NMSS and AAN team with Dr. Zamboni to discuss CCSVI: Attend the Website Next Week

In case you hadn't heard, there will be a webcast/forum discussing CCSVI next week. Attend if you can and be sure to submit questions ahead of time.

On April 14, 12 p.m. ET the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) will hold a live 90-minute Web forum for journalists and the general public on the topic of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and what it could mean to people living with multiple sclerosis. The event will cover what is currently known about CCSVI and what yet needs to be determined in order to establish what its relationship to the MS disease process might be and whether surgical intervention can improve the disease course. The live Web forum will feature the following panel:

• Dr. Paolo Zamboni, Director, Vascular Diseases Center, University of Ferrara, Italy
• Dr. Robert Zivadinov, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York
• Dr. Andrew Common, Radiologist in Chief at St. Michaels Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, CA
• Dr. Aaron Miller, Professor of Neurology and Director of the MS Center at Mount Sinai, New York, member of the AAN Board of Directors, Chief Medical Officer of the National MS Society

Register now online (12 p.m. ET April 14) and ensure your system will support the live Web forum player. Questions for the panelists can be submitted online in advance of the live Web forum through Facebook or Twitter, or in real time through the live Web forum player. The recorded webcast will be available online after the event for those who are unable to attend.

Thanks!

__________________________
Beth Clark
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Broadway Station
900 South Broadway, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80209

Weight Loss, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and Rheumatoid Arthritis

It’s April, finally!! Spring has arrived and it’s time to start shedding the big coats and bulky sweaters. The leaves of my lilac bushes are budding and the ground is beginning to look green. I love this time of year.

However, I haven’t always loved moving into the clothing which leaves you more exposed. For the past few years, I had developed a blanket or cocoon of cushion (ie fat) which insulated me from the physical and emotional changes going on within my body. See, it’s only been three years since I was diagnosed with RA and barely five since MS made itself a permanent resident.

But some things have been changing for the better in the past year or so and one of them comes from the support I’ve received in this and other communities of patients online. That support and acceptance is what has led me to share my weightloss journey in public with anybody who might follow it at MyObesityConnection.com.

Here in April, we are focusing on Diet and Exercise and how they effect your health conditions. Well, I’ve already been focusing on that every month this year. And the result is that I’ve successfully managed to lose at least 18 pounds so far. Just another nine pounds and I will have achieved a 10 percent weight reduction since January. A realistic goal for me would be to achieve a 20 to 30 percent reduction, perhaps by the end of the year.

In the past month or so, I’ve been making the doctor rounds, seeing each of the folks which whom I manage my various health conditions. This was the first time I looked forward to measuring my weight on the doctor’s scale. While at my primary care doctor’s office I even asked, “could you tell me what I weighed last year?” That’s when I learned that I’ve actually lost 30 pounds since February 2009. Cool!

So this time when I saw my rheumatologist, I wasn’t fearful of the severe warnings to lose weight. She has been on me for the past two years with that recommendation. I even missed or postponed some appointments last year because I didn’t want to face her yet again without any progress made. This year was different!!

Read this post in its entirety:

Weight Loss, Tumor Necrosis Factor, and RA

Washington DC in the Spring Time - Cherry Blossoms

Jefferson Memorial and Cherry Blossoms

Washington Monument and Cherry Blossoms

Vote for Brass and Ivory in 1st Annual Dosie Awards

Brass and Ivory is included with several MS-related forums and websites as nominees for the 1st Annual 2010 Dosie Award created by Jonathan Richman at Dose of Digital.

For convenience, follow the link below to vote for Brass and Ivory: Live with Multiple Sclerosis in the 'Best Patient or Caregiver Blog' category which includes blogs created by patients or caregivers, not owned by a pharma or healthcare company.

Vote Now for Brass and Ivory!

The voting is happening in two parts and the deadline is Tuesday, April 6 to get your recommended candidates into the Final Rounds.

Also, please vote for This Is MS and HealthCentral in the first half of the Round 1 group and for How I Fight MS and one other MS-related website in the second half of the Round 1 group. (Vote here for Round 1 groups!)

The Semi-final Rounds

• Round 1: Wednesday, March 31: Best Brand Community, Best Non-Brand Community (Vote now if you missed it!)
• Round 2: Thursday, April 1: Best HCP Community, Best YouTube Channel, Best Pharma/Healthcare Company Blog (Vote now if you missed it!)
• Round 3: Friday, April 2: Best Patient or Caregiver Blog, Best Industry Observer Blog (Vote now if you missed it!)
• Round 4: Monday, April 5: Best Facebook Page, Best Twitter Account
• Tuesday, April 6: Noon, Eastern Daylight Time: Deadline to cast your vote in each category in the semi-finals

Don’t worry if you miss a day, the voting in each category will remain open as indicated below. For example, you’ll be able to vote for Best Industry Observer Blog until Tuesday, April 6. You won’t have to vote on that category on Friday, April 2.

The Final Round

• Wednesday, April 7: Final Round Voting for every category
• Wednesday, April 14: Noon, Eastern Daylight Time: Final Round voting is closed

Mid-Atlantic Multiple Sclerosis 'MS' Bloggers meet in Delaware

April 1, 2010, Joan of A Short in the Cord, Jen of MS Strength and HowIFightMS, and Lisa of Brass and Ivory and HealthCentral joined together for a Mid-Atlantic MS Blogger shin-dig at Joan's house. It was spring break for the music lesson kiddos and time for a brief roadtrip.


We were joined by Sonia who is a regular at Joan's Friday night chatroom gatherings for MSers in Delaware and all over the world. Come join us sometime.


While sitting around and chit-chatting in the kitchen...


...we each took turns getting out the cameras to document this "frickin' big deal" as Joan called the event. ;-)

Yes, Joan, I quoted you on this, but chose the 2nd version of the phrase just to preserve the sweet, innocent image which your charming demeanor and home exudes. LOL.


Is the Quiche ready yet?


Check out the fabulous lunch Joan prepared for us. This after the bounty of appetizers and snacks consumed in the kitchen already. Sonia even brought a HUMONGOUS bottle of wine to complement the occasion.


Freshly fed and enjoying some great conversation and company, we look like a satisfied bunch don't we?


We did talk about MS-related stuff, including our not-so-favorite symptoms, but we talked about much more. Hey, check out Joan's singing bowl. She got it going for us and now I kinda want one.


And to prove that we all really do exist beyond the electronic, computer world, we smiled broadly many times for the cameras. Thank you, Jen, for being a truly great friend beyond the blog and for putting up with my sometime insecure nature. In eleven short weeks, we'll have to see if Diane in Seattle really exists too. :-)


Thank you, Joan, for your hospitality and for living so centrally located. LOL. Your home is so warm and inviting, especially with your "private" pond and huge bounty of bird visitors. How you get anything done with that peaceful distraction, I'll never know.


I haven't been big on group meetings since the first year after diagnosis. But it was somewhat comforting to see others who have a slight hitch in their walk and who hold the table when standing. It's the little things which make a difference.

Cats are Funny!

Now THIS is too great!!



Thanks, Kerri, for passing this on.