Essential Questions 5/05/08

I am starting to feel a little better now. The night was a tad rough, a little ummm… backed up. I know, TMI.
Anyway, despite the challenges, I am healing a little every day. Now I would love to start corresponding with a bunch of other MS patients and their families in the coming weeks. I am a very science-minded researcher when I set myself to a task and now that I have done some of the philosophical processing, I'm ready to start researching my disease.
In education, when we tackle a topic, we start with an "essential question," and then the explorations our students complete and the assignments they do focus around those essential questions (at least when we do our work well). I am now about to embark upon answering my own new "essential questions."
Here they are: 1) What causes MS (scientifically), is there quantifiable, valid data even available?2) Can MS be cured?3) Do "interferons"and other meds help, which seem to have the best results, is there a good body of data supporting one medication or another?4) Can MS relapses be averted or minimized by life-style modifications, holistic approaches, exercise and meditation?5) What regimen of diet and exercise works best for the majority of MS patients, or is it really about each individual finding what works for them?My vision is to use my blog and email to create a world-wide network of MS patients and their families freely sharing information and collecting data. I would love to know how others are managing their disease and would love to be put in touch with as many MS sufferers as possible. Please feel free to share my blog with anyone you think may benefit or respond.
Thanks,Nadja Yse-Stringer