators and... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/93109/central http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/92823/charcot Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:38:00 -0400 Vicki Everyone has heroes. I know I do. Some of mine are MS heroes. I plan, from time to time, to share my MS heroes with you, tell a bit about who they are and how they are important in the MS world. My first MS Hero is Dr. Jean Martin Charcot (1825 - 1893).It just seems right to start with Dr. Charcot, because he was there in the beginning. Jean Martin Charcot was a professor at the University of Paris while working at Salpetrière (Asylum)... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/92823/charcot http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/92487/power Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:31:00 -0400 Vicki You need a wheelchair, but much more than a manual chair. What are the options? Last week I covered scooters. Today I will talk about the power of power chairs.Do your online research, talk with your physical or occupational therapist and visit a store representative. They may all have suggestions and recommendation, but only you know what you want and need. My online friend, Diane J. Standiford, stayed with the Jazzy based on her gut feeling... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/92487/power http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/91554/aids-ms Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:22:00 -0400 Vicki You need a wheelchair, but do you have the strength or desire to push and maneuver a manual chair. What are the options? There are scooters and power chairs. Today I will talk about power operated vehicles (POV), also called scooters or carts.Wheelchairs have been with us for a long time. Although there were experiments in England in 1916, electricity did not become a mainstay with wheelchairs until the 50s. In the 60s, a different electrical... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/91554/aids-ms http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/90919/central Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:45:00 -0400 Vicki It is an honor and challenge to maintain the Merely Me's Question of the Week feature.  I hope to come up with questions as thought-provoking as hers, and that shouldn't be too hard because Lisa Emrich and Amy Gurowitz will be contributing as well. I am also always open to suggestions. Now, for this week's topic.   I remember when I first began living with what I knew was MS, I was surprised at how much I didn't know. I was... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/90919/central http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/90622/manual Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:45:00 -0400 Vicki Nothing says disability like a wheelchair, and the wheelchair is one of the greatest fears of MSers. But MSers are not alone in this fear. Last year a Disaboom survey asked: "Would you rather be disabled or dead?" 52% of the respondents said they would rather die. There are more than 54 million Americans -- many of them MSers -- who might disagree. Contrary to a death sentence, a wheelchair can ensure a return to life and living.A manual... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/32873/90622/manual