Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Today is my most favorite day of the year. Yes, even more special to me than my anniversary or birthday. I absolutely love everything about Halloween. Today, Chris and I have so many things planned that I know I'm going to be wore out tomorrow. First, we're going to go up to Greenwood and see about getting a newer vehicle. We've nearly paid off the one we have, but it's getting to the point where we need a new one. Too much mileage and the poor thing is getting tired. We're VIP customers at the dealership, so we'll see what happens. Later on, I'm planning to spend time with my brother, Billy, and then come home to cook the Halloween or Samhain meal for our traditional celebration tonight. It's going to be great. Oh, and of course, we mustn't forget the little ghosts and goblins that are going to be visiting our house tonight! Muwhahahaaa!

Even though there's a weather front moving through, I feel okay today. I think I may have some kind of sinus thing starting again, but I'm hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that I don't. Okay, they're not crossed while I'm typing. I noticed this morning that I had a small bruise near my injection site on my stomach. I don't know if it's from the Enbrel shot or not, but I'll keep a close eye on it in the meantime. For some reason the past few days have been kinda hard for me. My heart keeps pounding just about everytime I try and do things, even something small such as walking from one room to the next. This happens also after I take my heart medication. I have called and left a message at the rheumy's office for him to call me back, but I know with me being gone most of the day that they'll call tomorrow. Still have to find a flu shot. I don't think I can have one at the moment because I'm starting to get another sinus thing but I can atleast have a plan to get one. Other than that, I'm just feeling a bit tired and sluggish. Yet I'm so happy it's Halloween that I want to do a whole bunch of things.

The weekend with my niece went well. Yes, there were the typical times that the baby would make its presence known, but overall it was a fun weekend. I definitely am glad that she stayed. I hope she gets a good grade on the project because I feel she did a really good job responding quickly to the baby's needs and wants. Yet with this short entry, I'm off. I need to get into the shower and get ready for the drive to Greenwood. It's about forty-five minutes to get there so I'm going to be comfortable.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Many Blessings
By Catherine Pulsifer

"Reflect on your present blessings of which every man has many, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." Charles Dickens

We all have many blessings. If you made a list of all the things you could be thankful for, the list would undoubtedly be longer than your misfortunes.

Accept whatever your misfortune is and move on. There are some things over which you have no control, and to dwell on them serves no useful purpose. Adopting the "poor me" attitude gives no promise and offers no gain.

A lot of the things we take for granted would be considered a blessing by someone in less fortunate circumstances. Take our health care system, for example. It is only a dream for millions of other people in the world, yet it's something we take for granted.

When you think of life, think first about the blessings you have.
Don't focus on misfortunes, for they are but a faint shadow.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Catherine Pulsifer is one of the editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.com. You will find a collection of motivational thoughts, stories, quotes, poems, smiles, proverbs, and more at Words of Wisdom 4 U!

Source

Health Headlines 10/31/05

Leukemia Drug Shows Modest Benefit for Prostate Cancer ~> Click here.

What is the best treatment strategy for early rheumatoid arthritis? ~> Click here.

Cancer cell communication exposed ~> Click here.

Phase III MabThera maintenance trial in lymphoma shows positive results earlier than expected ~> Click here.

New Immune Cell Found to Be a Key to Inflammatory Diseases ~> Click here.

Broccoli Sprouts, Cabbage, Ginkgo Biloba and Garlic: Grocery List for Cancer Prevention ~> Click here.

Baby gone home

This weekend's excitement had come to an end. Lol, my niece had to go home around noon today because Chris and I had to finish up winterizing the house as well as doing some housework. The experience of having a newborn "baby" around for the weekend didn't really mean as much to me as it did to her. There quite a few times when I know she wanted to just give up, but to her credit, she stuck with it. Luckily the baby wasn't a colic one nor did it fuss too much today. In fact, we had to check it a couple times to make sure the batteries didn't die. I had to fill out a questionaire about her progress with it and I warned her that I was going to be honest in it. So, now she has a little over twelve hours until she has to turn it into the teacher. I really hope that she gets a good grade as she did a good job in my book. Okay, I'm biased a little. Lol.

This morning was so much colder than yesterday. There wasn't as thick a layer of frost on the grass and cars, but the temperature was definitely lower. I really believe we're going to get a small amount of snow here soon. Would not surprise me in the least bit. In fact, it's supposed to rain during the evening tomorrow (hopefully after the trick-or-treaters have gone home for the night). I'm just glad that the majority of the cold air is holding off for whatever reason. I know it could be a lot colder than it is.

I'm feeling okay today. My heart seems to be beating really fast whenever I am doing something physical for more than five minutes, that includes just walking from point A to point B. I have taken my heart medication as I'm scheduled but it's still doing it some. I probably am going to tell the doctor about it tomorrow when I call about getting flu shots. I have never had one before but because the Enbrel lowers the immune system, I have to have one if at all possible. I'm trying to get one from the doctor's office, whether my rheumy or family, because I don't want to go to a flu shot clinic. I just trust the doctor's office more. In fact, I have a female exam coming up next week, well actually a week from this coming Tuesday. Oh, the joys of being a woman! Lol, not particularly something I enjoy but necessary due to my family's medical history. I also just want to be careful.

Well, yes, I know this is semi-short, but I have much to do and not much time to do it in. Having my niece this weekend allowed me to spend some quality one on one time with her and I hope she realizes that she can come to me for any reason. I just had to put a lot of things on the back burner and now I have to catch up. Not that I mind, lol.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

As You Grew
By Catherine & Byron Pulsifer

As you grew, no matter what happened we looked at the sunny side of life.
As you leave, take with you the wisdom to focus on the "good" in life!

As you grew, we helped you avoid unnecessary worry.
As you leave, remember that 90% of what you worry about never happens.

As you grew, we encouraged you to be open and direct.
As you leave, never lose your honesty with those whom you speak.

As you grew, we helped you find solutions.
As you leave, always remember there is a solution to every problem.

As you grew, we encouraged individual thought and action.
As you leave, continue to be independent and persevere when faced with life's challenges.

As you grew, we reinforced the value of family & friends.
As you leave, always make time for family and friends.

As you grew, we shared many happy times.
As you leave, always take time to laugh every day.

As you grew, we taught you values, right from wrong.
As you leave, always stay true to your own values, don't be influenced by others.

As you grew, we taught you to set goals and take action.
As you leave, may all your dreams turn into goals.

As you grew, we emphasized money is not happiness.
As you leave, always cherish the simple things in life!

As you grew, we encouraged you to live each day.
As you leave, take with you the thought that each day you are given is a "present"!

The poem, "As You Grew", was written for our daughter when she got her first apartment. No matter where you are in life, may the "as you leave", be our wish for you! About The

Authors:Catherine & Byron Pulsifer are the editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.com. A bit of motivation for your week!

Source

Health Headlines 10/30/05

Genetic link between heart disease and psoriasis ~> Click here.

'Know thyself' - easier said than done ~> Click here.

Phase III MabThera maintenance trial in lymphoma shows positive results earlier than expected ~> Click here.

Upfront Combination Therapy Improves Early RA Symptoms ~> Click here.

Faulty gene increases risk of breast cancer in relatives of patients ~> Click here.

Daily Inspiration

A Credit Check on Your Balance
by Catherine Pulsifer

When we go to the bank for a loan they look at our debt ratio by calculating how much we spend on housing, how much we spend using credit cards, etc. Depending on the percentages (and of course, by our credit rating) they agree or don't agree to lend us the money we requested.

If you were to take one week and calculate your percentage for:
- Time spent at work;
- Time spent with your family and friends;
- Time spent improving yourself (whether by taking a course or reading a book, etc.);
- Time spent relaxing;
- Time spent sleeping;
what would your ratio be? Would you say you had a balanced life?

To keep our credit in good standing, we need to ensure we keep an eye on the percentages of where our money is being allocated. If we don't do this, we could end up with not being able to borrow money. The same principle applies to our time. Are we allocating our time in the right percentages? At times, it is difficult to keep a proper balance in our lives. But, over time, an improper balance will lead to problems such as:
- too much time at work leads to burn out;
- too much time with family and friends can cause anxiety with your work;
- too much time improving yourself will leave little time to apply what you have learned;
- too much time relaxing can lead to issues with your work; and,
- too much time sleeping can cause all kinds of problems!

I could flip everyone one of these points and comment instead on "not enough time". But, I think you understand what I am driving at. It is balance; we need it. The sad part is that some people pay more attention to their credit than they do to their own balance in life!

Stop and assess your ratio.
Do you have a life balance?

About The Author:Catherine Pulsifer is one of editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.comInspirational quotes, inspirational poems, plus more!

Source

Health Headlines 10/29/05

New Melatonergic Antidepressant Combines Efficacy With Very Favourable Side-Effect Profile ~> Click here.

Female Breast Cancer Patients Who Live Closer to Radiation Therapy Facilities Less Likely To Undergo Mastectomy, Study Says ~> Click here.

National Association Holds Meeting on Efforts To Reduce Prescription Drug Costs, USA ~> Click here.

Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms ~> Click here.

Drug Combo Best for Rheumatoid Arthritis ~> Click here.

Okay, this is early.

Sorry that this is a few hours early. My niece is coming over to stay until Sunday because she has a project in a child development class that is noisy and causes stress. Lol, yes, she's going to bring home a plastic baby programmed to be like a newborn. So, we'll see how it goes. Other than that, my day has been a pretty lazy one. I woke up feeling okay, just a little ache here and there. The temperature here was in the mid 30s F causing a freeze advisory to be in effect. I will say that for once, the weatherman wasn't lying! When I walked out onto the screened porch to let my dog, Dudley, out to do his business, I nearly lost my breath! It was definitely cold enough for snow had a storm been happening at the same time. Two weeks ago when I mentioned to my husband, Chris, that I felt as though winter was going to come early this year, I didn't think that it would come true. Lol, so much for being right! Tonight, the temperature is supposed to dip even lower. The weatherman has issued a freeze warning for our area, so my plants are safely inside the house now. The sky was clear all day today which made it so much better in my opinion.

I still felt really tired when I woke up this morning. As I was sitting here at the computer, working on the health headlines, all I wanted to do was go back to bed. It got to the point where I actually did crawl back into the bed for a couple more hours. Even now I feel like I could just drift off to sleep. Tonight's shot night. I'm thinking that has a large part in the fact I feel so tired and drained. Also doing more around the house has helped to wear me out. I am still doing laundry as I'm only averaging a couple loads a day. I put off the laundry for a week or so because it takes me a while to do the folding. But it also makes me feel good that I'm still able to do something as simple as that. Yay for simple things.

Last night after my entry, Chris walked in the door. He had come home early from work because he was getting sick at work. He has to work all weekend so he will be able to make up the hours he missed without having to take a penalty. He just felt sick to his stomach and was in and out of the bathroom. No fever so I don't think I'm going to catch anything. That's a good thing considering that we are entering cold and flu season. I have to be careful since I am on Enbrel shots for the Psoriatic Arthritis. That pretty much means that my immune system is lowered or not there at all. I've been taking the shots since August of this year. I have noticed an improvement in the amount of movement I have gained and also the way the psoriasis is disappearing on my scalp. Before I use to hide and try my hardest to get of going anywhere. Now I still cringe when I have to go out but it isn't so bad.

Well, my niece and her "baby" have finally arrived. I'm off to spend time with her. I'll write more tomorrow and let you all know how her first night goes.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

You Can Make A Difference
by Catherine Pulsifer

A story I heard many years ago, tells of how one person made a difference.

Early one evening a man was walking along a beach when he saw a boy picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. The man asked the boy why he was doing this. The boy explained the starfish would die if left to the morning. The man asked the boy, "What difference will your efforts make when there are thousands of starfish on the beach?" The boy stopped and looked at the starfish he was holding and said, "It will make a difference to this one."

This story reminds me of the quote from Edward Everett Hale: "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do."

There are a countless number of opportunities where we can make a difference every day.

At times, however, we do not take action because we think we can only do a little and it won't make a difference. However, the story and the quote above reminds us that even if we can only do a little, we can make a difference.

It is all in your own attitude!


About The Author:Catherine Pulsifer is one of editors of Words of Wisdom 4 U, http://www.wow4u.comInspirational quotes, motivational quotes, plus more!


Source

Health Headlines 10/28/05

Treat Pain With Sugar ~> Click here.

Cervical Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise ~> Click here.

New DNA Breakthrough Can Change Future Of Medicine ~> Click here.

Synthetic human protein eases acute and chronic arthritis symptoms in mice ~> Click here.

Just a Lazy Day

I know that I did my other portion of the post earlier in the morning. I think it's a pattern that I may continue since it has given me a freedom to live my day and have a little more to write about. It just seems like a good way to capture the day, beginning and end. Today was nothing more than a day to catch up with some of the things I had been putting off for one reason or another. Though I felt a little of the stiff side, I managed to do a couple loads of laundry. At this rate, I'll be done with it within the next year. Lol, just kidding. I am just happy that I was able to do laundry two days in a row. Most times I have to do laundry one day, wait a day and then do some more. So, really this is a record. I also managed to take a bath by myself. That may not seem like a big deal to others, but for me it is. Usually, I am only able to take showers and they tend to take about a half hour. By the time I am through washing my hair and body, drying off makes me feel completely exhausted. So to get into the tub and soak a while, then wash and then dry off makes me feel like I'm starting to be able to be a regular person. Finally.

The weather was a mixture today. The morning was bright, sunny, and really wonderful to be sitting upon the front porch, reading or writing. I let the dog out for a little while, watching him play around the yard for a bit before he wanted to come back into the house. I wrote for a little while in my journal (offline) and then read. I have a competition of sorts going with an internet friend who lives in Ireland and is an avid reader. Lucky woman gets to work in a library with easy access to lots of books. She's basically rekindled my love for books and so I have decided it was time to weed through my own person library of books, re-reading those that I haven left to sit upon the shelves for awhile. There's no way I'm going to catch her as she's recorded over two thousand books, but it's worth the time and books to try. So, needless to say, I've been steadily reading away when I get the chance.

I'm so ready for Halloween to get here. It has to be my most favorite holiday of them all. Not because of the present day celebrations but what used to be the standard for celebrating the arrival of All Hallow's Eve. Truth be told, it's almost as if I am a person reborn after that magical night. And in all honesty, I am as it is the new year celebration for those of a non-Christian faith. Just to be clear, I have my own beliefs and many do not correspond to the "right" religion of the moment. I have a very strong sense of faith and it has guided me through many a restless night and tough situation. So I do not disbelieve anything. I merely take what my heart tells me that is true and I use it in my life the way that I feel I need to. Whether that makes one not read this blog or not is up to your, dear reader. Just know I shall miss you if you go.

Since I have typed the last portion of my post for the day, I'm off to do a little more reading and then fall asleep. I am hoping against hope that I am able to get a solid night's worth of sleep but we shall see. With the weather changing from warm to cold a lot as it usually does this time of year, I have moments of insomnia due to the pain and stiffness of muscles and joints. Maybe since this Enbrel is starting to work for me, I can have less insomnia and more sleep. One can only hope.

Until next time,
Kim

Daily Inspiration

Life is a Do-It-Yourself Project
By Author Unknown

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family.

He would miss the paycheck, but he wanted to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. If we build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realized that we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely.

It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Your attitudes and the choices you make today will be your life tomorrow, build it wisely.

Source

Health Headlines 10/27/05

Why are women more sensitive to pain than men? Study ~> Click here.

Genetic map of human diversity completed, hope for cure of many diseases ~> Click here.

Immune therapy could treat leukemias, autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection ~> Click here.

Promise for psoriasis treatment from chemical cousin of anti-anxiety drugs holds ~> Click here.

Watch out Arthritis: A New Enemy in Sight ~> Click here.

Life is so precious

I'm sitting here at the computer, updating the journals and reading through emails while the television is playing in the background. While reading through a joke that a friend had sent me when I heard a news update come across the screen. A woman I had gone to school with died while trying to swim to shore in Belize on Monday. The authorities had spent two day searching for her body before finding it today. This woman was such a sweet, smart person that I knew would be able to make a difference in the world. She was a medical student poised to go far as well as the winner of the Indianapolis 500 Princess beauty paegent. The thing that makes me the saddest right now is knowing that our high school reunion is set for next month, almost to the day of her death. I was really looking forward to seeing her. I know plan to make the trip to see her at the funeral home, something I don't really enjoy doing under any circumstances.

The weather outside today matches the way I feel now. Earlier the day was beautiful. The sky was crisp and clear with hints of clouds. The leaves are now changing colors, filling the streets with visions of golds, reds, and purples. It kinda makes the street look as if it is a corridor into some magical land. I love this time of year because the world is changing and it does feel magical to me. It does increase my pain levels but the beauty of nature makes it seem worthwhile. Healthwise, I'm doing okay today. Seem to have a small amount of a sniffle but I don't think it's going to become anything more. At least, I hope it doesn't. Today is just going to be a boring day for me. There's not much planned for me to do except try and do some laundry. The hardest part of the whole laundry process is the bending to put clothes into and out of the dryer. The washer is okay because I lift up. Not too many problems there. So we'll see how today does.

I know this is short. I have been doing a lot of typing today. More than I have done in a long while. I promise to make this my first stop from now on.
Until next time, take care.
Kim

Daily Inspiration

The Secret of Happiness
by Steve Brunkhorst, © Copyright 2004

The old man shuffled slowly into the restaurant. With head tilted, and shoulders bent forward, he leaned on his trusty cane with each unhurried step.

His tattered cloth jacket, patched trousers, worn out shoes, and warm personality made him stand out from the usual Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Unforgettable were his pale blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds, large rosy cheeks, and thin lips held in a tight, steady smile.
He stopped, turned with his whole body, and winked at a little girl seated by the door. She flashed a big grin right back at him. A young waitress named Mary watched him shuffle toward a table by the window.

Mary ran over to him, and said, "Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair."

Without saying a word, he smiled and nodded a thank you. She pulled the chair away from the table. Steadying him with one arm, she helped him move in front of the chair, and get comfortably seated. Then she scooted the table up close to him, and leaned his cane against the table where he could reach it.

In a soft, clear voice he said, "Thank you, Miss. And bless you for your kind gestures."

"You're welcome, Sir." She replied. "And my name is Mary. I'll be back in a moment, and if you need anything at all in the mean time, just wave at me!"

After he had finished a hearty meal of pancakes, bacon, and hot lemon tea, Mary brought him the change from his ticket. He left it lay. She helped him up from his chair, and out from behind the table. She handed him his cane, and walked with him to the front door.

Holding the door open for him, she said, "Come back and see us, Sir!"

He turned with his whole body, winked a smile, and nodded a thank you. "You are very kind." he said softly.

When Mary went to clean his table, she almost fainted. Under his plate she found a business card, and a note scribbled on a napkin. Under the napkin was a one hundred dollar bill.
The note on the napkin read...

"Dear Mary, I respect you very much, and you respect yourself too. It shows by the way you treat others. You have found the secret of happiness. Your kind gestures will shine through those who meet you."

The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she, or any of his employees had ever seen him in person.

Note: This story is based on actual events experienced by a friend from St. Paul, Minnesota. The note is the exact wording on the napkin that she has kept in her scrap book for fifteen years.

Source

Health Headlines

Local anesthetics are effective for neuropathic pain ~> Click here.

Despite rarity of errors in chemotherapy orders, improvements still needed, study finds ~> Click here.

Researchers Achieve Rapid Restoration of Immunity in Immune-Suppressed Cancer Patients ~> Click here.

Rheumatoid arthritis, new drug offers relief and increased mobility ~> Click here.

A Possible New Phase For Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment ~> Click here.

The Beginning

Okay, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's get down to business. Just what am I talking about when I say I have Psoriatic Arthritis. Well, let's get the technical description first. According to WebMD.com, Psoriatic Arthritis (or PA as it is commonly called) is just like other types of arthritis is that it has many of the symptoms such as the pain and swelling mainly caused by and overactive immune system which enflames the tissues around the joint. Plus you get the added joy of trying to deal with the embarrassment of psorasis. The disease itself and be crippling depending on where the disease strikes and how badly the joints become enflamed. I myself have had to endure flares (times when the inflammation is most active) that have kept me bedridden because the joints affected are in my hands, feet and lower back. So, even though I am 28 years old, I can not do as many of the things I'd love to due to the arthritis and how it's taken over my life. I also have psorasis on my elbows, knees, and my entire scalp that makes it difficult for me to go out in public without feeling some sort of embarrassment. I still go out but it takes a lot of preparation and then I constantly feel as though people are wondering what's wrong with me. The only thing that really bothers me is the fact that my scalp is so flaky and other people judge so much before knowing what's going on in another person's life.

Since I've started mentioning my life and past with not only PA but the family's illnesses as well, I think I ought to clue you into what has been my life for the past ten years and counting. During my senior year of high school (1994 - 1995), my brothers and I were excited during the Christmas holiday break in December of 1994. I was busy working on school applications for colleges as well as working at the local movie theatre, which I love and still hold as my favorite job of all time. My brothers were ordinary brothers, annoying and always pestering to get attention. Billy was the oldest of the two, born in 1980. Andy came along in 1981. We were the all American family with the 2.1 kids. Andy, of course, was the .1 kid due to the fact my mother and father were not planning on his conception. Even so, we all got along as brothers and sisters do. The second week of our Christmas break started out with Billy sick with what we thought was the flu at the time. I had recently recovered from it and Andy seemed immune to it. Billy had been sleeping off and on for about two days, always crying out every so often for my mother. On the third day, Billy was crying out more and more often, wanting Mom to come and help him because he hurt and couldn't breathe. He said his side was hurting, like someone was sticking a knife in him. Because Andy and I were thinking he had the flu, we did tell him to knock off his yelling and crying, that there was nothing to be done until Mom came home. But it got worse. His cries grew loud enough to wake my father, who worked nights at the time and was alseep in his room on the second story of our townhouse apartment. My father went to the pharmacy to get some cold remedy products, but none of them would help Billy or ease his pain. My mother decided to come home early from her shift at work, saw that Billy's lips were tinged blue and convinced Dad to either call 911 or take my brother to the hospital. Off they went to the hospital, leaving Andy and myself at the apartment. Seven long hours later, my mother returns home to tell us that Billy is in the Intensive Care Unit and that his lungs were filled with blood. We weren't allowed to stay out at the hospital that night because the waiting room for ICU was full. So we stayed at the apartment waiting to find out what was wrong with Billy. He was getting ready to turn 15 in January of 1995 when he was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus, a disease that affects women more than men and usually during child bearing years. After we learned what he had, the entire family was tested for the same thing. My test was the only one to come back inconclusive, as I mentioned before and set me off on my own journey along a path of dealing with a long-term disease. My brother did recover from that episode and has experienced several more over the years. I'm very happy to say that he's doing very well at this moment in time and living as best a life as he is able to do so.

I moved out of my mother's apartment into one of my own in August of 1996. Chris moved in with me about three months later. I've known him most of my life, starting with our meeting when I was 12 years old. We had attempted a relationship several times when I was going through high school, but we each had our own things to work on. This time we stuck it out and eventually married in May of 2000. He knew and was by my side during my decline in health that seemed to start in 1999. Even though I had some joints that were inflammed, I really didn't think anything of it and kept living as though I was perfectly fine until one more when I couldn't get out of bed and step onto the floor without yelping in pain. Making it to the bathroom was almost like walking upon a path of cut glass. I was able to get into a rheumatologist that didn't really care about my questions and just said, "You have PA. We're giving you this. Take it." Soon after that, I lost my insurance and couldn't stand on my feet long enough to hold a job any longer. Chris finally was able to get a job but we still couldn't afford insurance. I had to go to a free clinic that enabled me to see a doctor every three months or so for about ten minutes. After a year and a half of going there, Chris was hired at a factory that provided very good insurance and I went back to my family doctor. It was shortly after that my family doctor admitted he was out of his league when dealing with my care and referred me to a very good rheumatologist. I have been blessed by the rheumatologist in many ways because he takes the time to listen to me and explains things instead of just shoving me out the door. That's pretty much my journey so far when it comes to the first finding I had something wrong to where I am today. The one constant has been Chris beside every step of the way and not caring how bad my mood swings have been or the fact we were barely making it as I was waiting on approval for Disability since I can no longer stand on my feet for long.

He and I just went through a period of uncertainty with his health a few months ago. He was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma stage IV in January of this year (2005). The great thing is that we were able to catch the cancer and tests revealed that it was the slow growing type. Therefore the medication and chemotherapy were enough to put him into a cancer-free status. He will have to have CT scans and bloodwork done every three or four months for the next couple of years to make sure he's still cancer free. We've basically been given a second chance for which I'm completely grateful. So, now we take it day by day. Hope I didn't bore you for too long. Thanks for reading.

Until next time,
Kim

Welcome!

Well, welcome to the blog o' me. Warning for you up front, this blog may be a little boring, so if you don't like it, don't read it. I'm more or less going to do background and all that so don't fall asleep.

I decided to create this place because I have figured out that I'm not the only who has to deal with the daily challenges of Psoriatic Arthritis and its many related diseases and conditions. I feel that creating a place where I can share my daily struggles may help someone else who's feeling the same feelings that I am or going through similar situations. That's the blessings of this day and age, I guess. Besides the health stuff, I am going to through in some news and gossip, not to mention comics that I love. So stay tuned!

Blessings,
Kim