New Year - New Revelations - New "lease" on Life, still all wrapped up in an Autoimmune Illness World and How to make dreams come true...

I have under my own terms "swore off" procrastinating about the writing of my 3rd and in fact 4th book. I had a very good email come in this morning from "Create A Space" that had an article about how to "put off" the writing of a book. We can make up a thousand and one excuses, especially if you a chronically ill, or like myself chronically ill, dealing with some symptoms that can really make daily life a challenge. To top that off, now I am kind of the "whole deal" of being a care taker for myself and for Jim. Even though within a short couple of months it will be a year since that fateful car accident, that sent me reeling through a "time space" that still I am not so sure of how I got through it all.

Honestly, I am not sure I truly have resolved all of it in my own head, heart, and soul. I question my own illnesses, and as of late, have developed more symptoms, that truly have started to concern me. I am not so sure that they are from the autoimmune illnesses, I am already diagnosed with. I have this "gut" feeling... that my "gut" feeling (n pun intended), along with the nausea, the extreme fatigue, all of the lower back pain, leg pain, of which even woke up me at 4 am this morning, and sent me rushing to get some medication, and then even though I really wanted to get up early, I remained on my sofa bed until about 7:40 a.m. That had not been my normal behavior for the many months that followed Jim's car accident. I rarely slept. Some days I wished I could go "find" those nights and use them to further the writing of my books.

I am trying to properly place myself where I desperately need to be in order to get this book written by the end of the year. Yet, if I don't heed the advice that I read just this morning by a group of very good writers, I will continue to "put off" the book and never get it written.

So, over the next few months, I will definitely keep my blog "fresh". I won't allow myself not to publish things and write events and so forth here. You, my audience is extremely important to me. So, the last thing I want to do is lose you due to me not posting and keeping current information here, because eventually my heart tells me some of you will be the "audience" that helps my 3rd book to take off enough that I can give a good portion of those proceeds to a couple of very important charity/non-profit organizations that I feel are crucial to the findings about everything autoimmune. From the very beginnings, to the fight going on admist researchers, grant money, patient and clinical trials, standing up to our Congress both state and national to get them involved in such a crucial matter to all of us here in the USA, and the incredible work of those in many of these non-profits who are no longer just "charity" organizations.

They are SO MUCH MORE than "charity" types of businesses. They are the very operatives that go in "fighting" for us as patients, as caretakers, as family members dealing with these illnesses, and to get the funding needed to battle, and win the raging war over how the ruthless diseases destroy so many lives. Whether through loss of jobs, family problems, endless medication and doctor bills, fighting with insurance companies, pharmacies, and the list is endless of the daily ordeals we go through to try and "get well"... or at least feel better, find remission, and a state of "no more disease" to have to contend with.

I promise to do my very best to keep this blog fresh, full of new posts and information while I dig much deeper inside of my own heart, brain and soul to complete this 3rd book. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I WILL accomplish that.

More Incredible News on the Homefront of the Fight Against Lupus

http://uthscsa.edu/hscnews/singleformat2.asp?newID=4908

$1.12 million to fine-tune the body’s “Homeland Security”

Posted on Wednesday, October 08, 2014
Contact: Elizabeth Allen, CTRC, 210-450-2020; allenea@uthscsa.edu

Physician searches for better lupus therapy and clues to ovarian cancer treatment at the same time....

Bio-Medical Research, Congress, and Lupus Research Institute

 

Urge Your Senator to Co-sponsor Bill Supporting Biomedical Research at the National Institutes of Health

To continue our national commitment to research and fighting lupus and other diseases, we ask U.S. Senators to co-sponsor and support ''Accelerating Biomedical Research Act"introduced by Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) July 24, 2014.  The Bill aims to prioritize funding for the National Institutes of Health to discover treatments and cures, maintain global leadership in medical innovation, and to provide consistent, reliable source for biomedical research. Lately, the NIH budget has been flat lined because of the budget battles in Washington. We need more federal funding for biomedical research on all diseases, especially lupus. The much-needed advances in lupus treatment of tomorrow depend on investment in NIH-funded research today.

Click the button below to write your legislator or click here to call your legislator.

 

http://www.congressweb.com/LRI/12

 

We Advocate on the Hill. Each year the LRI mobilizes representatives from the National Coalition to visit legislators on behalf of the lupus community throughout the country.  Learn how you can be a Virtual Advocate without ever leaving home!

Spinal Cord injury, Lupus, Sjogren's, RA - ?? Happy 4th (Belated) Hope All is Safe - And What in the World is Happening to our World?

I started off with the title of this such as it is, because This post will be a conglomeration of ideas, of things going on... of how tough like can be... how things can change within the blink of an eye... and no matter where you turn er either have some "natural" disaster, man made disaster, or for the most part , if it is not one thing happening, it is another.
As far as Jim and how he is with the spinal cord injury... which I am just now honestly beginning to truly understand how long something like this can take to even show symptoms.... it can be months and months before the "cord" itself comes out of " spinal cord shock", plus healing all of the bruising, swelling and surgery.
Then I find out about this ( definition ) "Spasticity"(Spasticity is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance in muscle tone involving hypertonia; it is also referred to as an unusual "tightness", stiffness, or "pull" of muscles. The word spasm comes from the Greek word σπασμός (spasmos), meaning "drawing, pulling." Clinically, spasticity is defined as velocity-dependent resistance to stretch, where a lack of inhibition results in excessive contraction of the muscles, ultimately leading to hyperflexia, an exaggerated deep tendon reflex on stimulation with a reflex hammer (or spontaneous firing of deep tendon reflexes as in clonus.) and how even though he was in the hospital 3 months, went through ICU, Acute Care, and to Rehab; then another Rehab... and out of the "hospitals" and into "outpatient therapy". Let me say that Baylor of Dallas is one "HUGE monstrosity" of a Hospital. And that is not including all of their other specialty's from the Cancer Hospital to the Dental College. We we blessed (if you want to call this horrid wreck blessed) that it happened so close to Baylor Hospital they immediately took him there. ALL of our hospitals have their own specialty's but Baylor is just a "golden" egg for Rehab and accidents with lots of brain injury, or spinal cord and nerves.. they have some of the best there.
I knew I would write about the entire happenings (since there were more than on thing that happened at the same time) that could have made the entire nightmare much worse than it is. Some people may look at Jim, on his cane, with his legs quite "wobbly" at time, his neck sometimes bent over, or his shoulders tend to want to roll forward, and they "wonder" if he had a stroke etc. I usually come right out and tell what (Tiffany) calls the "Elevator" story.. He was headed o I-45 to the DFW Airport. As he came upon the outskirts of Dallas and on I-45 where his has several 'In's and Out's... changing lanes and so forth... for NO APPARENT reason we have yet to see or know, he was HIT from BEHIND (now he was driving 60 MPR which is the speed limit through there) an 18 Wheel Tractor Trailer Rig , full speed rammed him from the back, enough we "think" that then it shoved our car under a "Tahoe" which was in the next lane to Jim's right. Then it seems our car slowed after all of that, but continued to "spin" over into another land and it appears he was slammed again by the tracker trailer --- he was "hit" at least Twice, and at a very fast speed to have done the absolutely horrible damage to what now does not even appear to be a car. Jim, does NOT REMEMBER ANY of this. All he remembers he was head North on "I-45 to go to DFW Airport for a plane to Washington DC, WHERE I WAS at the time this all took place. The ONLY thing he said was 2 "people" tried to get him out of the car & could not, so the firemen came to "cut him" out of the car. Well I think he of course already had "MASSIVE physical damage to his body" as well as a concussion, and the "men" were probably the firemen and the ambulance drivers there. From what I & he knows he was unconscious almost the entire time. I know he did "HEAR" something that terrified him though. We were in the Taco Bell parking lot a couple of weeks ago, and I accidentally cut the corner a little to quickly so it kind of made a scraping sound as a "wreck" might and he almost fainted it scared him so badly. So, I am GLAD honestly he does not "remember" the wreck. I think he would have many more issues mentally and emotionally had he been awake.
I was called from Baylor by a trauma unit doctor, while I was in Washington DC..and what made that so bad, is that his Mom had just walked up & thought I was crying "happy" tears that I was getting to meet her, see DC...and all of that. So, a gentleman who helped me through this entire ordeal took over the phone & got the injury reports, if Jim was able to talk, was he able to recognize, and his injuries were etc. I had to tell Jim's Mom whom I had NEVER met, but talked to over the phone for about 10 years that her son was in ICU due to a very bad auto accident. At that moment I just crumpled to the floor in the lobby the of Hilton DC. I could not think, talk, answer, I had just had news that was so totally unbelievable & that I had no clue how to get home (I was supposed to fly home with Jim on Sunday after we had visited The Capitol, DC, His Mom and had a mini vacation. There was a guy who was just monstrosity with everything that had to do with RA,Osteoarthritis, Juvenile Arthritis, and so forth. He spends ALL of his time when he is not working at Summits, meetings, and putting his efforts into helping especially the kids that like his daughter, was diagnosed with JRA at the age of 9 MONTHS OLD! His name is Chris, and was right there trying to do everything to help me that he could. He went to the head sponsor over the Summits, and Laura who is with the Arthritis Foundation and she had a ticket for me to fly out within an hour or two back to Dallas, so I could go be with Jim. At the time we did not know if he was even stable enough to make it. So, even though I was so about leaving his Mom there alone to deal with it all, I knew I had to get back home and to Baylor quickly. My son, Jason who at the time was in Houst working, got the word and he headed up I-45 to come to the airport and pick me up. He ran into some bad weather, yet he got there about 45 minutes after my plane landed. Chris stayed with me the entire time, checking on me, carried my luggage, getting me through check points with bothering me about my pain pump and so forth, thus we made it on just in time. He was a couple of rows behind me, and I was just blessed beyond words to have had him in our summit "group" and then to help with everything he could do in order that I got home. It was amazing.
As I have written to Laura on several occasions, I will never forget the kindness  the "Arthritis Foundation gave to me in my time of need, and I hope to be able to pay them back and even more in my own advocacy work, monetary when we ever get some of that, & to help in any way I can to make sure I spread the word about how important their foundation is. I have read that already on two occasions OUR SUMMIT in MARCH 26, 2014 already helped to PASS TWO of the three legislative issues that the Arthritis Foundation were there advocating for!!! That is just incredible!
So, here "WE" (I) am in the smack dab middle of my own nightmare with Sjögren's Syndrome and trying to figure out the "mini implants" (not sure why they call them "mini"..... this is certainly no "Mini experience". By the time I am through I MIGHT be able to eat Christmas Dinner 2014, if I am fortunate!

Doctors, Patients, Medical Staff.... We Must Stand Together, Hand In Hand... and NOT Allow this "ship" of Medical Needs Sink

In this day and time, when SO MANY of us NEED doctors, medications and care, of the very best, what happens...POLITICS happen! I realize the VA has been an extremely huge mess for many years. I had watched my ex Father In Law go through that entire "system" when he had a brain tumor, and it is insanity. But, Medicare and ESPECIALLY the "Medicare Advantage" Plans are in the realm oer ever WORSE than the VA's nightmare. Our physicians are falling out and "opting out" of taking anymore patients by the dozens. In TX alone we have the HIGHEST RATE of doctors stating they are opting out.. because they are NOT getting paid, OR like a doctor told me, it literally took him 2 YEARS to receive payment for two surgical procedures that were done, and it was not until it WENT in front of the Cort of Appeals, the judge FINALLY paid him what he was owed. Of course what about all the time he was waiting to get paid? Who is "soaking" up these "unpaid" and underpaid bills the physicians wait literally for years to get paid for???? So, when you begin to "hear" the real stories of the doctors and medical staff that are there everyday working in the trenches, with the ridiculous amount of red tape, tangled and mangled "referral" for this doctor, and a "referral for this one, and another one"... and it goes on and on. And where are we when all of this "Waiting" is going on???? The patient suffers also.... somethings cannot and should not be put off due to "money".... so it is a two way street.... I don't blame the doctors for wanting to "jump ship" yet I also cannot fathom having honestly to CALL 32 DOCTORS OFFICES as WE have this week and NOT ONE will take the "State Funded Care" that Jim has to be on now, until settlement comes in from the wreck. So, even though this is a "state" by "state by state" situation, it is all the same! Patients suffer, the medical professionals suffer, and those sitting in the "big house" on the Hill are not "concerned" because they know THEY are taken care of the rest of their lives. I know there are some "good people" in Congress.
There are some that are fighting day and night, tooth and nail to CHANGE, UPGRADE, get patients taken care of in a manner they should be, but also get the hospitals, all of the medical staff, and doctors paid what they are truly "Owed" .... I am enclosing a part of the AMA Network Newsletter I get Monthly... down on the side there is one article talking about just this... but I feel you will find this horrifying when you begin to really take it all in.... where will "Medicare" being in 10 years, 20 years, 50 years... I doubt our kids will even see anything called "Medicare".... if we as a country continue to allow this "bad" business to go on... ALL of us shall suffer needlessly....





http://www.patientsactionnetwork.com/lets-work-together-to-fix-medicare-now/

Border for Illness? Researchers for Chronic Illnesses, Autoimmune Diseases Connected in many Ways?, Lupus, RA, Sjogren's - How Many are you diagnosed with?

I post this morning getting off the "days gone by" and back to the medical world at at hand. This particular post came on one of my Med Page Today's News letter I get daily. It caught my eye for several reasons. First of all, this particular "illness" can be caused by being in water that carries it, dogs can carry it, rodents, which means larger cities with people that live on the streets could be more prone to it etc. But, in everyday life we, meaning any of us could come in contact with it. I young boy came in contact with it after being in another country, and he got ill after returning home. He was in and out of the hospital with what seemed to be aches and pains, stomach upset, and almost like flu symptoms. But, after researching his travels of latest they were able to put together the child had contracted  (leptospirosis) http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/46185...

Some of these types of illnesses are difficult to detect if they right questions are not asked, and now I have noticed more and more doctors asking me if I had been on a plane lately, traveled to another region overseas, been anywhere out of my normal home life anywhere, where you can pick up some of these illnesses. Not that they are not only there, just like this one, dogs can have and carry it, but it is more likely to be a more aggressive strain that your body may not be able to fight off unless you tell your physician right away following a trip to somewhere you have been, then suddenly you come down with symptoms of illness. Even around our world today, it seems Polio, which I can barely believe is back on the playing field of illnesses, and with a rampant rage from what I have read. I honestly thought polio was another one of those illnesses like "small pox" that had been eradicated from the world. Yet here were are with Polio showing up and in a good number since at one time we had cases almost down to nothing.

I've never had the pleasure of going anywhere out of the United States for any type of trip. So, I do know about all of the "standard" inoculations you must take in order to go to certain countries and so forth. These are due to coming in contact with some illnesses that may not be here, but they still exist in other parts of the world. Which leads me to the question... we are growing daily in to a "smaller world"... before you can type this out everyone all over the globe can be reading this in just about any country, any nation, any household, within the "hit" of enter on the key board. Thus it is no wonder why so many of these diseases we once considered gone from out nation and possibly world for good, are alive and thriving in the country you are flying to, or even the person you are sitting by could be carrying that illness that might be able to get on board your track or any numbers of illnesses such as these, that we don't often think even exist in in the USA, but could lurk in the very person sitting next to you. As highly intelligent as we are here in the USA, along with the brilliant researchers in the UK, China, some places such as India, we have the smartest doctors, researchers, fellow medical personnel that have ever been. But, our "diseases" seem to be getting a bit smarter also. Autoimmune Illnesses such as RA, Lupus, Sjogrens, MS, Still's disease, Diabetes 2, Myasthernia Gravis, Pernicious Anemia, .... others osteoporosis, FM, CFS/ME.. just a very few of the hundreds and hundreds of chronic illnesses people in our nation as well as all over the world live with, we are as in much deserving of the best treatments, the latest researchers, medications, testing, and all that has been found out by those that use their entire lives dedicated to finding a "reason" for these, finding a way to put them into "remission", medications to help with all of the side effects and other growing number of illnesses that "stem off" from Lupus, and such. More and more we find out due to this "pattern" of the World Wide Web, that at our fingertips, we can "see" how many other have all of a sudden come down with similar side "illnesses" - more like a Secondary to the first one, and often with very similar symptoms. RA and Lupus seem to run hand in hand... along with those I see that Sjogren's, Raynaud's, Vasculitis of sorts, Shingles, Heart Problems, Kidney problems, Liver issues... all almost seem to run neck and neck with what your were initially diagnosed with. It is overwhelming when you begin to research your own "symptoms" and diagnosis, that physicians give you. There is such an evolving realm of the latest and the greatest, of cures, of things to "explain" how Lupus or RA maybe genetic, or how CFS may come from this viral syndrome, or your teeth are falling out simply because with Sjogren's, they literally "rot" from the inside out, not like regular dental caries do. When you went to the dentist as a child, if you went, yo may have had the dentist find a small "cavity" a spot that was starting to become soft and weak, more or less "rotten" as I would call it, but it was "seen" from the outside of the tooth, then usually confirmed by one of the old fashioned cardboard mouth cutting X-rays they put in your mouth, aimed the machine at it, and then had to wait to see how it would look. Of course now it is as simple as holding a small "stick" in your hand, they put a small "digital" X-ray machine up there and they can snap away and get as many as they need. My latest adventure was the "panoramic" one. When that machine began to go all the way around my head, encircling it... and then immediately, I SAW every ROTTEN tooth in my mouth  almost fainted. The difference, these teeth "never" showed signs of issues. I never had a spot that hurt or turned dark, I never felt I needed to go to the dentist honestly, and after not having dental insurance for a long time as long as I brushed, flossed and took care of the, I thought I was "safe" as far as my teeth went. Then wholly cow a year ago, I huge piece of a back tooth broke off while I was eating something, and it was something soft.. Well before I could even get to the dentist another one did the same. I was wondering where all of a sudden this was coming from. I did know that "Sjogren's" could cause dry mouth, dry eyes, and was a pain when it came to those things. But not one of my doctors including ANY of the Rheumatologists, EVER informed me about the very "HORRIBLE" issues of Sjogren's...  Now here I am at 54 years old, of course IF I felt like fighting my health insurance com[any, I may get 60 percent of the $8,000.00! bill paid! But, while I am bickering with them, I am losing more teeth, which means more bone loss daily, which means a possibility of the implants or not wanting to fuse into the jaw bone properly... and you know where I am going..
So, who has "estimates" of $15,000.00 %$23,000.00 or even $8,000.00 lying around to give their dentist? I venture to say NOT MANY! Don't get me wrong, many of us probably have the "credit line" on a card or two in order to come up with $8,000.00. But, I mean "clear no interest cash payment", so when you walk out with all of your new and beautiful teeth, you do not owe on them until your are 95 years old!
I had and have choices to make. I could have "tried" to fight like hell against "Humana" and gotten a possible 60% (by the way even IF THE DOCTOR IS ON their PLAN) they still ONLY PAY 60% and not a penny more, even though this is caused from a medical problem. So, I would have still owed 40% of a bill that in Dallas at any of the larger Oral/Max Surgeons, would have been three times what the other 3 "estimates" were. So, I would have been well away, further from my dentist if I happen to come down with an infection or dry socket in the middle of the night or needed something on the weekend. You can BET there is NO WAY any of those in Dallas would come in, open up after hours... but they would tell you to either call this or that number, OR go to ER! Like the ER is going to do a damned thing about a tooth infection or a dry socket. Where, here my dentist is about 2 minutes away, 5 or 6 "small" city blocks and I bet if a dry socket or infection appears at night, after hours or on a weekend etc... HE DOES open the door to come in and fix it! Then I faced the fact that NOT one soul I know could drive me back and forth to Dallas right now. If I had any type of anesthesia (and believe me this time on Friday, I am asking him to "turn up" the gas) ... they were having heck getting the nose piece to stay where it neded it to be and I was not getting any of the medication I don't think... it never felt any different and I was not more relaxed as I usually am if they used the "laughing gas"... so Friday when he pulls SIX TEETH, I will make very sure I am "feeling some effects" from the has first. In fact I am looking that puppy up today to see how they determine how much and if you can ask them to "turn it up".... ;)




So, right about now you are asking yourself, what subject is this woman on today? illnesses" that come from other country's?, the many different realms of how autoimmune illnesses can turn from having one to several, how we need more informed physicians on these illnesses that will TELL US that SJOGREN"S is ROTTING YOUR TEETH PROBABLY, but we need to look with an X-ray because they are not "regular cavities" ???? or... How OUR world gets smaller, our diseases worse and spreading violently, how the USA does not care about "our healthy" BUT the CONGRESS SURE gives a darned about how much "medications, research, and pharmaceutical companies line their pockets?... Well, if you said ALL OF THEM! YOU get the prize... to me in one way or the other ALL is connected... we have illnesses that don't really "come" from here... but certainly"get here" rapidly from planes and ships, or not just people but animals, foods, anything shipped here from another country could have the capacity to make us "ill".. with one thing or the other... and every time I was an apple, or melon or a watermelon, banana, peach... you name it, I fear I am bruising it due to how hardly I am scrubbing.. like a child with dirt behind their ears ... trying to get every little germ off before I dry it off.
It is to the point we are inundated with worries about "germs", Illnesses, diseases, and all of the viral abundance of things out there that can make you a tad ill to those that can put you into the ICU for weeks on machines to keep your heart beating and your lungs breathing.

I am NOT downing the place our medical world is taking and has taken us. But, at times we have become so extremely concerned about the aspects of illness, we have a difficult time trying to enjoy those days we are NOT ILL! Now I know, like myself, any and everyone with a chronic illness, from Autoimmune Illnesses, to CFS, to like Jim as I am learning a (SCI) Spinal Cord Injury, & those that have lost limbs, had to have multiple joint surgeries, this list could go on forever about the about of those of us with some type of "chronic pain and/or issue, either in our own life, or in the life someone you are close to.
I've tried to figure out in my own "tiny small half fogged out brain of mine" why is it we seem to HAVE MORE illnesses... when I was a child I did not know nor hear about ALL of these illnesses, those with chronic pain and suffering, and those that had been harmed in an accident or came down with some "foreign" virus. IF there are more now, why? Well, if my own "stupidity" of a self would think again, as I have said before and will repeat myself again I am most sure ... we have MORE PEOPLE, WE ARE over covered in NEWS happening right then... we are stnading under the helicopters when they are searching for a thief. Or we have someone like Richard Engel that sometimes I wonder about) who seems to love to "dig down in the trenches" literally with those guys and girls over their protecting us... so first hand we see the bombs, the shooting, the massive about of bodies being dragged in a pile to be basically push into a deep pit and covered over. Because there are SO ANY BODIES, THERE is no way they could bury them all. Thus they will later probably build some time of "shrine" on that plot of land so they can "remember" those innocent men, women, and children that died needlessly over a "holy" war! This stupidity over in the Middle East is jut that stupidity. It has nothing to do with the "GOVERNMENT" or politics. Oh they may try and tell us that, but it is a war to help the people and to get back to "democracy" but  it truly is a "HOLD ABOUT GREED, CORRUPTION, & POWER... it is about "one's them "God's beliefs " over how they feel about"
It is NOT that MORE of these types of things are happening. Look back and you can see we got these pieces of information, NOT on an "I-Phone" or Smart Phone. We did not open our I-Pad, Laptop, or run to your desk top to check out what was going on . Thus the "news" was happening all along, we just did not know about it until we heard it on the news channel or happened to see it in our local paper or the Dallas Morning News. If bad weather was coming, of course we were informed as quickly as possible on our local news channels, but sometimes by radio, rather than on the television.
It has not been that many years ago, when "kids" were kids. We rode our bikes, went to school, learning math, reading, and thinking about our next Summer Vacation. Now there are kids that were my age in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades that are bringing loaded guns to school and killing  my fellow class mates. I can't even imagine where I would get an idea like that. I grew up in the 70's listening to the Eagles, Stones, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, naming them from Elvis to Porter Wagoner, and NONE of that music made me want to "harm" myself or my parents, or anyone for that matter. But the point of the matter is, we DID have probably many terrible things going on. We were in wars, like Vietam, and the Korean War, & have since then had to FIGHT to keep our Nation a free nation.

I am not saying that it is a bad thing, but kids now days know MORE about guns, war, fighting, drugs, sex, & just about any other crude, distasteful subject you could dream up to talk to them about, and bet is, many of them would be able to tell you something about every category. IF you asked them where they heard about a particular type of weapon, or some type of drugs out on the street, if they want to, I am quite sure they would say one of the other students, or students parents, or teachers (kids of course sometimes overhear teachers and our) conversations.

There are things to this day, that I would be clueless to talk about when it came to certain subjects, and I know my almost 30 yr old and 35  (I think almost 36) year old could come right out and tell me that had known that for years and years!

Eve though our "time lines" in many ways are somewhat the same.... many of us in our late 40's early 50's like clothes, music, movies, concerts etc just like my 30 and 35 year old does. Then there were MANY differences in how I raised them to think versus how my Dad, wanted my Mom to "teach" me. SHELTERED! Keep the women of the house "dumb" or not as intelligent thus men keep control, and things stay "in harmony".... Sorry Dad, but that was total bull crap!

Not me, I tried my best to teach them what was RIGHT and what was WRONG!, how to treat others, and to get the best education (at that time) that you can or find something in a job you "love", and then hold onto that job. If it is not really quite the right one, that one will appear someday if you are patient. Well guess what... most of the things I taught them "stuck" BUT "patience" is NOT one of them... if they WANT it they want it NOW!!! No saving up, no waiting until we have the money, not giving thought to other things that could effect the bottom line, and yes to this day, I hear it from my daughter quite frequently that they are "talking about" saving up for the house they finally want to build.... BUT the next week they will have a new vehicle or another travel trailer when the huge hail storm beat it to pieces down by the Frio River this last before before when they had the BASEBALL sized hail!!!

Okay, after taking the VERY LONG ROUTE to get to my point, is exactly what my point is. As "technologically intelligent" as we are, the things we NEED to accomplish are mind boggling and astronomical. I know with the highly educated, and some of the best genius' that have ever been on this planet, someday, someday, they SHALL bring US the LIGHT! It will "turn onto" a whole new way of treating illnesses for all. It will be something that will totally change Medical Science and send the "older doctors" packing because it shall be that advanced. I honestly have no doubts in that. OF course it is NOT going to happen "overnight", in a decade. or whatever kind of "number" you want to calculate it to.

The ONE THING that SHALL REMAIN CONSTANT throughout ALL OF THIS NEW ADVANCEMENT and what shall NEVER change... and that is "US". WE the volunteers, the advocacy people, the Ambassadors, the Activists... our VOICES MUST remain the one CONSTANT now, and forever until eternity. We are an integral part of what MAKES Laws come from being a "thought" to ACTION! We are the voices that ring out on Capitol Hill with groups such as Arthritis Foundation, IFAA, WEGO, The Lupus Foundation... and SO MANY MORE there are too many to truly name... and within the "cyber walls" that bind us ideas ""give birth".... and they teeter and totter just like a toddler as well make way for bigger and better place to go. And as we Watch that "one small idea" become living and helping out those who need it so desperately... we can thank one another and our own selves for the tireless, no pay, volunteer, hours for making that become what it is today.

So, as I cover many things in this post... I hope you pick up something that gives you a 'light" tonight to take with you... and make your own idea "be born".....


Here is the link what began my "brain" power and thoughts or what is left of my brain... what is left and that is not of too blogged to write the above...

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/46185

More on RA- Critical News when it comes to how it Systemically Effects the Body...

There are several great links, article and information that is critical to know about  RA and how it can Systemically Effect the Body. Many people think of "Rheumatoid Arthritis" as "arthritis", which is TOTALLY WRONG!  "RA:(Rheumatoid Arthritis) can effect just about every part of the body... starting at the joints sometimes. Yet, it can cause horrible fatigue, heart problems, liver and kidney problems, problems with the brain, with they eyes, with the ears... and so much more. That is why you see so many of us trying to "get the word out" and spread the news these are serious illnesses that when you delve into them, you find they can be "deadly". Lupus, which is another Autoimmune Arthritis,  can even be worse, damaging skin, bones, the heart, liver, the lungs, causing severe fatigue, brain fog, and leading to heart problems and stroke problems. Women and/or men with RA have a 50 percent chance HIGHER in have a heart attack or stroke.

When I saw these a moment ago, I wanted to post them. They go along with the WAAD14 and all of the information, research, and activist roles we are in with the IFAA, the Arthritis Foundation, WEGO  and many others out there trying to get better research that would lead to a earlier diagnosis, earlier treatment, less sign effects & catch these illness BEFORE they do GARVE Damage as they have on many of us.                          


http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/rheumatoid-arthritis/expert-interview/a/44104


http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/rheumatoid-arthritis/early-diagnosis/a/44107



http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/rheumatoid-arthritis/



http://www.medpagetoday.com/resource-center/rheumatoid-arthritis/Infographic/i/38228?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2014-03-17&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&eun=g773630d0r&userid=773630&email=rhia@ravishingrhia.com&mu_id=5952786

Fibromyalgia new theory on Adrenal/ Thyroid glands & certain chemical levels could be a cause...

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/steps-authentic-happiness-positive-psychology/2013/nov/11/fibromyalgia-indisputable-proof-claims-uk-research/



One of the largest mysteries I believe in the last decade has been(  FM) Fibromyalgia  and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There has been a tale to tell on every piece of the wide spectrum of these "illnesses", from it is that women are "nut" cases, it does not exist, to it comes from some type of tests on rats that was supposed to have been answer, & then it was finally and formally called FM, an illness.

Most of us that have an autoimmune arthritic disease (es), have probably had this be a "diagnosis" somewhere during your hunt for the "real and definite answer"... may not be "red" but truth is what we seek.

Then there is the huge dilemma that has been the talk of any and everyone that has FM and/or CFS(they seem to run hand in hand) from the Whittemore - Peterson clinic I believe right at the state lines of Nevada and Colorado. For several decades the talk about how almost every "well" person in town came down with this "yuppie" flu, I believe was one of the many names it was called over the years. Yet, as I think about the "glands" in our bodies and how much they control everything, it would make perfect sense that at least as far as the symptoms, "they fit the bill." Our Adrenal glands, including the pituitary gland, the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands, I think Just lately I found out there are like 400 glands in our bodies. Those two adrenal glands are vital for us to live. They control weight, appetite, have lots to do with hormones and how they are regulated in the body. They control your temperature, and without them would would quickly perish. But due to fatigue, lack of being able to withstand temperature changes,  and many other things that keep our bodies running.

If you are interested in more information as to not only adrenal glands but the endocrine gland system, you maybe quite surprised at what some of them are. Ovaries for one are an "endocrine" gland.

Onto this new article and FM. I've always in my own thoughts (I am NOT a doctor and do not perceive to be) just IMOHO, they are some type of an autoimmune disease.  AFter all think about HOW MANY OF US at one time or the other, or even now have, have had that diagnosis. Then how many of us felt we were given that as a "junk" or "Trash Can" illness, so we would shut up. Then they fill us full of antidepressants and tell us it is "stress" and "anxiety"... we need to just "chill" . As I sometimes say "just another brick in the wall"... now they are trying to convince you it is ALL in your HEAD! And the very sad thing is, there are doctors out there today, that have heard all of the reports, yet they still throw out FM, when they can't seem to find something to "stick". I thought the portion about "lab work" and those quote "normal" ranges that come from the labs frequently. And as I said on a post of FB, I've had it happen twice to me as of lately. I called them on it after I did some research, and U was correct. That "so-called normal" range was NOT normal for me at all. Both cases caused me to have to stop one medication and the other I had to take a new medication for. Had I not pointed those out to the doctors, it may have been looked at later, or possibly not until I had further symptoms. So, it is just another reminder to WATCH OUT FOR YOU! It is a critical thing each of us with these types of chronic illnesses MUST do, to have a better quality of life....

A Flare, The FLU - I PRAY NEITHER!!!!!

I HOPE I am NOT in a FLARE!!! 

I have had to cancel me going to our High School's last football game with our big rivals over in Waxahachie, our county seat. We had planned to go several weeks ago and I bought tickets yesterday. BUT, it was NOT supposed to RAIN darned it! So, I have felt a bit "off" today for some reason. Just had a headache, my stomach not all that great.. and NOW it appears we will have rain about time for the game. Well if it were something extremely important, then I would "push" aside the warning signs of either a flare or my worst fear the flu. I have not gotten my flu shot yet and I've in the doctors office twice in the past 10 days. They were out of the vaccine this last time I was there, thus I have not went onto Wal-Greens and gotten it. Now I almost feel feverish, cold yet kind of clammy, and my legs and lower back are achey. So, bless his heart I guess he will have to go alone. He has called everyone we can think of, and of course the one time he tries no one is available In fact, one of the guys from his meetings has Lupus. He is in a flare right now actually. My husband called him earlier in the day to see if he was going. We had talked about catching up at the game and all sitting together. I met him Halloween night at the "birthday" meeting, and happened to mention the BAD "P" word! Prednisone… and something else was said and he happened to say he knew that P word well, he has Lupus!!! Wow, it is amazing how to "meet" other "birds of the feather"  Anyway, I DON"T want EITHER!!! And sure as HELL not the flu. Last time I had the flu, I got double pneumonia AND WHOOPING COUGH with it! I was on the sofa for about 8 days and could not barely crawl to the bathroom and back. It is a nightmare…. so at that time I had not been diagnosed with any type of AI diseases, but a PCP there already suspected it and was going to send me to a Rheumatologist there in Seattle. We came to Ennis before I went thus found out probably a great deal "too much" later about the MCTD, Lupus, Sjogren's, Raynauds, and the RA. Anyway, keep me in your minds over the next 2 days. I and my Mom are supposed to be going to a Girls overnight trip out on Sunday/Monday to OK, to Winstar! I am going to be extremely miffed if I am too sick to go! :);) Autoimmune Arthritis Illnesses??? "Ain't they grand?!"

10 Awesome Exciting Achievements in Lupus Research For Medications and More

http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_empty.aspx?articleid=2847&zoneid=99

This is an exciting situation for those of us suffering from Lupus (SLE) and other autoimmune diseases. There are several medications that are on the brink of being possibly approved this year 2010 for combating the horrible symptoms, and the damage that Lupus does. Positive results for slowing down, shortening, and possibly halting flares have been shown in clinical trials, along with little or no serious side effects. Plus there has been much advancement in finding the bio-markers that could be partially or all the cause of those of us who come down with Lupus and/or other related autoimmune illnesses.

I am so thrilled and cannot wait until I can possibly try one of these medications.

I hope all of you who are Lupus patients, family, friends and caretakers are as excited as I am...

Rhia