If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It!

As part of national arthritis awareness month, we have been fortunate enough to witness a big uptake in the awareness of autoimmune related illnesses including ra.  And this is great!

I have always had a silent motto that I carry around inside me. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  Now, this doesn't mean that I don't think that we should constantly be striving to improve our lives, our well being, our surroundings and even our dreams.  What I mean by this is if it is working just fine, then leave it alone.  Focus instead on things that really truly need to be fixed.

Having a severe form of ra, I do seek medical help with my constant battles.  From specialist visits to lab visits to pharmacy visits, I find myself under the care of multiple doctors to address my medical needs.  And as this month unfolds, I am constantly reminded of those that can't go to doctors, that can't go to labs and that can't even get past the OTC medications to address the pain of ra.  My heart is heavy with this burden.  And yes, our medical system is broken and it does need to be fixed.

I can't say I have all the answers but I do know that my personal moral compass tells me this is wrong. We shouldn't have people in this great nation that can not afford medical care and therefore do not get any care at all. To me this is not only a moral and ethical obligation but it is just the right thing to do as a human being and as a nation.  And yes, I am fully aware of the cost of doing such an undertaking but to me personally it needs to be fixed.

And waiting until the cost of medical care falls low enough for a person to purchase that care, not only puts them at risk it could very well kill them!  And going to an er to seek out basic medical care is not the answer in my book.  That not only drives up the cost of medical care it will ultimately drive our hospitals to close their doors entirely.  Shuffling the cost of medical care onto hospitals exclusively is not the answer either.

Do I have the answers? Not completely. But what I do know is that we need an open and honest discussion about this very important issue in this country and we need it now.  And while we are seeking ways to fix what is obviously very, very broken, we need to open the doors to all that can not afford insurance.  Without one's health, one can not be a productive part of society.  One can not pay taxes and often one can not work if one wanted to.

So, as we approach this upcoming presidential election, I ask only one thing.  Think about what is important to you.  Do your research carefully for all your votes and this includes your local and state ones as well.  Be sure that your candidates mesh with your moral and ethical compasses.  Because as much as I hate to say this, we will be voting for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is a very important election.

A Reflection on RA

To continue the celebration of arthritis awareness month, I have decided it is time to "picture"ra. To date, I have written many posts on my blog about my personal ra, about ra in general, and about things that can influence how we handle ra.

Today, I have decided to do a pictorial reflection on ra. Not like the In The Joint posts that I plan on continuing but rather on how I see ra in almost everything around me.  It often just jumps out at me when I am walking around my neighborhood, near the ocean, or even in art sometimes.

So here is my "reflection" on ra in pictures:

Somewhere in there we must find the beauty again.

Find something that you love to do (even something new) and do it.

Reach out to others. It will not only make you feel better but it just may improve another's life as well.

A good dose of humor really does help.

It's important to look ahead but sometimes looking up will give you an entirely different perspective.

Being inflexible can make the journey much harder. Consider going with the flow for a change.

Sometimes it is the imperfect that actually is just perfect.

And...Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there!

Our Hands Can!

Show Us Your Hands! Releases Our Hands Can! Photo Book in Celebration of Arthritis Awareness Month

(May 7, 2012) – Show Us Your Hands! is pleased to announce the release of its Our Hands Can! photo book, the latest in a series of successful initiatives aimed at uniting the community of individuals who are living with inflammatory arthritis and increasing the public’s awareness of this group of autoimmune diseases. This photo book contains the inspiring photographs and moving stories of dozens of people of all ages from around the world who live with different types of inflammatory arthritis and is being released today in celebration of Arthritis Awareness Month.

May is National Arthritis Awareness Month in the United States. Its goal is to bring attention to the issues and realities faced by people who live with one of the more than 100 different types of arthritis. More than 46 million people live with arthritis in the US, including 300,000 children. It is the most common cause of disability.

The Our Hands Can! photo book is available for purchase at Blurb in both hardcover format and softcover format. “Being part of this has made me feel proud of who I am with rheumatoid arthritis and all for the first time in a long time,” says Samantha Legere, who is profiled in the photo book. Founding director Lene Andersen adds, “Our Hands Can! is a tangible affirmation that all of us who live with inflammatory arthritis find a way to live meaningful, productive and joyful lives. Our hands may hurt and bear the visible signs of our disease, but it doesn’t stop us!” All funds raised from the sale of these photo books go to Show Us Your Hands!, an international awareness movement which serves to unite and inspire the inflammatory arthritis community.

The Show Us Your Hands! inflammatory arthritis community collage project debuted in December 2011. People of all ages from around the world are represented in this community project and new photos continue to be added to on a regular basis. The community collage project serves not only as a symbol of the wonderfully supportive inflammatory arthritis community that continues to grow and connect online, but also acts as a reminder that people who live with these diseases should be proud of, and not ashamed of, their inflammatory arthritis hands. By April 2011, the Show Us Your Hands! inflammatory arthritis community collage project had grown to include more than 1,000 hands.

Autoimmune diseases occur when a body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. In the case of inflammatory arthritis, a person’s joints are frequently attacked, resulting in chronic pain and debilitating inflammation. The most common inflammatory arthritis diseases are Ankylosing Spondylitis, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Psoriatic Arthritis, Reactive Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Scleroderma, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Still’s Disease and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Show Us Your Hands! is an international awareness movement which serves to unite and inspire the inflammatory arthritis community. For more information, please visit www.showusyourhands.org. Show Us Your Hands! can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Our Hands Can! by Show Us Your Hands!

All proceeds will be used to continue the good work of this future non for profit. And I am proud and humbled to say that I did participate in this wonderful project. Can you find me?