Here’s some really cool stuff I’ve found! I didn’t want to clutter up the front page, but I need a place to pin something up for you to see.  Like the front of my refrigerator.

 This video covers many of the things we want to tell people about what it’s like to have RA.

Last week, I was a guest contibutor on The Orthopedic Posterous, the blog of Dr. Howard Luks. It’s an exciting collaborative project he has begun – patients and doctors working together. Thanks, Dr. Luks! I hope all my readers will check out your blog.
 

Look what I got in an email today!

 

 Thank you, Sara for the lovely award. You are a special friend. 

 

  

 What can I say? Some docs focus on what they know…  and nothing else.

 You may have seen the Bridget Duffy 2009 Gel Conference video here on the site with my reply. I’ve just watched the 2008 one, through tears again. If patient experience is something you care about, you’ll want to watch.

Bridget Duffy at Gel 2008 from Gel Conference.

 Thanks for this, Laura! Her awesome solution: “I wrapped this shelf liner around my coffee cup. It sure makes it easier to get a better grip. I also wrapped this liner around my curling iron. I don’t want to get anymore face burns from a slipped curling iron!”

       

 Yes, this is a real photo! With a great story behind it: My FB friend Jakki’s daughter took this shot a couple of weeks ago traveling home from Cambridge. The flag is the one flying above the WWII American Cemetery at Maddingley. Later, she posted the picture on Twitter and it spread like wildfire. The other day, a reader of RA Warrior living in Hungary posted the photo on my Facebook wall! Imagine Jakki’s surprise to see it there!

 

Click sign to complete the Health on the Net Foundation’s survey about internet usage for healthcare information. RA Warrior is an H.O.N. certified site. See our certification seal at the footer of the sidebar.

 

 How fun is this? A Google video about RA Warrior!

 The 1st RA Warrior Newsletteris out now!! Click here to get yours!

    

 Discovery Health has a great drug interaction checker- click here. We’ve tried out several and this one is the best we’ve found. Just scroll through, select drugs you want to check, and click “check interaction.” They even give food interaction warnings.

 Congratulations to T-shirt winner Jamie!! Thanks everyone for making our contest a great success!

 

 Rob Thomas wrote “Her Diamonds” about his wife’s painful autoimmune disease. The diamonds are her tears.

 

 ”There doesn’t have to be anything wrong with you to take Preniva. You just have to be scared – which you should be.”

 

Have you seen the Sister Strikes Again video? Someone emailed it to me. I’m not Catholic myself, but it’s still funny.

 

Me, saying hi & being silly. More serious ones to come.

 

 

 A Letter to Prednisone. Click on it to enlarge to read.   Thanks, Brooke for emailing this to me. It’s very cute! 

 The article I wrote for Healthcare Professionals Live discussing barriers to early RA diagnosis: Early Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Is an Elusive Goal.

 

You will probably find all kinds of uses for this site billed as the clinicians ultimate guide to drug therapy. Of course we cannot treat ourselves, but it can be helpful to know what the doctor or pharmacist is talking about. One of the useful tools is a calculator for equivalent doses of various types of corticosteroids.

 

 This video brought me tears and smiles. I will not say enough to spoil the surprises. Notice the hands and wrists of Judy, the trainer. She was diagnosed with JRA at age 8. Read more about her and her work with dogs here on her site.

  

 If your RA has not been “controlled” by other RA medicines, you may be able to participate in a clinical trial. Here’s one that has recently begun with a medicine called Tasocitinib.  Read more about Tasocitinib here on this post. Or click here to go directly to the ORAL Trials website with the toll free number to see if you qualify.

 A gem: this 1961 book chapter about RA was exciting to read. I think we are now in the Middle Ages ages of understanding RA. Yet, 50 years ago, this doctor had figured out several things that seem to elude some docs today. I may write some posts about this find.

 Look what I just got in the mail. My recipe was printed in this book! Isn’t that fun? (Click image to enlarge.)

 

 

 I’ve always wanted to know how they make these mosaics out of photos! Here is a free program so you can make your own. Imagine how useful for either a scrapbook or a website. I can’t wait to make one. Click photo to see more  AndreaMosaic art or download free program to create mosaics.

  

Watch the International Space Station come together. If you are a Space fan like we are at myhouse, you will love this visual summary of the last 12 years. Click here to watch. Here’s a Space Shuttle launch photo from my front yard. A few more Shuttle watching photos on my Facebook page.

 Have you heard of the Survivor’s Club yet? “TheSurvivorsClub is the place where people in crisis can come to find resources that have helped other people survive and thrive in the face of health, money, family and extreme crises.” Lot’s of amazing stories and comments on Survivor’s club.org. My son wanted us to take their quiz. My result was Steve Jobs -that’s encouraging! He’s a “thinker” survivor. I was surprised, but it probably makes sense. Their free quiz below.

 

 WorkWise: If you are in the UK, NRAS is sponsoring free workshops about RA in the workplace beginning in February. Click on this poster to view it full size. Dates & locations are at the bottom. To view cities and dates on their site or sign up now, click here.

              

    

 This is so funny. Vintage Medicine Ads. Scroll down to see the Alka Selzer ones and Sun Vu. There are lots of other categories on the       site when you finish laughing at the medicine pages for each decade. 

  Open this link & click around on the blank screen for signs of spring.  You can write your name in flowers. It’s so cool!

 Okay, we’ve met this doctor…  and some of her friends.  Only 30 seconds long.

  What can I say about Patrick Hughes and his dad? Everyone faces some kind of disability at some time. This family shows us how to view them as opportunities.

 

Clicking this stick figure will open a window to a creative video by Alan Becker. Amusing, yes. At one point, I was also thinking that it might depict the patients trying to take over the healthcare system… until I saw the ending.

      

      Partnership for Prescription Assistance is a free service which helps

               qualifying patients find financial assistance paying for prescriptions.

RA’er Lisa Emrich has written a comprehensive article about finding prescription assistance.

    “If you think you are too small to be effective,

         you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.” ~ Betty Reese

 Goat Tears! Funny little video to make you smile when someone recommend’s a Rheumatoid Arthritis “cure.” I had to watch this twice! Only 30 seconds long.

 

  My kids built this Gingerbread house on Christmas Eve.

 

 I was excited today to see that HCP (Health Care Professionals) Live posted my second article on their website!

 

 Online Christmas Card you don’t want to miss. I snow!

 

   A sweet gift from an RA warrior with a neat blog and home business, Itsy Bitsy Spider. Just sharing my joy!

 

   The most requested column of columnist Regina Brett:

A List of 50 Life Lessons

I cried when I read this. I’d never read something that seemed so much like I’d written it myself. I have written or said most of the things on this list. Thank you to ThatLynnGirl. blog for this fab find. Warning, the Cleveland.com page is not exactly a gorgeous page; it’s the words…

  Here is a just-formed support group for those trying to lose weight with Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

 

   100 years ago! The Model T assembly line! The end is so fun. This is the SUV’s grandfather. The end is the best part.

 SUPER-HAPPY HOSPITAL VIDEO!

 A feel-good dance video: The Pink Glove Dance

Have you seen this video yet? I noticed it  last week via Twitter. Anyway, it’s now gone viral. So, don’t miss it or you’ll be left out!

 Did you see the NYTimes Well Blog feature on RA last week? Comments go on for pages. Interesting conversation. Click the photo to hear the voices of RA’ers!

 

 

 FDA Social Media: If you have a blog, you might be interested in this: a crystal clear explanation of what’s going on with the FDA in the USA with regard to health discussions on the internet. And here’s my little  post on the topic, in case you missed it. The FDA may come out with new guidelines in 2010.

 Did you notice you can scroll down in the comment smilies now? We have smilies from farm animals to pizza to a pill!