My Happy Tool Kit includes...Welcome to My Town

As you know by now, I love to take pictures. I am certain that in my own way I feel like I can express myself with pictures and since I can't draw or paint, the world is my canvas through the lens.  One of my favorite distractions from ra (or anything for that matter) is to get my camera and head out. Out will depend on just how much I can handle on that particular day and sometimes I am lucky enough to get further than my own back yard.

I have been known to be found in one of my favorite places which is downtown Wilmington. It not only has a wealth of history but I find a sense of humor there as well.  From the beautiful downtown waterfront

to the majestic steeples of our well known churches,

to the humor in the merchants advertising,

Wilmington has much to offer and not just to the tourist but the resident as well.  One can take a trolley tour of my hometown

or a boat tour of the river rich in history.

And if one has the energy, a lovely walking tour can be done in under two hours.  There is the famous Bellamy Mansion,

the USS North Carolina Battleship,

the many lovely shops at the historical Cotton Exchange

and, least we not forget, Thalian Hall.

photo from: http://www.thalianhall.com

Indeed, downtown Wilmington can distract my mind and also my stomach with its wonderful array of foods. Ahhhh....the many, many restaurants and lovely morsels at every turn. Most definitely, one of my favorite tools that I use regularly when I venture out for a Fridate.

I can only hope that your hometown makes you as joyful as mine makes me. I would love to know what you do in your hometown to keep your mind alive,  off of your ra aches and pains, and happy.

More reading on my blog...
My Happy Tool Kit
Happy Tool Kit Alert

Kissing Cousins of RA

A very dear friend of mine called me the other day to say that her sister was recently diagnosed with hepatitis C.  Immediately I thought of a blood transfusion as the cause. Boy, did I have something to learn. She in fact was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. What in the world is this?

And that was the inspiration for this post. The longer I am blogging, the more I learn and the more I have to learn about what seems like to me, the many autoimmune illnesses that are kissing cousins of ra.  Yes, I know, what a lovely thought.  More things to possibly have to worry about.  But I am putting this information out there because so many of us have so many symptoms that just don't quite fit under that tidy one diagnoses we were given.

So here goes! Here are some of the kissing cousins of ra...

Medline Plus gives us the following examples of (kissing cousins of ra) autoimmune diseases:

• Addison's disease
• Celiac disease - sprue (gluten-sensitive enteropathy)
• Dermatomyositis
• Graves disease
• Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Myasthenia gravis
• Pernicious anemia
• Reactive arthritis
• Sjogren syndrome
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Type I diabetes

And if that isn't enough to digest, here are a few more that I recently found out about!

• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Autoimmune hypophysitis - in short this means your immune system is attacking your pituitary.

I have no doubt I have missed a few of our cousins out there. So if you know of any others, ask them to join this dysfunctional family through a comment.

Fall Festival of Blogs

It's that time of year again! The pumpkin spice candle is lit, the leaves have begun to change color and I have decided to have another blog party!

So come on in, browse awhile on the wonderful new blogs I have grown to enjoy.  Perhaps you can leave a comment or two so they know you have visited.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do...
............................................................................................

Does It Get Any Easier?

 This morning started off like every other morning. Just getting out of bed and coming downstairs did me in. The pain and stiffness upon waking on this chilly morning makes it clear that I am going to need extra time to get through morning routines and get kids ready and off to school. The problem is that there is no extra time, I spent that lying in bed waiting for my morning medication to kick in. Gentle stretching to try to loosen up joints was to no avail this morning. My jaw ached like never before but I guess I shouldn't be surprised it too is a joint. It is going to be one of those days that is clear. Ready or not I had to get up...http://myinsidevoicespeakingout.blogspot.com

....................................................................................................................................

A little different type of blog post today.  The lighting is bad I know.  I can't tell my right from my left.  Hey I'm learning!   Here it is. You can click on the right I think and watch it in YouTube or just watch it in blogger. I hope you like it!...raawareness.blogspot.com

Notes From A Spoonie Chick: My Thirty Things...http://spooniechic.blogspot.com

................................................................................................................................................

Appalachian Trail

Woke this morning with all systems go. Back to baseline, not perfect, but good enough.

I have thought about a thru hike on the Appalachian Trail since my older brother and father went with their scout troop when I was in junior high. I have two shelves of books on backpacking and the Appalachian Trail. It’s one of those dreams that has remained a constant. I always believed someday I would do a thru hike...http://wovensongs.wordpress.com

............................................................................................................................................

Care for the caregivers...

On the eve of the close of National Invisible Chronic Illness Week, I'd like to focus instead on caregivers. Whether you are a spouse, significant other, adult child or parent caring for a chronically ill person, your partner's disease will take a toll on you too. Relationships can be difficult when both partners are healthy. A chronic illness can make a relationship much more stressful. We know the person who is ill needs support, but caregivers need support too. Extra burdens, physical and psychological, are shared by both partners. And they are often different burdens even though they share the same source. This is for the caregivers....http://makethislookawesome.blogspot.com 

..............................................................................................................................................

FIGHTING DEPRESSION AND LIVING WITH ARTHRITIS

It’s my opinion that arthritis is one of the most difficult diseases to live with.  I am not suggesting other diseases are a walk in the park, but arthritis has with it four distinct factors that make it so difficult. 

 These include the extended period of the disease, the limitations of mobility, the continuous rollercoaster in fluctuations of how the body feels and the constant pain.  It is easy to see how one living with arthritis can easily become and sink into depression...http://www.livingwitharthritistoday.com

..........................................................................................................................................................................................