Rheumatoid Arthritis - What is it?

I've been doing some research on this illness that I have a special interest in, as it is all over my family. I planned to research and write my own summary, but The Arthritis Foundation has done a great job already, so I'll just share their stuff here, with thanks to them!

Rheumatoid arthritis (rue-ma-TOYD arth-write-tis) is a chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progresses in three stages. The first stage is the swelling of the synovial lining, causing pain, warmth, stiffness, redness and swelling around the joint. Second is the rapid division and growth of cells, or pannus, which causes the synovium to thicken. In the third stage, the inflamed cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage, often causing the involved joint to lose its shape and alignment, more pain, and loss of movement.

Because it is a chronic disease, RA continues indefinitely and may not go away. Frequent flares in disease activity can occur. RA is a systemic disease, which means it can affect other organs in the body. Early diagnosis and treatment of RA is critical if you want to continue living a productive lifestyle. Studies have shown that early aggressive treatment of RA can limit joint damage, which in turn limits loss of movement, decreased ability to work, higher medical costs and potential surgery.

RA affects 1.3 million Americans. Currently, the cause of RA is unknown, although there are several theories. And while there is no cure, it is easier than ever to control RA through the use of new drugs, exercise, joint protection techniques and self-management techniques. While there is no good time to have rheumatoid arthritis, advancements in research and drug development mean that more people with RA are living happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Healthy choices

Just wanted to share a great resource...
My mom uses, and recently has become an affiliate in sharing, high quality supplements from a company called TriVita. (www.trivita.com/12953740 ) This company not only sells great products, but they have a huge library of resources and articles about health and nutrition. They provide great tools for helping your body to work at its best. Check it out... :)

Aching for Compassion

I read a really good article titled "Aching for Compassion" in a Focus on the Family magazine the other day. It was all about chronic pain, and those of us who have to deal with it. It offered six tips that I thought were really important to share. They are tips for the people who care about and interact with those who do have chronic pain.

1. Listen with empathy. Accept what they say.
2. Speak with compassion. Affirm that the pain is real.
3. Pray together.
4. Do something. Offer to do something specific.
5. Accept limitations. Include them in activities, but understand if they need to bow out.
6. Laugh and celebrate. Celebrate your friend.

Good stuff. When life is going well, and you don't have to deal with this kind of stuff on a daily basis, you can forget about those who do. Good reminders :).

D.O.O.R.

Did you know that there are 25-40 million people who are deaf around the world?

I found out about a new ministry today that I had never heard of before - D.O.O.R. (Deaf Opportunity Outreach). They help to train and develop teachers, leaders, and evangelists to the deaf community. They have trained missionaries to the deaf in 49 different countries. Pretty cool... (doorinternational.com)

Held

A great reminder that troubles don't mean that God is absent, rather He is there with us, holding us....

Why don't we?

This is the first harvest from our garden: a slightly green, not quite done growing, undersized tomato. Yet, when we picked it we celebrated!! My kiddos and I were thrilled that finally, after weeks of waiting, our tomato plant had born fruit!! It wasn't quite as big and plump, red and juicy, as we had pictured, but we celebrated. The kids told everyone, we took a picture, and we gave it a prominent seat on the kitchen window ledge to finish ripening.

Why do we do any less with people? Why do we cast aside those less than just as we picture they should be, less than close to perfect? We don't do it like in years past, in an institution where no one sees them, but still, many of us do it. We avoid all eye contact. We place ourselves in situations where we don't have to interact with "those kinds of people." We create our own little world where green tomatoes and "different" people don't exist.

We are each one different. We need to celebrate the way we each were made. Why don't we?

Sir Isaac Newton

I was reading an article about Sir Isaac Newton yesterday, you know, the guy with the apple and gravity and all :). This man was amazing, tons of discoveries to his credit, and all sorts of other achievements as well. He was ahead of his time in science and mathematics, and was knighted for achievements in currency reform. Years later, many historians believe that Sir Isaac Newton had Asperberger syndrome, a condition on the autistic spectrum. Amazing. He didn't exactly let the challenges that were dealt to him slow him down, but maximized the strengths they also brought. Good stuff.