Health Expert Cathy shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. 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/profiles/c/40203/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/40203/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/40203/index http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/159828/question-research Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:52:00 -0400 Cathy When I was diagnosed in the late 1980’s my neurologist (not specializing in MS) told me there would be a cure in 5 years.  Needless to say, I changed neurologists.   When we entered into the 1990’s, Newsweek declared it “The Decade of the Brain”, telling us that research would be geared toward solving the mysteries of, among other illnesses, Multiple Sclerosis.  No such luck.   Looking back, I realize... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/159828/question-research http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/159243/week Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:43:00 -0500 Cathy Recently I read an article entitled, “Taking the Sting Out of Injections” (Momentum, The Magazine of The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Spring 2013, page 40) and I was reminded of the long road I’ve traveled before and after the availability of disease-modifying medications.    In 1987 my first neurologist told me to go home and rest after my initial MS diagnosis.  It wasn’t until 1993 that the first... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/159243/week http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/158477/future Mon, 14 Jan 2013 08:03:00 -0500 Cathy Stem cell therapy is a controversial treatment for people with MS.  We have heard the political and medical reasons why it should and shouldn’t be explored.  According to Wikipedia’s definition of stem cell therapy it is: ...an intervention strategy that introduces new adult stem cells into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury. Many medical researchers believe that stem-cell treatments have the potential to... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/158477/future http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/158181/happy Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:29:00 -0500 Cathy My Question of the Week this week will be a short one.  My son, my husband and I all came down with a stomach bug.  Nasty stuff, the kind of thing that makes you realize how much you miss your “normal” days of having MS.   I’ve been making pacts with myself these past few days, like taking better care of myself, eating right and exercising more, telling people in my life how much they mean to me, keeping to a... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/158181/happy http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/157821/ms Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:25:00 -0500 Cathy It’s happening again.  The frantic, panicky, overwhelming feeling that visits me every December.  Shopping, planning, scheduling, writing, decorating, feeding, mailing, walking, fixing, cleaning – all activities associated with the holiday season.    I celebrate Hanukah – cooking, cleaning, buying, decorating, and entertaining.   My husband and son have December birthdays one week apart – cooking,... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/157821/ms http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/157130/health Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:25:00 -0500 Cathy The election is finally over and the country has re-elected President Barack Obama.  The advertisements we’ve been bombarded with have disappeared from the airwaves and the robocalls have stopped interrupting our dinners.  Here in New Jersey and our great neighbor, New York, we continue to have our strength tested after the devastating blow of Hurricane Sandy and the smaller (yet annoying) snowstorm of November 7.  We all... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/157130/health http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156992/people Tue, 06 Nov 2012 11:43:00 -0500 Cathy A few years ago I worked for The International Organization of Multiple Sclerosis Nurses.  It was my great pleasure to work with many dedicated and compassionate nurses who worked tirelessly for people diagnosed with MS.  One of these nurses was Patricia Kennedy, a nurse practitioner, educator and programs consultant at Can Do Multiple Sclerosis  (formerly The Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis in Edwards,... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156992/people http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156382/action Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:57:00 -0400 Cathy “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.” ~Winston Churchill   Many moons ago, when I was first diagnosed with MS, I recruited my friends and family to help me raise money for WalkMS and the nonprofit MS Center where I was a patient.  I felt a “call to action” and a desperate need to not only spread awareness about multiple sclerosis but also to raise money for more research into the... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156382/action http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156115/ms-ms Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:11:00 -0400 Cathy A few weeks ago an old friend called me out of the blue.  We had been in touch on and off throughout the years, and she knew I have MS and am a Health Advocate.  She had a friend who lived in my town that also has MS.  She was wondering whether I’d be interested in paying her friend a visit.  It seems her MS was steadily progressing, and her living situation was not adequate for her daily demands.  I told her... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/156115/ms-ms http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/155886/ms-11 Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:29:00 -0400 Cathy Recently I attended an MS conference sponsored by the pharmaceutical company I represent as a Peer Resource. In attendance were Peer Resources from around the country - people who (like me) dedicate time and effort to reach out to others with MS and who also use the same disease-modifying medication.  The annual conference is held to educate and enlighten us on current research, how to use better techniques while speaking to others with MS... http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/40203/155886/ms-11