Home Community Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 23

Arthritis Insight Newsletter * Vol. 1 Issue 23 September 6, 2000

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Welcome to the 22nd issue of the Arthritis Insight Newsletter. All back issues will be posted at community/newsletter/ Feel free to pass this newsletter around to others who may be interested.

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The information in this newsletter should not take the place of advice and guidance from your own health-care providers. Material in this newsletter is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Be sure to check with your doctor before making any changes in your treatment plan. Information presented here is the opinion of the authors and has not necessarily been approved or endorsed by the medical advisors.

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Notes From Tina
(tina@arthritisinsight.com)

Welcome to all the new members this week, and there are a lot of you! We're sorry you need us, but glad you found us! All of us are always available via email, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Thanks to those of you that wrote me about my stomach tests last week. Remind me to ask for more sedation next time! I was awake for the whole thing, and couldn't talk with a tube down my throat to tell them I was awake. I still don't have an answer as to what was causing the bleeding. We are waiting for biopsy results and I have another test scheduled for Monday. So keep those good thoughts comin'!

Does anyone else feel like all they do is go to the doctor? I had that test last week. An orthopedic surgeon appointment today, another test Monday, an appointment to go over the test results Wednesday and a rheumatologist appointment the following week. And I am over due for my plaquenil eye check, dental check up and yearly gyn! I haven't had one week without a medical appointment since mid-June. I think I am going to pick a month and declare it a doctor-free month. I will not go to any appointments or have any tests done for a whole month. Anyone want to join me?

Enough griping from me, let's see what Ron is Ramblin' about this week.

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Ron's Ramblin's
(ron@arthritisinsight.com)

I remember when I was young I had a scooter. You know one of those things that you put one foot on and push. When I did that I might move a few feet. The scooter was bulky, had basically lawn mower tires and a big platform to stand on. Fortunately we lived on a hill and once you pushed the scooter to the top, you could have a terrific ride down. I went by that house and hill not long ago. I think they shrank since I lived there. My how things have changed. My kids just got scooters. They are small, fold up and are technically an engineering and design marvel. With just a small push you seem to glide forever. It has a foot pressure brake and you can do tricks with it. The only similarity to the one I described is that it is made out of metal. The wheels look like roller blade wheels and the handle adjusts. Some of them have a trick bars fixed behind the rear wheel so that the rider can do "wheelies." If I had one of those when I was growing up, I would have been the envy of kids for blocks around. By now, I am sure some of you are beginning to wonder why I am ramblin about the"good old days." While I was thinking about the differences in my scooter and the kids, I realized how much technology has changed even the simple things in our lives. As I thought about this, it came to me that technology still progresses every day. Maybe, just maybe one of these technological advances will be a cure for arthritis, or if not, that there will be appliances and other items that will make our lives easier. In my mind, that old rusty red scooter represents where I have been. Slowly rusting away. But then I think about the sleek, shiny scooters the kids have and realize that there is hope, that technology will one day find a cure for these diseases or even better a vaccine which would prevent anyone from getting any of them. Wouldn't that be nice? Until that time I will just have to make the best effort I can each and every day to stay focused and stay positive. By doing that I will fix the things that I can control. The things out of my control, I can't give much time.

(((((((((((((((HUGS TO ALL))))))))))))))

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Your Weekly Giggle

Diary - Personal Trainer

For my fiftieth birthday this year, my husband (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since playing on my high school softball team, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.

I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer I'll call Bruce, who identified himself as a 26 year old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear. My husband seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started. The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

Monday:
Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Bruce waiting for me. (He is something of a Greek God with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!) Bruce gave me a tour and showed me the machines. He took my pulse after five minutes on the treadmill. He was alarmed that my pulse was so fast, but I attribute it to standing next to him in his Lycra aerobic outfit. (I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring.) Bruce was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

Tuesday:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Bruce made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air....then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Bruce's rewarding smile made it all worth while. I feel GREAT!! It's a whole new life for me.

Wednesday:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked my Explorer on top of a GEO in the club lot. Bruce was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. (His voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying). My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Bruce put me on the stair monster. (Why would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators?) Bruce told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life.

Thursday:
Bruce was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. (I couldn't help being a half an hour late, it took me that long to tie my shoes). Bruce took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not looking, I ran and hid in the women's room. He sent Lars to find me, then, as punishment, put me on the rowing machine....which I sank.

Friday:
I hate that Bruce more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. (Stupid, skinny, anemic little cheerleader wanna-be). If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it. Bruce wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. (Which I am sure you learned in the sadist school you attended and graduated magna sans laude from, you Nazi ). The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

Saturday:
Bruce left a message on my answering machine in his grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing him made me want to smash the machine with my day planner. However, I lacked the strength even to use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the weather channel.

Sunday:
I'm having the church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun.....like a root canal or a hysterectomy.

Check out all the jokes at fun/jokes/index.html. Send yours in today!

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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.

>From Linda:
Here's another tip, a bit far out, but it sure works for me. It's amazing how gimps can improvise to get a job done!
I recently had the need to trim my fingernails and found that I absolutely could not squeeze the nail trimmers. I have a beagle and for some strange reason, his nail cutters came to mind. I got them out and had great success! Had to trim a little at a time (going across the nail), but they were easy to use and did a great job!

>And from Wendy:
My husband and I are in the process of redesigning our kitchen (though we won't start the project until late next year). We have found some WONDERFUL new cabinets that are very arthritis friendly. Shelves that pull forward or flip to make reaching easier. The one I really like and can't wait to get...a dishwasher cabinet that is waist high. NO MORE BENDING to unload the dishwasher!!! We are also planning on putting the dryer on a platform to raise it higher, so I won't have to bend there either.

Check out more tips at living/tips.html and send in yours today to Tina@arthritisinsight.com.

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What's New?

This week's Featured Discussion is Traveling with Arthritis. Check it out at
feature/travel

Advice for Better Living
Nice shoes, anyone know where to get them?
living/advice/

Expert Advice:
Is arthritis preventable if you only show minimal signs?
See our Expert answers to this and more questions at
medical/advice/

Question of the Week community/question/

Questions From Friends & Family
Another tough question:
My husband is in denial about his RA. He is in constant pain, and I can only imagine how angry he must be. BUT, it is straining our marriage, straining our family, and straining our friendships. I am trying to get more involved, but he refuses to "let me in." How do you respond to a stubborn man? I think he will push and be angry until he truly is all by himself....which may be what he wants??
living/family/questions/

Member Stories
New stories, one in Spanish.
community/stories/

Our Shining Star
We know there are many inspiring people out there with arthritis, we've been lucky to meet many of them. We want to find more of these people. We're not talking about climbing mountains or running a marathon, if you can that's great, but most of us just aren't able. We talking about being a good friend, being a role model, just being an all around inspiring person.
You can nominate your mother, your child, your brother, your online pal, your neighbor, anyone who has arthritis that you think is incredible, even yourself! We will accept nominations until September 25th. On September 26 we will begin voting. Every member of our community will be able to vote. On October 2nd we will announce our winners!
contest/index.html

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 Depression & Arthritis. Depression is a normal part of life with chronic pain. Please fill out our survey.
feature/survey.html

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/

Monday evening was spent discussing Travel and as a group, we had a lot of good ideas! The transcript is posted at community/chat/sept042000.html

Next Monday, September 11th, Walt Hanks will be in to discuss Depression & Arthritis. Please join us at 9:30pm Eastern time.

*NEW CHAT!
Wednesday nights at 10pm Eastern time is Parent's Support Chat in the JRA World chatroom for those of us with children that have arthritis with JRAWhostDonna. Thanks Donna!

We have two new hosts this week! I hope everyone will join me in welcoming InsightHostTRANSAM (Yup! Trans is hosting!) and InsightHostKatie to the team!

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

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Cooking With Char!
char@arthritisinsight.com

I am planning a really special series of columns as the holidays approach. I need your help. I need recipes for entertaining. Traditional recipes like fruit cake and eggnog, and cookie recipes. Also decorating ideas. Come on folks, I cant do this without you, and so far the response has been underwhelming!!! I have been putting this notice at the end of the column, but I think most of you quit reading after the recipes, so I thought I would try the top of the column this time.
We now return you to our regular column. (LOL)

Hello everyone! WHEW!! Last week here in Iowa, we were setting records for high temperatures. With humidity in 70 and 80% range. It was AWFUL!! But the last couple of days it has cooled off and it feels like fall. I hope the other parts of the country that are in that oven will cool off soon as well.

But as the weather cools, it puts me in mind of soups and stews and other, what I call, fall foods. So lets get started. I love my Mothers homemade vegetable soup. And for years and years, I tried to duplicate it, and never could. That is until she told me her secret.

Homemade Vegetable Soup
In a large pot-
Use meat with lots of bones. My own favorite is pork neck bones or riblets. Or an inexpensive beef roast with bones cut into pieces, or even hamburger or stewing beef. Use what ever you have. If using chicken, cook the chicken first, then remove from the bones. I am not certain why, but the more bones, the better the flavor of the soup.
To that pot, add a large onion coarsely chopped
3 cans of mixed vegetables or a 1 lb. package of frozen mixed vegetables.
Dice 3-4 potatoes (I leave the skin on)
Add nearly any vegetable your family likes.
Coarsely chop 1/4 to 1/2 head of cabbage
Slice several carrots (again, I dont bother to peel them)
Add about a tsp. of garlic powder
1 can of tomatoes (or if you are lucky enough to have fresh ones, they work great too)
Fill the kettle with water
And here is the secret ingredient-Add 1/4 cup of sugar.
Simmer on the stove until vegetables are all tender.
Serve with a loaf of crusty bread.

A fall and winter favorite!! And it is always better the second day. So make that pot of soup big enough to have leftovers!
I usually buy chicken hindquarters when they are on sale. Around my house, I have to be budget conscious. And I find lots of uses for them and here is one.

Another favorite-

Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings-MUCH easier than you might expect.
In a large pot-
4 chicken hind quarters.
1 medium onion chopped coarsely
3-4 ribs of celery chopped
1/4 tsp. of garlic powder
Cook over medium heat, until meat is tender and nearly falling off bones.
Let cool, then remove chicken skin and remove chicken from the bones. (Discard bones and skin.)
Dumplings
You can either use your favorite drop biscuit recipe, or do like I do Use a packaged dry biscuit mix (ie.Bisquick, or Jiffy Biscuit mix)
Mix as for drop biscuits.
Bring the chicken and broth to a boil
Lower the heat to a simmer.
Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the chicken and broth. Cover and let cook. Should take about 20 minutes.

All my recipes are salt and pepper to taste. I rarely add salt to a recipe, especially if I used canned vegetables or prepared mixes. They have plenty of salt on their own.

If you have questions or comments about this column, or have recipes you would like to share, please drop me an Email at Char@arthritisinsight.com

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Notes and Insights:
>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.
All the information is posted at http://fadedjeans.com/ohio

Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to Robert and L. Gamble. Robert are you really an Old Retired Man now?
Check out all the birthdays at community/birthday/ and make sure to send them an arthritis-friendly e-card:
postcards

Anyone know a great orthopedic surgeon in Tennessee?
My name is Laurie and I am looking for a good doctor to perform a shoulder replacement. I live in Johnson City, TN. and went to Duke last year for an elbow replacement. I have written my surgeon for a recommendation but have had no response. Duke is 5 hours from me so I would like one nearer but I am having no luck. Convenience is not the most important; clearly the experience and reputation of both the doctor and the hospital are the most important but right now I can't even find a doctor with enough experience. I would appreciate any help you could give me. If you can help, email Laurie at laurierocks@aol.com.

Help us and help yourself!
We've begged, we've pleaded, now we are paying! Internet sites typically pay 15% commission to any ad agency that brings them a sponsor. Well, we're offering that commission to you! Refer any potential advertiser to us and receive 15% of the price of their ads!

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:

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! And they'll donate 10% of your order total to the Arthritis Foundation. Just put (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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Life and Laughter with Arthritis
(ron@arthritisinsight.com)

This week's story is from Ron

The Case Of "Follow that Car"

Last November a group of the arthritis family went to San Antonio to show our support as KJ received the prestigious Cecil Award from the Arthritis Foundation for their newest category, Electric Journalism.

Well, it seems that the AF had the entire hotel where the awards were to be held booked so the rest of us stayed in a hotel about a mile or so away. Actually it was within walking distance if you took your time and stopped about every third bar along the River Walk for a margarita. It took a lot longer that way but then by the time you got there you didn't really care.

About one trip like that though was enough for anyone. One evening, we were supposed to meet KJ and the rest of the crew at KJ's hotel. We asked the concierge to get a cab for us. He very graciously obliged, and informed us that it would pull up in about five minutes just outside the door. We walked outside and started waiting. There seemed to be tremendous activity around this one particular automobile, a very nice and expensive imported sports car. Hotel representatives kept trying to locate the owner of this vehicle to get it moved. As we continued to watch a middle-aged man (mid life crisis probably) came out and got into this expensive sports car. About that time our cab arrived and we climbed in. The driver asked where to, and one of our party pointed to the sports car and said "follow that car" someone else said we were going to KJ's hotel but the cab driver had already focused on doing exactly what she had been asked to do.

Well, when we pulled out and headed in a direction away from our destination, I began to get that sinking feeling in my stomach. Repeatedly we tried to change the driver's course, but she was focused on that sports car. The gentleman driving the sports car had by this time begun to get a bit nervous about having a cab following him all over town and turned into a parking garage. Up to this point, I had been able to give the driver the benefit of the doubt, but unless she knew something that the rest of the world didn't, going through a deserted parking garage was not the way to the hotel. The cabbie entered the garage right behind the sports car. By this time the guy in the sports car was really getting nervous. He decided that since he had a nice sports car and a lot of power he was going to see just how fast he could get to the top of this garage and back down. He did a pretty good job of driving too. About this time it really dawned on me that the driver had REALLY taken the follow that car seriously. One of us convinced her that we were only kidding about that and that we really wanted to go to KJ's Hotel. The cab happened to be a van with a light and sign on the top of it, probably 71/2 feet in height. The ceiling in the garage was not quite that high. Everything was torn from the top of her cab. She was a really good sport about it but was certainly positive that she was not going to pick up any more lunatics that night. She started down from the garage and got to the gate. Interestingly enough when we entered the garage, the gate was up and no ticket was required to get in. Not true for getting out. The garage had an automated exit mechanism. The only problem was that it required a ticket to activate it. Now here we sit, at the exit of a garage in a deserted part of town wondering just what the heck we were going to do. By some good fortune the gate mysteriously opened and we were able to escape. We finally did, after many laughs and the cabbie saying that she was going to have to tell everyone about this, get to the Hotel.

Several Margaritas later and after many retellings of the story, we began to settle down. But, the person who first said follow that car was prohibited from riding in the front of the cab, giving directions or even speaking to the driver until we were sure that we had the destination straight. It was a ride I will never forget, and I would not ever be so bold as to say who this unfortunate soul was, but if you need more details about that ride, get in touch with Donna Miller. As for me, I will be hiding under my desk until she is speaking to me again.

By the way, this is a good opportunity to let those of you who are going to O.H.I.O. know that this cannot happen there. There is only one cab and that is Miller cab Company. No relation. Donna, I love ya, but no more cab rides like that please...

Please send us your funny or embarrassing arthritis story!

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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

We may all be a bunch of cracked pots, but so what?

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

The moral of this story: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. In this world, nothing goes to waste. You may think like the cracked pot that you are inefficient or useless in certain areas of your life, but somehow these flaws can turn out to be a blessing in disguise."

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Arthritis Insight Newsletter Copyright 2000