Home Community Newsletter Vol 4 Issue 153

Arthritis Insight Newsletter * Vol. 4 Issue 153 May 21, 2003

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Welcome to the 153rd 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)
Tina Underwood aka KrissyJo

Greetings everyone! Anyone else feel like it's been a very l-o-n-g week? Tina's gearing up for her surgery next Tuesday! She's a little nervous so any good vibes you can send her way would be greatly appreciated. I'll let everyone know in next week's newsletter how it all went. Hopefully in the not too distant future, she'll be back to fill this section with her witty editorials for your perusing pleasure.

We'll be wrapping up the fundraiser over the weekend. Watch the update page on the website Monday for all the winners. And once again, we'd like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generous donations. Without you there would be no Arthritis Insight.

See ya'll next week...

~Kimmy

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Ron's Ramblin's
(Ron@arthritisinsight.com)
Ron Griffin aka IndyRon

Ron's dad passed away last Friday. Good thoughts and prayers are being sent to him and his family to help them through this trying time. No matter how much time you have to prepare, losing a loved one is never easy.

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Your Weekly Giggle
Only in America.......

..Can a pizza arrive at your house faster than an ambulance.

..Do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back counter to get their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy their cigarettes at the front.

..Do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries and a Diet Coke.

..Do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.

..Do we leave our cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

..Do we use answering machines to screen our calls, then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place.

..Do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight or 12.

..Do we use the word "politics" to describe the process so well: "poli" in Latin meaning "many" and "tics" (sic) meaning "bloodsucking creatures."

..Do they have drive-up ATM's with Braille lettering.

Check out all the jokes at:
fun/jokes
Send yours in today!

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Tina's Tips
Tina@arthritisinsight.com

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.

We got a great tip from Darlene F.:

My husband loves stir-frys, but I have been unable to chop the
vegetables myself. I found out what time our local grocery store starts
stocking the salad bar and go in just as they are setting out the
vegetables and fruits.

I usually get small amounts of 12 different vegetables, and meat chopped
if they have it for stir frys and chef salads.


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

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Whats New
Check out all the latest updates at updates.html

Birthday Board
Added three more...if you're not on the list - send your info in today!!
community/birthday

Diet & Nutrition
Julian shares his diet story.
living/diet

Fundraiser 2003
We'd like to thank Betty Horne and Joann Evans for their generous donations!
Watch here for final tallies and prize winners just as soon as we've given the snail mail a chance to get to our mailbox.
help/fundraiser2003

News
All the news you can use for your arthritis and general health.
news

Newsletter
The lastest issue is up and ready for your reading pleasure. ;o)
community/newsletter

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Arthritis Insight Chat
community/chat

Time to get the party started! Got some extra time? Can't sleep? Drop into the chatroom to talk to other members that know exactly what you're going through.

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Cooking with Char
Char LeFleur
Char@arthritisinsight.com

Hello friends! The weather this spring has been really weird. Here it is the 3rd week in May and with the windows open in my house, it has kicked on the furnace. Weird! Many years at this time, we have been hustling to get the window air conditioner in place. Not this year, for sure!

A quick reminder Gimpfest is just 2 months away!! My husband and I will be hosting the event and I can hardly wait to see all of you, who are planning to attend. And I urge all of you who are still trying to decide if you are going to attend, COME ON TO IOWA!!!! It is going to be a wonderful party. And the more the merrier!! You will never regret making the trip.

My arthritis is still flaring so we are looking for really easy dinner menus and dishes. And here are some I have located that fit the bill.

Ravioli Stroganoff

1 package (25-ounce) refrigerated cheese ravioli
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning: Classic Herbs
1 can (10 3/4-ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions-
1. Prepare ravioli according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Add turkey and seasoning, saute until turkey is brown, breaking it into 1-inch pieces with a spatula, about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in soup and milk. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.
4. Gently toss ravioli in sauce to coat. Transfer to plates and serve.

Plain burgers can get old after a while, no matter how much we love em. So here is a burger with a twist.

Tomato Souperburgers

Try adding seasoning to your family's taste - basil & oregano for an Italian flavor; tabsaco sauce or chili powder for a zip.

Souper Burgers

Ingredients-
1 lb ground beef lean
1 chopped medium onion
1 10.75 oz can cream of tomato soup
1 tbsp prepared mustard
dash pepper
6 split and toasted hamburger buns

Directions-
1. In skillet over medium heat, cook beef and onion until tender and thoroughly cooked, stirring to break up meat chunks.
2. Pour off fat.
3. Stir in soup, mustard, and pepper.
4. Heat thoroughly, stirring constantly. Serve on buns.


And a new crockpot recipe is always welcome at my house and this one sounds wonderful. The recipe calls for chicken thighs but I suspect that any chicken parts will do.

Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken

Try serving it with biscuits or over rice.

Ingredients-
1 package boneless chicken thighs (amount depends on your preference)
2 10.75 oz. cans reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken)
1 can peas, drained
1 can corn, drained
medium egg noodles (four cups cooked noodles, see variation)

Directions-
1. Remove skin from chicken thighs, rinse.
2. Combine chicken, undiluted soup, peas, corn in a crockpot style slow cooker. Set to low and allow to cook during the day.

Variation: Prepare egg noodles according to package directions and combine with cooked chicken. Easy Chicken stew!

Draining the vegetables is a matter of personal taste - if you prefer a creamier, thicker sauce, drain the vegetables before adding to the slow cooker.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, or have recipes you would like to share, please send them to Char@arthritisinsight.com.

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MAY IS ARTHRITIS AWARENESS MONTH!
From: NIAMS
Do I have Arthritis?
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/tengo/english.htm

What Is Arthritis?

Many people start to feel pain and stiffness in their bodies over time. Sometimes their hands or knees or hips get sore and are hard to move. These people may have arthritis (ar-THRY-tis).

Arthritis is an illness that can cause pain and swelling in your joints. Over time, the joint can become severely damaged. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Some kinds of arthritis can cause problems in other organs, such as your eyes, or in your chest. It can affect your skin, too.

These problems may be caused by inflammation (in-flah-MAY-shun), a swelling that can include pain or redness. They are telling you that something is wrong.

Some people may worry that arthritis means they won't be able to work or take care of their children and their family. Others think that you just have to accept things like arthritis.

It's true that arthritis can be painful. But there are things you can do to feel better. This booklet tells you some facts about arthritis and gives you some ideas about what to do, so you can keep doing the things you want to do.

There are several kinds of arthritis. The two most common ones are rheumatoid (ROO-mah-toyd) arthritis and osteoarthritis (AH-stee-oh-ar-THRY-tis).

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. This is the form that usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Then, years after the knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the body's own defense system doesn't work properly. It affects joints, bones, and organs--often the hands and feet. You may feel sick or tired, and you may have a fever.

Other conditions can also cause arthritis. Some include:

Gout, in which crystals build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe.

Lupus (LOOP-us), in which the body's defense system can harm the joints, the heart, the skin, the kidneys, and other organs.

Viral hepatitis (VY-rul HEP-ah-TY-tis), in which an infection of the liver can cause arthritis.

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Do I Have Arthritis?

Pain is the way your body tells you that something is wrong. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain in your joints. You might have trouble moving around. Some kinds of arthritis can affect different parts of your body. So, along with the arthritis, you may:

- Have a fever.
- Lose weight.
- Have trouble breathing.
- Get a rash or itch.

These symptoms may also be signs of other illnesses.

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What Can I Do?

Go see a doctor. Many people use herbs or medicines that you can buy without a prescription for pain. You should tell your doctor if you do. Only a doctor can tell if you have arthritis or a related condition and what to do about it. It's important not to wait.

You'll need to tell the doctor how you feel and where you hurt. The doctor will examine you and may take x rays (pictures) of your bones or joints. The x rays don't hurt and aren't dangerous. You may also have to give a little blood for tests that will help the doctor decide if you have arthritis and what kind you have.

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How Will the Doctor Help?

After the doctor knows what kind of arthritis you have, he or she will talk with you about the best way to treat it. The doctor may give you a prescription for medicine that will help with the pain, stiffness, and inflammation. Health insurance or public assistance may help you pay for the medicine, doctor visits, tests, and x rays.

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How Should I Use Arthritis Medicine?

Before you leave the doctor's office, make sure you ask about the best way to take the medicine the doctor prescribes. For example, you may need to take some medicines with milk, or you may need to eat something just before or after taking them, to make sure they don't upset your stomach.

You should also ask how often to take the medicine or to put cream on the spots that bother you. Creams might make your skin and joints feel better. Sometimes, though, they can make your skin burn or break out in a rash. If this happens, call the doctor.

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What If I Still Hurt?

Sometimes you might still have pain after using your medicine. Here are some things to try:

- Take a warm shower.
- Do some gentle stretching exercises.
- Use an ice pack on the sore area.
- Rest the sore joint.

If you still hurt after using your medicine correctly and doing one or more of these things, call your doctor. Another kind of medicine might work better for you. Some people can also benefit from surgery, such as joint replacement.

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You Can Feel Better!

Arthritis can damage your joints, organs, and skin. There are things you can do to keep the damage from getting worse. They might also make you feel better.

- Try to keep your weight down. Too much weight can make your knees and hips hurt.
- Exercise. Moving all of your joints will help you. The doctor or nurse can show you how to move more easily. Going for a walk every day will help, too.
- Take your medicines when and how you are supposed to. They can help reduce pain and stiffness.
- Try taking a warm shower in the morning.
- See your doctor regularly.
- Seek information that can help you.

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For More Help

For more information on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, contact any of the following organizations:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and
Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Information Clearinghouse
National Institutes of Health
1 AMS Circle
Bethesda, MD 20892-3675
(301) 495-4484
Toll free: (877) 22-NIAMS
TTY: (301) 565-2966
Fax: (301) 718-6366
World Wide Web address: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/

The NIAMS, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), leads the Federal Government research effort in arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases in the United States. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a public service sponsored by the NIAMS.

Arthritis Foundation
1330 West Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA 30309
(800) 283-7800
(404) 872-7100 or your local chapter listed in the telephone book.
World Wide Web address: http://www.arthritis.org/

The Arthritis Foundation is the major voluntary organization devoted to supporting arthritis research and providing education and other services to people with arthritis. This foundation publishes free pamphlets on arthritis, as well as arthritis self-help books in English and Spanish.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
P.O. Box 2058
Des Plaines, IL 60017
Phone: 800-824-BONE (2663) (free of charge)
World Wide Web address: http://www.aaos.org/

The academy provides education and practice management services for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals. It also serves as an advocate for improved patient care and informs the public about the science of orthopaedics. The orthopaedist's scope of practice includes disorders of the body's bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. For a single copy of an AAOS brochure, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address above or visit the AAOS Web site.

American College of Rheumatology
1800 Century Place, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 633-3777
Fax: (404) 633-1870
World Wide Web address: http://www.rheumatology.org/

This association provides referrals to doctors and health professionals who work on arthritis, rheumatic diseases, and related conditions. The association also provides educational materials and guidelines.

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Member Stories
Michael's Story

Hi. My name is Michael and I was diagnosed in May of 1999. But my story starts a couple of years before that.

In 1997, I suffered some big personal setbacks and went into a deep depression. Thankfully a friend of mine (she's still my best friend) realized that something was wrong and convinced me to get help. I did, and they put me on various medications and got me into a counseling program. But the load of twenty-three college hours and other things weren't helping. Then the medications the doctors put me on to help me cope with life changed the chemical balance in my brain. I held out as long as I could, but eventually I caved under all the pressures. I made my suicide attempt two days after my 21st birthday, thinking I was solving everyone else's problems. I was found just in time and hospitalized for a few weeks (just until the insurance company wouldn't pay anymore), then turned loose on the world. I tried to return to college, but my heart just wasn't really in it, and after that failed semester I couldn't get any more student loans. When I left college, my insurance stopped coverage, leaving me high and dry.

The reason I share all of this here is, when I was diagnosed with RA at the age of 25, I nearly sunk into that deep depression again. I was working in Las Vegas at the time. I had no family and few friends nearby. Everyone and everything I knew were back in Missouri, so I had no support system. It took me a while to realize that I could live with this, that I HAD to live with this. People were counting on me to be around for a while. It was a hard lesson to learn, but I'm still here....

The arthritis took me, and my family by surprise. No one in my family had ever shown any sign of it before. I just woke up one morning and my right hand was about three times as big as it should have been. I went to the doctor, and he asked how I'd managed to break my hand. After about two weeks on anti-inflamitories and negative x-rays, he finally decided to send me to a rheumatologist. He didn't tell me why, just set up the appointment for me. I found out it was arthritis when I went to pay the bill and the cashier said I was awfully young to have arthritis! The first rheumy confirmed it was arthritis and put me on Celebrex. A few days later I started itching all over, but I felt a whole heck of a lot better! Finally I couldn't stand the itching anymore, so he took me drugs for a week, then tried Sulfasalazine. The itching started the next day. It turns out I'm allergic to sulfa drugs. Too bad, cause they worked pretty well. I started MTX and some other things, and finally found a cocktail that worked for me.

I finally found a job based in Missouri, near my family and friends, and moved back home. The move naturally made my arthritis active again. Found a new doctor (a very good one, too!), and started playing with my cocktail again. Eventually MTX reactions forced me off it and onto Arava. Then got approval to try Remicade. That worked for most of two years. Here it is in May of 2003, I was just taken off Remicade to celebrate my 27th birthday. I'm currently fighting my insurance company to get their blessing for Humira.

I've met a wonderful girl who, for some inexplicable reason has fallen in love with me and agreed to marry me (but not until she's finished with her college education, I insist). I've gone back to school, and am currently working on an Associates degree (when work doesn't interfere, anyway). I've stayed close to my small family, helping my grandmother deal with her own arthritis, joint replacements, etc. I've seen my best friend get married and they now have their first child (my godson, I might add!). Not bad, for someone who didn't think he'd get past his 21st birthday, eh?

Hopefully, this will help someone else realize that things aren't as bad as they could be. Arthritis is NOT the end of anything, it's just a little speed bump, reminding us to slow down and take care of the things that really matter. Good luck to everyone out there!

Help ever, hurt never.

To see the rest of stories go on over to:
community/stories

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Notes and Insights:

Birthday Board!
Happy Birthday Joan Wallace Aka Jo1, Shannon aka MomOfTwo, Natasha Baxter, CJ aka Silent Soldier and Lewis!!!
Check out all the birthdays at
community/birthday
and make sure to send them an arthritis-friendly e-card:
cgi-bin/postcards/postcard.pl

Gimpfest 2003 Iowa, Here We Come!
Come be part of the fun when dozens of gimps head to Stuart, Iowa on July 24-27.
Get all the details here:
http://www.fadedjeans.com/iowa/

AJAO Regional Conference
"Taming Juvenile Arthritis"
June 2003 - Phoenix, Arizona
The Arthritis Foundation is proud to host the 2003 American Juvenile Arthritis Organization (AJAO) Regional Conference, "Taming Juvenile Arthritis." The American Juvenile Arthritis Organization leads the effort to improve the quality of life for those affected by childhood arthritis and related diseases. This 3-day conference is geared towards children, teens, young adults and family members who are affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and other childhood rheumatic diseases
http://jraworld.arthritisinsight.com/community/involved.html

Join the Arthritis Dieters!
This is a group of people with arthritis who want to lose weight with others who know of the challenges of living with is arthritis. All those medications that make living with arthritis tolerable, but pile on the pounds. This group has been set up to give us a protected group where we can talk to others who know what it is like.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arthritis-dieters/

Wanna help?
Having surgery? Starting a new drug or treatment? Filing for disability? Keep an Arthritis Insight journal so all of our members can share and learn from your experience. If you want to keep a journal just let us know.

Write an article!
We always need articles on all subjects relating to arthritis. C'mon folks, we can't do this without you.

Ken Akers Cheer Fund
Donations to the Ken Akers Cheer Fund will be used to send flowers and gifts to those community members who are hospitalized, flaring or just in need of some good cheer.
community/kenscheerfund

Thank You!
A great big thank you to NeedaBasket.com (http://needabasket.com). NeedaBasket is now Arthritis Insight's official gift basket company. They are giving us a great discount and are donating baskets for our Arthritis Warriors.

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:

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

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AI Help Desk
Linda Peck

Computers 101

Q: What does it mean to "boot" your computer?

A: When you start (or re-start) your computer, that's called "booting". If you want to get technical, when you power on your computer, it's a "cold boot". Restarting it is a "warm boot".

Tossing it out the window is just giving it "da boot."

Q: What is a "program group"?

A: A program group is actually what it sounds like, a group of programs that are (usually) related. Normally, it's one main program, an uninstall program, and maybe a utility or two.

When you hit your Start button, Programs, all those little icons you see with little sub-menu arrows after them are program groups (the ones without arrows are shortcuts).

For the most part, every time you install a new program, you get a new program group.

Tip of the Week - Computer Cowboy

Have you ever noticed that you can make little "boxes" on your desktop by holding down your left mouse button and dragging diagonally? Although it can be an entertaining distraction when you're on a boring phone call, it actually has a purpose.

You can use the technique on your desktop to make multiple selections by "lassoing" icons. Hit the Enter key and you'll launch all those lassoed programs at once. Be careful though. If you lasso too many programs it can take forever for your computer to get them all loaded (trust me :-)

In addition, this little trick works in both My Computer and Explorer for lassoing files. Handy if you need to open or delete multiple files. Just one quick hint - make sure you lasso OUTSIDE of (next to) the icons. It doesn't work if your mouse click starts ON the icon.

Source: Computer Tips & Techniques
http://www.worldstart.com
Copyright 2001, Worldstart - Reprinted with permission.

This Week's Clicks - Memorial Day

http://harvardregiment.org/holmesfa2.htm
http://www.preservice.org/T0211506/memorialday.htm
http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/memorial.htm
http://www.usmemorialday.org/
http://doody36.home.attbi.com/liberty.htm

Until Next Week ~

"The tragedy of war is that it uses man's best to do man's worst" -- Henry Fosdick

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Weekly News Summary
Karen Sears
kaekae@arthritisinsight.com

More health news can be found on our site:
news/

CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY REVEALS HIGH INCIDENCE OF SMALL BOWEL LESIONS WITH NSAID
USE
Capsule endoscopy is allowing physicians to visualize areas of the bowel previously seen only at surgery or autopsy. What the technology reveals, researchers reported here Monday at Digestive Disease Week 2003, is that the incidence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-induced damage in the small bowel is much higher than previously thought.
Medscape, May 20 (free registration required)

GI TOLERABILITY FOR RISEDRONATE BETTER THAN FOR ALENDRONATE
Compared with alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel) is associated with fewer clinically severe adverse gastrointestinal (GI) events in the elderly, according to the results of two retrospective studies presented at the American Academy of Clinical Endocrinology annual meeting.
Medscape, May 20 (free registration required)

GASTRODUODENAL ULCER RISK REDUCED WITH ROFECOXIB TREATMENT
Rheumatoid arthritis patients develop fewer gastroduodenal ulcers when treated with rofecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, than when treated with nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), according to a report in the June issue of Gut.
Medscape, May 20 (free registration required)

ASK: ROFECOXIB INCREASES WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHITIS PATIENTS
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may find themselves gaining weight and their blood pressure (BP) increasing, if they are treating their pain with cyclooxygenase-2 specific (COX-2) inhibitors, a new study demonstrates.
Doctors Guide, May 20 (free registration required)

COX-2 INHIBITORS NOT COST-EFFECTIVE FOR PATIENTS AT AVERAGE GI RISK
Cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors (coxibs) are not a cost-effective alternative to nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs) in patients at average risk for gastrointestinal complications, according to a new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine for May 19th. Coxibs may be a cost-effective option for patients with a history of gastric ulcer, however.
Medscape, May 19 (free registration required)

INFLIXIMAB POTENTIAL TREATMENT FOR CORTICOSTEROID-RESISTANT POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA
Infliximab could potentially replace long-term corticosteroid treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), according to Italian researchers.
Doctors Guide, May 16 (free registration required)

AGS: ROFECOXIB SHOWS SUSTAINED BENEFIT IN OSTEOARTHRITIS AFTER TWO YEARS
Patients with osteoarthritis who continue to use rofecoxib or diclofenac for 2 years achieve sustained control of their pain, according to findings reported here May 15th at the 2003 Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society.
Doctors Guide, May 16 (free registration required)

AGS: LITTLE RISK OF HYPERTENSION WITH COX-2 BLOCKERS
Rofecoxib and celecoxib are no more likely than acetaminophen to produce hypertension, according to analyses of trials that compared these agents in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Doctors Guide, May 16 (free registration required)

IN WOMEN, LOW BONE MASS LINKED TO ALZHEIMER'S
Women with low bone mass in their later years appear to have a higher risk of eventually developing the memory-robbing disease Alzheimer's, researchers said Thursday.
Yahoo News, May 15

PERINATAL FACTORS MAY INFLUENCE RISK OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS LATER IN LIFE
Birth weight, breastfeeding, and paternal occupation appear to influence a neonate's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adulthood, according to a report published in the May 17th issue of the British Medical Journal.
Medscape, May 15 (free registration required)

PHANTOM LIMB STIFFNESS SHOWS CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM INVOLVED IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
Secondary plastic changes in the central nervous system generate and maintain the perceived joint stiffness (PJS) characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, say researchers in the United Kingdom.
Doctors Guide, May 15 (free registration required)

STAPHYLOCOCCAL TOXIN ACTIVATES B CELL RECEPTOR-MEDIATED APOPTOSIS
Staphylococcal toxin, acting as a superantigen, selectively destroys B cells by targeting the B cell receptor-mediated programmed cell death pathway, according to a report in the May 5th Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Medscape, May 14 (free registration required)

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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 For Life

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nicky or Smelly Susan.

In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat on the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nicky or Susan, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before that you had.

In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals and old baseball cards so that your room would be a "high schooler's" room, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke out into tears.

In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to that "cool" party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.

In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick or Susan, and found you a date to the prom.

In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college/university, assured you that you would get into that college/university, helped you deal with your parents who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go...

At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulated you.

The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that now that you and Nick or you and Susan were back together, you could make it through anything, helped you pack up for university and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at 18 years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

Now, your idea of a good friend is still the person who gives you the better of the two choices, holds your hand when you're scared, helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you, thinks of you at times when you are not there, reminds you of what you have forgotten, helps you put the past behind you but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer, stays with you so that you have confidence, goes out of their way to make time for you, helps you clear up your mistakes, helps you deal with pressure from others, smiles for you when they are sad, helps you become a better person, and most importantly loves you!

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Arthritis Insight Newsletter Copyright 2003

AI Staff
Page last updated on May 22, 2003