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Tina's Tips

Arthritis can affect your ability to do even the simplest of tasks. I've heard some people say, "Accept your limitations." I'm not sure accepting them is the way to go. I prefer to challenge those limitations, work around them, finding alternate ways of achieving the same goal. Every week I'll share some tips I've found to work around those annoying limitations and I hope all of you will send in your tips too. We may not be the next Martha Stewart, but sometimes the simplest things can help so much.

What a wonderful tip from Mary! If anyone else has info on such a center in your state, please let us know and we will compile a list.

I wanted others in the group to know about a resource that I've found invaluable, my state's assisted technology lending library. I know each state is supposed to have a center for lending but I was unable to find a link for all the states. In Pennsylvania that library is at Temple University.
The URL is http://www.temple.edu/inst_disabilities/atlend 

I have borrowed everything from a suitcase full of reachers, about 15 different kinds, to a kitchen arthritis kit with all sorts of goodies, to adaptive speaker phones, and no hand mouses. They even lend ramps and wheelchairs. I've saved so much money by trying stuff out first, things I thought I would love I hated and vice versa. The borrowing time ranges from 2 weeks for low-tech items, to 2 months for expensive or high tech things.

And from Linda:

I'm now using a box cutter (tool with a razor blade) to open cardboard box tops in the kitchen. Most of the "open here" areas on a box do not work very well, so I just slice the entire top off of the box. Works great on sugar boxes, pasta boxes, etc. Just keep that other hand at a safe distance and use caution.

This week's Featured Discussion is DMARDs (Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs). Check it out at /feature/dmards 

Advice for Better Living
We're looking for some pain relief tips and personal experiences with Vioxx. Please share yours.
/living/advice/  

Expert Advice:
I have had problems with all the medications I have taken for RA. Vomiting with NSAIDs, collapsing/breathing problems with Plaquenil, and now extreme nausea with Methotrexate. My Rhumatologist is looking at Pred as my next med, but I'm not happy about this. When I have had stomach problems with my meds I have been able to stop them straight away, with Pred I understand that once you're on it, you can't get off. The thought of being on a medication, having adverse reactions (and I am pessimistic now that I have a history of these) and stuck on it doesn't appeal. I am now thinking of just taking 400mg Ibuprofen x 3 a day as I see able to take this at low dose and seeing how it goes. What do you think? 
See our Expert answers to this and more questions at /medical/advice/ 

Question of the Week
This week's question:
Has having arthritis affected the plans you've made for your future? What changes have you made? 
/community/question/  

Questions From Friends & Family
This week's question:
My sister has lupus, at times she is very sick. What can I do to help her and show her I really do care about her?
I think this person is very lucky to have such a caring sister, but what advice can we give her?
/living/family/questions/  

Member Websites
We have another star! Find out who!
/community/websites 

Pain Management
A whole new section!
/medical/pain/  

To see all of our latest additions see: /updates.html  Check it every morning and you won't miss a thing.

What's Coming? 

Our next Featured Discussion will be Parenting a Child Who Has Arthritis. As with all Featured Discussion your input is what we build the topic on. If you are raising a child with JRA or any other type of arthritis, please fill out our survey.  
/feature/survey.html  

The JRA World newsletter begins tomorrow! If you'd like to receive it you must register as a JRA World Member at http://jraworld.arthritisinsight.com/community/register/  

Our Contest is back!

We'll have a new contest in September with a great prize! We're calling this one "Our Shining Light". Tell us about someone who doesn't let arthritis get him/her down. We're not taking about climbing mountains or running marathons (but they are welcome to participate too), just your average folks who get on with life and do incredible, caring things. You can be an active, inspiring person even if you are bed bound! 
You can nominate your mother, your child, your neighbor, your best friend, your online support pal, yourself, anyone but your dog! Think about it and we'll give all the details next week.

What do you want to see on Arthritis Insight or in the Newsletter? Let us know and we'll do our best to accommodate!

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Arthritis Insight Chat /community/chat/

We had a great chat on Monday with Dr. Barry Waters. Dr Waters answered all of our question on DMARDs with patience and his wonderful sense of humor. The transcript is posted at /community/chat/august212000.html 

Monday August 28th-We'll discuss Parenting a Child that has Arthritis with Dr. Thomas Lehman. Please join us at 9:30pm Eastern time.

The complete chat schedule can be found at /community/chat/schedule.html. 

We're desperately seeking a host for a Parent's Chat for the parents of kids with arthritis. If you're interested in volunteering an hour a week, please let us know.

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Cooking With Char!

Hello again!!! Well, Labor Day is nearly here. The unofficial end to summer. And often the last fling for picnics, barbecues, and the like. So lets see if I can come up with a menu for that last fling.

How about-
Pan Fried Chicken
Baked Beans
Fresh Vegetable Salad
and Lemonade Pie

Pan Fried Chicken
I always fry my chicken in my electric skillet on 250-300 degrees, with the lid on, turning as necessary. You should have about 1/4-1/2 inch of vegetable oil in the skillet.
To coat the chicken, I use plain flour with garlic powder and herbs mixed into the flour. And I usually skin the chicken before frying.
Sometimes, I use sage, or mixed Italian herbs, or the commercially available "chicken seasoning." It usually depends on what I put my hands on first. But use your imagination and try different things.

My baked beans are a favorite at family get togethers and pot lucks.

My Baked Beans
In a skillet-
Brown 1 LB of bacon (cut into small pieces)
1 large onion-diced
Add-
1 can pork and beans
1 can kidney or red beans
1 8 oz package frozen lima beans
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs. Mustard
1/4 C EITHER catsup or barbecue sauce
Can be served right from the skillet after simmering a bit, or put into a casserole dish and baked in the oven for 30 minutes or so.

Fresh Vegetable Salad
Into a large bowl-
Cut into bite sized pieces
Fresh tomatoes
Carrots
cauliflower
cucumber
zucchini 
any and all veggies that can be eaten fresh
Chop fresh herbs like oregano, cilantro etc.
Or dried herbs (I usually use mixed Italian herbs) Be sure to crush dried herbs to release their oils. (You can use a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon in a cup)
Add a good olive oil (just enough to very lightly coat veggies)
Add a good pinch of salt
Toss well
Let sit in your refrigerator over night
And toss just before serving.

Lemonade Pie
I was experimenting this weekend and didn't accomplish what I set out to, but did come up with this. My husband and nephew loved it. If you try it, can you drop me a note and tell me how your family liked it?
In a mixing bowl
Whip one package of cream cheese.
To this add 1/4 to 1/3 of a small can of frozen lemonade
Whip until they are well combined
Fold in a 8 oz. bowl of nondairy whipped topping
Pour into a ready made graham cracker crust. And chill.

I am still waiting to hear from you, my readers, with recipes and decorating ideas for the holidays this year. Come on folks, I can't do this job without you!!

If you have comments or suggestions about my column, please address them to Char@arthritisinsight.com. 

From Donna:
October Happening In Ohio
When...October 12-15
Place...Wooster, Ohio
Looks like we have quite a crowd going already! Over 30 people so far! If you can make it, you won't regret the experience of meeting and making new friends with other people with arthritis.
And to add to the fun, Arthritis Insight is planning to host a Thursday night Party at the hotel! Free food! Better make your reservation! 
All the information is posted at http://fadedjeans.com/ohio

Happy Birthday!
Hey! All those August birthdays and none this week? Wow! 

Dry Eyes?
This is probably illegal or something, but I don't care! (Ron may kill me!) It just makes sense to do this if you have a supply of a medication you can't use!
We have a member with a supply of Thera Tears that she can't use. She hates to see it sit there and expire. If you are currently using Thera Tears and money is tight, she'd like to send it to you. Just contact Tina@arthritisinsight.com and I'll put you in touch with her.

Special Offers for Arthritis Insight Members
Whenever possible we will try get to our sponsors to agree to discounts and the like for our members. Here are our current special offers:

NEW!!!! 
KC Comfort Zone (www.kccomfortzone.com )
KC Comfort Zone offers Innovative Products for Healthy Living. Safe, instant, portable, reuseable hot and cold Therapy packs as well as many other products for your comfort. KC Comfortzone will give Arthritis Insight members free shipping on ALL orders! Just put the word arthritis next to your name on the order form.

KAS Enterprises (http://www.kasenterprises.com/theraband.html?ai) has graciously offered to help us out in our quest for fitness. They have put together a special package of Thera-Bands? and accessories. All for $19.99 with free shipping and a free instruction manual. If you mention Arthritis Insight you'll get double Frequent Buyer Bonus Points so you can earn free products!

Sore No More gel (http://www.sorenomore.com/) will send a free sample of the pain relieving gel to any Arthritis Insight Community Member who emails them at dma@glogerm.com .

Therabath Paraffin Therapy Bath is offering $30 off of their regular price of the Therabath unit. Visit http://www.wrmed.com/special_offer.htm for more info.

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Contribute
Have you written something you think our subscribers would like to read? Send it to Tina@arthritisinsight.com and maybe we'll use it in our newsletter.

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A Closing Thought

Friends
This was sent by Donna. Thanks Friend!
Since we have become a community of friends on Arthritis Insight, I thought this might be appropriate. They don't all apply but what the hay!

1. "If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you." --- Winnie the Pooh

2. "True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it's been lost." --- Charles Caleb Colton

3. "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

4. "Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend." ---Albert Camus.

5. "Strangers are just friends waiting to happen."

6. "Friends are the Bacon Bits in the Salad Bowl of Life."

7. "Friendship is one mind in two bodies." --- Mencius

8. "Friends are God's way of taking care of us."

9. "If you should die before me, ask if you could bring a friend."---Stone Temple Pilots

10. "I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay."---Dave Matthews Band

11. "If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them."

12. "Everyone hears what you say. Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don't say."

13. "We all take different paths in life, but no matter where we go, we take a little of each other everywhere" --- Tim McGraw

14. "My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, then you've had a great life." ---Lee Iacocca

15. "Hold a true friend with both your hands." ---Nigerian Proverb

16. "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." ---unknown