How the Real "Lucy" helps those with Lupus, in the sky with diamonds

I am pretty sure many of us here remember John Lennon, and his song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Some may not realize how the song began and why John Lennon wrote it.

Years later, the real "Lucy" story is now banding so many of us together, through Julian Lennson & James Scott Cook, so we can once again find hope through those who dedicate something incredible for the fight against Lupus, and all of the other autoimmune illnesses that strike millions each year in our nation and around the world.

Here are some links about the story:

http://www.lupus.org/newsite/pages/the-story-of-LUCY.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/arts/music/29lucy.html

http://flavorwire.com/56019/julian-lennon-talks-therevolution-the-new-single-and-lucy-vodden

This brought many emotions to me this morning. I had already known Lucy Vodden had passed away from Lupus, and her Mom is still living but also has Lupus.

I wanted to share what can happen with one little 4 year old boys drawings from school.

Happy Holidays, and My thoughts are this will lift you up as it did me.

You can also get the single from I-Tunes. I have already bought it.

Rhia

Awesome News New Lupus Medication finishing clincal trials

This will be very exciting news for all that suffer from this nightmare of a disease. There is another new medication coming out of Europe the UK named Lupuzor!!! It is "neck and neck" with Benlysta that is going onto the FDA and should be approved by hopefully early to mid 2010! They both began their clinical trials about the same time, and are now entering approval like here is is the FDA, and the UK also has their own entity that monitors and gives the okay for medications to be released to the general public.

I know of a couple of other ones that are now beginning, one I believe is in Dallas. I have thought about checking into it to see if I might qualify.

Here are some URL's where you can read the information on the clinical trials etc.

I am hoping, wishing, praying, cross my toes, fingers, and asking everyone else around me, family and friends, plus our church, my Mom's church have us all on prayer lists. When I say all, I have put everyone of us here in the group on those prayer lists, trying to have faith to know we that are in dire need of another phase of medication for Lupus, will be blessed this coming New Year! (In other words, I have given the group name, so that all in entirety that belong as members are on the list, for all we are suffering from)

Here are some URL's:


http://www.cnbc.com/id/34033582

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3649247

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/positive-final-lupuzor-trial-results,1053828.shtml

http://www.cephalon.com/media/news-releases/article/cephalon-exercises-option-to-license-worldwide-rights-to-immupharma-product-lupuzor/



Blessings and Happy Holidays to all... I realize we are all struggling and juggling with the holidays, the economy, work, lack of work, job loss, the rising expense of everything, losing homes... etc... so I realize many of us, like myself do not always have the time to post... but all of you are in my heart and prayers daily...

A Huge hug to all, Rhia

share

share

Posted using ShareThis

Violence, War, Hate Crimes, Terrorism, Fear-a world and our nation in crisis

This world seems to have gone mad. Everywhere we turn someone is causing harm, from senseless killings, war, hate mongering, shootings at schools, colleges, churches, malls... it feels as if we are not safe anywhere. People, if we truly thought about it, we would fear going anywhere. What had caused such a tirade of hateful, mean, demented, lawless, with no emotions or feelings type of people??? Is it lack of morals, lack of parents raising kids right, lack of self control, greed, corruption, hate, blood and guts in kids video games, guns allowed everywhere in this country, the horrible, mad, insanity of some lyrics in our youth's music.... it gives me chills when I stop and think about it. What makes it worse is that it continues to get worse. People not even giving a blink to committing suicide in the name of "Jihad" so they can kill innocent people! The entire world seems to have gone mad... with only a few of us left with any morality, compassion, and feelings about others. I shudder to think what things will be like when my grandson's grow up and then their kids. Will we be just another country like so many with tanks filling our streets, combat right in our towns, uniformed Navy, Army, Marines, and Air Force people being present everywhere we turn? Will our streets be filled with the Cartel's... where it seems no one has any control, like Mexico? They walk up and kill people just to do it? Are drugs going to flow in our communities like water in our rivers? Will we see piles of trash and debris setting around our neighborhoods, like I have seen in places such as India? Orphaned children from losing their parents to these horrible people, living in the streets, arming themselves with guns, and banding together in more gangs? When you really stop, and look around, reading the news, seeing the things on line, reading newspapers... we should all be very concerned. I know I would be very hesitant if I were my daughter right now about even remotely thinking of bringing more children into this world of hate in so many places. I realize maybe that is the wrong way to look at it, but I feel I was put here in 1960, and had my kids pretty early in life, because I would fear raising any the way things are going now. Here we have been in war for over 10 years since 9/11, and rather than win this war, with all of the spectacular weaponry, the incredible logistics equipment, radar, sonar, our intelligence, with the internet... planes, drones, and the list of high tech equipment and soldiers so extremely well trained, yet we seem to not be able to stop the drug Cartel in Mexico, that is spilling over into our own streets at the borders and beyond, we cannot stop the Taliban, Osama Bin Laden, home grown terrorists, right in our own back yards, and it seems we are so fearful in these times, that those people who "see" or "hear" that some neighbor or person they run into are not of "right mind" or are talking about targeting a certain group, or certain person, that they turn their heads, put their heads in the sand, cover their eyes, zip their mouths shut, and then when something like the attacks on college campuses, school campuses, places of employment or some person is killed, or we have another one of the plague of murder-suicides going on, they wonder why it happened? Well, when you see with your own eyes, or witness hearing a person say something that you view as certainly threatening, rather than be in fear, need to report it to the proper authorities right away. Ask them to keep your name out of it, and your privacy be intact. I know our fears continue to mount each day, especially when it seems there is more news that is horrifying, rather than something that is good in this world. But, in order to stop some of the violence, abuse, and torture we see, whether it is a now young woman, held hostage for 18 years!, or someone making a threatening remark about a group of people, or even when we feel a family member, neighbor or close friend seems thoroughly deeply depressed, and his or her actions and mannerisms have changed, their has been loss of a job, a threatened foreclosure, trouble with children, money issues, possibly seeing someone you know consuming more alcohol, illegal drugs, staying cooped up in their home, when they used to be outgoing, or any number of reactions and actions that definitely send out signals something is really wrong with the picture... we can possibly change someone's life for the better, or maybe even safe lives by reporting things that seem awry. Okay enough of my soapbox mini novel here .... just thoughts that reading this really hit home with me in so many ways....

Insurance Greed leads to Domestic Violence being Pre-existing!

Insurance Companies Consider Domestic Violence Pre-Existing!!??

Current mood: annoyed
Category: Life

This is one of the most insane things I have ever read! The insurance companies in several states now have come up with the claim that victims of Domestic Violence injuries are "pre-existing" conditions??! Please take a look at this URL and voice your opinion! This greed, corruption, and total asinine claims from these people that sit around like a bunch of fat cats getting rich off of our hard earned money we pay in for health care have got to be knocked off their high horses. Just yesterday I watched a video where one of the corporate big shots at Cigna owns not one, but several million dollar homes. His bonus checks alone are billions! Yet, they want to refuse claims from hard working citizens????

We have got to stand up and tell them we refuse to take this kind of behavior anymore.

Please sign this and send it on to your friends also.

Please help in this desperate plea to help fight Lupus and the other autoimmune illnesses.

PLease take a look at the Lupus Research site. We need all of the help we can get to give hope to the millions of people, and numbers growing each day of those with these life-alerting illnesses that still not much are known about them. The research institute along with researchers, doctors, nurses, patients and caretakers need Grant money, more projects, more advanced blood tests, genetically testing, and more to try and get to the bottom of these almost mystery diseases. You, your family, your friends, or someone you live around or know, probably suffers from the hundreds of autoimmune illnesses of which so little is known about. Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Sjogren's, Raynauds, RA, just to name a few of these diseases, that have no cure at this time, and there is also little to offer as far as treatments, medications, awareness and education about them. Please help to give those like myself, new hope for research, medications, more knowledge for doctors, nurses and patients, plus so much more.

Please if you can take a moment to also send an email to your Representatives and/or Senators about this, along with your concerns about health care reform. This not only affects those like myself, with Lupus, and the other autoimmune diseases, but every citizen in the United States. Please see the link below:

http://www.lupusresearchinstitute.org/news/lupusnews/09/09/14/body-count-home

Here are the links where you can find the email addresses of your Congress men and women:

http://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/ShowPage.asp?36383139307L363331383339

or post the information on your myspace.com site, facebook, twitter or other blogs you may have.

Anywhere you can help to get this important news out will be deeply appreciated. My story, like the millions of others is a nightmare. From Chronic Clinical Fatigue, the mylar rash on the face, the organs these illnesses, diseases, and syndromes can affect, like the heart, lungs, liver and brain, to severe pain in the joints and other connective tissues, to the Lupus and Fibromyalgia fog, the horrible, worse than migraines, Lupus headaches, to ulcerated places in the mouth, throat, cracked and bleeding fingers, toes, and places on the skin, not being able to sleep, the anxiety, and depression, and emotional stigma these cause, to dealing with medications that have potential terrible side effects, and limited treatments due to just not being able to get enough research done to find how to treat these diseases... the list goes on and on.

Just like many others, I have been from one doctor to the next, one test after another test, blood work involving 20 or more tubes of blood in one setting, not able to go outside and enjoy the sun, due to it possibly leading to flares of these illnesses, and the other dozens of ways these illnesses have a dramatic negative impact on our lives.

Here is a portion of the email I received from the Lupus Research Foundation:

The Patients' Voice for Lupus Research



Dear Rhiannon,

As you read this with your morning coffee, dozens of advocates from the LRI National Coalition are spreading out across Capitol Hill to tell their representatives that more 1.5 million Americans have lupus—and it’s not only scary and unpredictable, but often devastatingly costly to treat.

We invite you to step right in to the Congressional offices with these advocates and add your “virtual” voice RIGHT NOW!

On Health Reform

Make coverage available to all, regardless of pre-existing conditions.

Eliminate lifetime caps on health benefits.

Include development of a regulatory pathway for the FDA to approve follow-on biologic drugs, keeping in mind patient safety and the physician-patient relationship.

Integrate educational provisions on prevention, wellness, and management of chronic diseases.

Build in ways to lessen the racial disparities in access to care of chronic diseases, such as lupus, which disproportionately affects minorities.

On NIH Research Funding

Sustain the nation’s medical research enterprise and support the House funding level of $31.2 billion for NIH in the Fiscal Year 2010 Labor-HHS Conference Appropriations Bill.

Keep the House’s funding level for the NIH, which amounts to a 3 percent increase above last year, and is $400 million higher than the Senate’s proposal. This increase is needed to return to robust, sustainable and predictable budget growth for NIH.

Biomedical research conducted at the NIH, including basic investigations, translational studies and clinical trials, will help lead to new desperately needed treatments options and a better of understanding of lupus.

On Funding for the National Lupus Education Program

ASK your representative to please send a letter of support to:

Labor-HHS Appropriations Chairman David Obey and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt in the House

Labor-HHS Appropriations Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Thad Cochran in the Senate
to include $1 million in the final Conference Report for Fiscal Year 2010 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill for the Office of Minority Health to continue lupus education efforts for health providers.

Many lupus patients often visit multiple doctors and go years before receiving a correct diagnosis. There is a profound need for improved professional awareness and education on lupus—a substantive effort to engage our nation’s health professionals in finding ways to improve lupus diagnosis and treatment.


Millions of Americans with lupus, and their families and friends, thank you for your effort!

From your desk chair…add your voice!
Email your elected officials in the House
Email your elected officials in the Senate
Update your status on Facebook
Tell your followers on Twitter
Post a video to YouTube
Write a bulletin on MySpace
Keep updating
your profiles throughout
the day.
Encourage your friends and followers to add their voices to our effort!
About the LRI - Pioneering Discovery to Prevent, Treat, and Cure Lupus
The Lupus Research Institute (LRI)—the world’s leading private supporter of innovative research in lupus—champions innovation, encourages scientific creativity and risks exploring uncharted territory to bring new scientific solutions to the complex and dangerous autoimmune disease of lupus. Founded by families and shaped by scientists, the Institute mandates sound science and rigorous peer review to uncover and support only the highest ranked novel research. Its bold and proven research strategy places the LRI at the forefront of lupus science as the Institute consistently achieves the breakthrough discoveries, novel insights and solid results that are changing the course of lupus research and bringing new hope to people with lupus nationwide. To learn more about lupus and the Lupus Research Institute, visit www.LupusResearchInstitute.org.

Support the LRI: http://www.lupusresearchinstitute.org/help

Connect with the LRI: Facebook Twitter MySpace YouTube



Lupus Research Institute
330 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1701, New York, NY 10001
T: 212.812.9881 F: 212.545.1843
e-mail: Lupus@LupusNY.org

My Rambling Thoughts, Opinions, and mind set about the Health Care Reform issues etc.

http://www.joebageant.com/joe/2009/09/americans-have-become-weak-and-fearful-things.html

Americans have become weak and fearful things

Joe,

Today, a friend forwarded to me a news article with this headline: "Fines proposed for going without health insurance." Here are some things I don't get:

1) If folks can't afford to reroof the Old Manse or buy groceries or put retreads on the Jimmy, how (and why) are they going to get insurance, and

2) If they can't afford insurance, how are they going to afford the alleged fine, and

3) Who is the Insurance Police, who's going to rat me out, and

4) Why did The Bastards wait until the whole country is unemployed to pull this shit, and

5) Who elected these boobs -- wait, I have a long-standing soft spot for boobs; make that "idiots" -- anyway, and supposedly to act in our interests? Not me.

My elected representatives so far stand mute on these salient and vexing points.

I tell ya, I'm glad I'm old and won't have to watch much more of this nonsense go by. Although, my Ma's 85 and going strong, still tearing up trees and throwing rocks, I seriously don't think I can take it. I'll blow the beans out of my pressure cooker one of these days.

And you? Well?

Jim

------

Jim,

It's like this ole buddy. Mandatory insurance can be made to sound worse than it is. Especially given that the word mandatory scares the hell out of Americans, even though we already have mandatory drivers license and drivers insurance, income tax, building permits, school attendance, vehicle registration, home insurance for mortgages, personal identification, security scanning at airports, income tax filing, dog licensing, sales taxes, etc. (Looking at this short partial list, I can hear the libertarians locking and loading as we speak).

For example, Spain, which is now considered to have the best overall health system in the world, has mandatory health insurance. So do many other countries, though they do not think of it in those terms, and though they are often technically purchasing it from the government at very low costs, which they perceive (and rightfully so) as a tax. This helps offset the government cost of insuring retired, poor, unemployed and others who cannot afford insurance. The government covers these people anyway, but must recover the cost. (What a novel idea for running a government! Knowing how you are going to pay for things.)

A U.S. "public option" (we are not even allowed to utter the term socialized healthcare, or even universal healthcare, because anything universal,which is to say fair to all, is a goddamned commie plot -- the cold war lives on in our capitalist state indoctrination) could cover everyone unable to afford afford insurance by providing it at such extremely low cost. So low that even people below the poverty level, and thus qualify for supplemental income tax rebates, would have insurance. It would simply be deducted from their $500 tax rebates or whatever. So they would never even see it being paid for.

The insurance companies love the mandatory part, which would deliver millions of new customers into their hands and let them set the price. But they hate any so-called public option, which would give those poor customers an alternative. So they've done a pretty good job of torpedoing the public option. Good enough to scare Obama off it for a while, even though any such public measure of his would always have been a half measure and still depended upon the insurance corporations to exist. Now it's back, but who knows what it looks like now, or will look like when the fight is over.

And insurance companies especially fear the possibility of a national health card, which inevitably comes with any sort of government sponsored public healthcare. It's just too damned efficient. For instance, in France, doctors have no files, just a card reader and an Internet connection that links to the patient's permanent files and scan images. But it also tracks costs, fees and billings. And in France (or Germany, I forget) if the doctor is not paid within 72 hours, the insurance company is fined. Health insurance companies in Germany are totally non-profit, but sell other insurance -- auto and home -- for profit. They see providing efficient health coverage as a good leader item and a chance to show off their performance to customers. A public option is the first step toward such a system, or something similar. But I suspect we will never see a national health card. These thugs in America would never stand for it. They like to count their money unseen.

Elected officials, the strong liberal ones at least, are mute on this because to say anything resembling the above is political death. The brownshirts who worked them over at town hall meetings at the behest of the healthcare industry would not be so easy on them next time, given what's at stake for the capitalist overclass. Which is to say the healthcare industry's corporate criminal cartel.

And besides, they own the joint. Our government is now a corporate criminal enterprise extorting the wealth productivity of the people. The people are so used to it and so conditioned they no longer know how to ask questions or extrapolate outcomes. They just react in fear of any new public proposal that would change the status quo.

As for the mandatory part and the fines, that is a red herring if ever there was one. People who have a hard time paying for healthcare (and who doesn't?) get scared out of their britches by such threats. That's why the Republicans put it in there. To scare people away. First you take a good and reasonable thing like universal healthcare, and turn it into a scary authoritarian mandatory thing with grave punishments. Put some stink all over it, something obvious and odious. Make it a burden AND a threat.

That is one of the poison pills for the bill. There will be others to come. After the death panel thing, and the way the people swallowed it, we already know the outcome. Hell, one of the anti-healthcare lies being circulated around here right now is that Obama wants to have mandatory abortions of anyone born with low IQ or is otherwise substandard. Which is OK with me because it would spell the end of the Republican Party.

But whatever they do, there will be no rounding up and fining of the underemployed, unemployed or broke. That's 50 million people these days. Any effort would be mostly a paperwork exercise, at this point. And besides, they do not want your body. They want your money. Thug's work the neighborhoods where the money is, not where it ain't. We live in an extortion based criminal enterprise masquerading as a government, so one shudders to think of the paperwork liens that could be placed on homes, etc. They are paperwork too, but have the strength of law behind them. The commissariat judges who provide the legal muscle for the cartels.

All of which is moot as long as medical and pharma costs in this country are astronomical and still rising, making doctors, executives and major shareholders in the crime syndicate richer than ever. And as long as drone missiles, 400 military bases and two ongoing wars keep draining an already looted public treasury that is forced to run international indebtedness anyway.

Whenever we see something like the mandatory health insurance covered in the media, it is there for effect, not to inform us. It is there to cloud the issue and scare the piss out of people toward the ends of the corporate state. To make them fearfully ask the wrong questions and miss the real issue.

The real question is this: When are we going to rise up against our government and the criminal cartel that owns it?

And with each passing day I am more convinced that the answer is -- never. That takes true inner convictions and ideals, not to mention courage. The real thing, not political rhetoric and ideology. Convictions are measured by actions. And true convictions are arrived at through the clear-eyed self-examination and deep questioning and personal sacrifice of individuals. And defining one's self as something necessarily other than the state. We failed to do so too long ago. We are now state property. A mass of people rallying and surging back and forth in response to state manufactured pseudo events and faux choices. If I still loved this country I would weep for it. But I've watched us too willingly acquiesce to this fate for too long. I don't think we have the reservoir of cultural, moral, spiritual and political strength to turn things around. Or even conceive of what can be, other than what we've seen. Instead, we are issued empty terms as convictions, such as democracy and diversity.

Surely though, the noisy pseudo drama of pseudo choices will go on in a pseudo democracy. If I were a younger man, it might possibly be instructive, in a chilling way. But a guy gets tired of learning the same old lesson year after year, decade after decade. The lesson being that Americans have become weak and fearful things. Ignorant of any sort of real self agency in shaping their country's government.They embrace the notion of "working within the system." Then too, the consequences for doing otherwise are dire. Our corpo-government crime syndicate makes that very clear. In a mob neighborhood, everyone is afraid.

In closing let me say, by all means go ahead and blow the beans out of your pressure cooker. I did. And I found that it left me with a clearer head (or maybe a less cluttered delusion of my own, who is to say? But either way, now the decor inside the old cranium allows me to sleep better at nights). People will call you nuts, say you've gone over the brink. But I find that there is plenty of fine company down here at the bottom of the cliff.

In art and labor,

Joe

PS: I hear on the BBC this morning that the US is still number two (behind Switzerland) in economic output. The difference between the quality and security of our lives and that of the Swiss can be seen as a measure of what is siphoned off by the cartel. Evidently there is quite a bit of wealth being produced by the people left to steal, leaving public amenities and the people to run on pure debt. Thus, don't expect our criminal overlords to let up on us any time soon.

As I pondered the feelings of that fateful morning in New York, it is like it was just yesterday. I vividly remember hearing on the radio about the first plane. I jumped up and turned the television on, and I saw the 2nd plane hit, as news continued to come in about another hitting the Pentagon and another crashing. Like many here in our nation and around the globe, it was almost in slow motion and unbelievable.. leaving some of us to consider this was another "Orson type Wells" stunt from many years ago. But as the minutes ticked by, it became apparent. We had been officially attacked on our own soil by terrorists! The actions that took place that day, reshaped just about everything in our country in one way or the other. Things will never be quite the same, as they were the hours, days, weeks, and decades before.

We tend to be more cautious, from walking into a crowded mall, walking alone on a dark parking lot, watching out for some people that might have an appearance like the horrible men that caused this worst tragedy in American History, and we probably in some ways, are not as trustful of buildings we go in, co-workers, neighbors that may be very quiet, and many other things that we would do or not do before that fateful 9/11/2001.

My prayers go out to the so many people that lost spouses, kids, Mom's, Dad's, siblings, friends and more. I applaud all of the brave men and women who fought tirelessly to help those who survived.

It could be called another "Day of Infamy" and those terrible hours that unfolded as our entire nation stopped at once, and dropped all they were doing to watch these unspeakable acts take place. The New York skyline has been forever changed.

Again, my thoughts and prayers remain with all that lost those they love, and for the bravery of our firefighters, police, and all of the volunteers that helped in any way they could to get those out that were still alive.

The reflection of these horrific events are fresh in my mind, in the very early morning.

I can only hope that us as a nation, as the "United" States, as adults, as governmental bodies, can work together, coming to an agreement quickly on a dramatic change in health care... and the antics and lies are put to rest, so the health care reform gets through the House and Senate, so the President can sign it, and quickly implement all of these things that will help the majority of us that fight tooth and nail on healthcare issues or those that have none.

Total Crude, Disrespectful Behavior of the Republicans during an Integral Presidential Speech to the Joint Congress and the United States!

I could not believe my ears or eyes, when I watched almost the entire Republican party sit on their butts, and not once stand up and applaud the President of the United States! Then to make matters worse, against all protocol, their were several heckling the President during his speech. To top it off, Joe Wilson, the Republican Representative from South Carolina, showed just how disrespectful the majority of the GOP are by screaming out to the President of the United States, "You lie!" during an integral part of the speech. This was the most outrageous, ridiculous, insane, lude and crude movement anyone representing our Congress could make! This guy need to be put out to pasture! Not only did he show his lack of ability to be civil, he showed everyone in the US, and the entire world, that the Republicans are vicious, hate mongering, and lack the respect needed to be in our governmental body! I am still appauled at his actions, and the actions of the rest of the Republicans, including my own Representative Joe Barton, for SITTING on his butt, and not standing when the time was appropriate. What does these actions show to our children, our nation and the entire world? We should all be mad as hell, even if we do not totally agree with the President! This is NO Way anyone holding a political office should act. It was like a bunch of kindergartener's pouting because they did not get their way!

The story is in the link! I would hope everyone that saw the distasteful acts of the Republican body are mad as hell, and are writing their Senators and Representatives to tell them just how rude and despectful they were! Plus what about our allies and enemies throughout this world? It also shows we cannot stand together for our country, and is a total embarrassment for the American People, plus gives potential terrorists legs to stand on, in these actions showing we are not truly the "United" States!

Apple's release of Snow Leapord Helps the endangered species

Apple's release of its new operating system, dubbed "Snow Leopard", is helping raise awareness of the plight of one of the world's most endangered big cats, reports the Snow Leopard Trust, a group working to protect the real-life snow leopard in its mountainous habitat across Central Asia.

This is truly incredible! Rhia

Another New Diagnosis to add to my list

Well, the doctor I went to does seem to know his stuff. His list of honors, schools, books he as written and co-authored, 1000's of papers and publications, on the board everywhere from the Arthritis Foundation, to head of several studies in research for all types of Rheumatilogical disorders, of which I am now one in a study. He is developing a specific "gene" testing, heading the research for it to be a definitive way to diagnose Lupus.

Anyway, after three hours in his office, between his nurse practioner, and him, then the blood work, I left there with the diagnosis of Fibromyagia added to my list. I had been told years back by a specialist that did some occiptal nerve injections in my neck to try to help the migraines, that he felt I had fibromyalgia. At that time, is was of course not truly recognized by most doctors as even a true syndrome or illness. They felt it was more of a "hysterical women's" thing, and that we are just hypocondriacs. But, in the past 10 years or so, Fibromyalgia has become a true medical issue, and it does definitely cause horrific amounts of pain. It in many ways is extremely close to Lupus as far as symptoms. The one thing that differs is that the Fibromyalgia effects muscles, and not joints. Whereas Lupus can effect joints. Thus due to my situation with all of my joints, I have a couple of diagnosis with them. Lupus of course, but also degenerative joint disease. I went to my orthopedic surgeon on Thursday. He told me my shoulder is completely worn out, thus the clicking, popping and rubbing that comes from it is because I have bone on bone and no type of connective tissue left like cartilage in it. The only thing that would take it away is a complete shoulder replacement. But, he and I both agree, unless it gets too painful, or hangs up, etc... until they perfect the shoulder replacement as far as range of motion, we really don't want to go there yet. But, if I begin to have severe pain issues, locking up etc. I may not have a choice but to have it replaced.

About the bruising etc. This new Rheumatologist, who you can look up in Google! He has written two books himself, and uses them in the office, plus co-authored many also. His name is Dr. John Cush. You will see he was even named Best Doctor in the US, along with his many other accolades.

So, he feels this so called brusing, is more of a hyperpigmentation. I thought he was nuts, but I came home, looked it up and some of the pictures, match my arms and legs completely, or very close. But, he is sending me to a Dermatologist, who will probably do what we have already thought they should.. which is a biospy of the skin, or blood vessels, which would give them an absolute diagnosis.

So, Dr. Cush did a couple of things... he is treating the fibromyalgia a couple of ways... first of all since I have griped and whined for months about not being able to sleep, he put me on Ambien CR, which I had already mentioned to my PCP, but I guess he did not really get how much sleep I really am losing... on the average, I don't sleep but about 4 hours a night. The pain is just too horrible, thus I either get up and get on the computer, or I sit up on the sofa and try to sleep. We all know lack of sleep contributes to everything from horrible pain, to weight gain. He also wants me to do more stretching exercises, rather than the weights for my wrists and ankles or my exercise bike. He said something like Tai Chi or Pilates (and I already have the DVD's for Jim and I) or in a pool is much better for Fibromyalgia patients. So, I can continue my others as long as I don't overdo the muscles, but the stretching he really drilled about and said I had better NOT come back in a month, and tell him I just walked, used the weights, and did NOT do Yoga, Tai Chi, swimming or Pilates! I can say a couple of things about him. He is one hell of a doctor, he does not really have a terrific bedside manner...he is very matter of factly, and kind of gives you the impression he is there to help his patients but they have to DO AS HE SAYS to the tee, or he feels both are wasting their time. Which when you see all he does, including lots of traveling and doing speeches, lectures etc... plus the research, plus writing books and papers and so forth... and a private practice, he does not have time to screw with people who do not want to try and get better. So, he is not just really harsh, but he just tells it exactly as it is, and does not beat around the bush. He is very straight forward and forth right with his beliefs.

So, at this time, I still am diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogren's, Raynaud's, DJD, osteoarthritis, migraines, as well as Lupus Migraines, Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder, and others... and Fibromyalgia is the latest.

Lots to comprehend, still don't know about the bruising, but I feel we are finally on the right track. I feel between Dr. Cush and a dermatologist, if they cannot find out why it is happening I don't think anyone anywhere will be able to. Do I like this new doctor? As a doctor that knows what the hell he is doing, Yes! Not thrilled on his demeanor, well I am not thrilled but at least I do understand why he is not all roses and smiles. LOL, Jim and I had to laugh when he was talking about the exercising. He is a tad plump!, thus it appears he has little time to exercise, and lots of junk food, or food itself!

Do I feel somewhat relieved?mmmmmm kind of, but not a great deal, not until we do have an absolute this is what you have! and this is how we can treat it. Then I will be feeling much better about it all. I am not thrilled with yet another diagnosis, but I already know all too well, people with Lupus, usually more than not have several overlapping diseases, illnesses or syndromes with it. The book I just read about Lupus, discusses all of them including the Fibromyalgia.

More incredible news for Lupus patients!

From the Salk Institute for Biological Studies:

The 'S' stands for surprise

Anticoagulant plays unexpected role in maintaining circulatory integrity

IMAGE:In the top image an inert red dye injected into the circulation of normal mice remains confined within blood vessels (green) of the brain. Whereas in the bottom image... Click here for more information.

LA JOLLA, CA—Protein S, a well-known anticoagulant protein, keeps the blood flowing in more than one way, discovered researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The protein contributes to the formation and function of healthy blood vessels.

The researchers found that mice lacking protein S suffered massive blood clots, but also had defective blood vessels that allow blood cells to leak into the surrounding tissue.

"We had anticipated finding clotting problems, but the prominent role of protein S in the development and maintenance of blood vessels was completely unexpected," says first author Tal Burstyn-Cohen, Ph.D., a former post-doc in the Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory and now at the Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

There are more than 200 known human mutations and polymorphisms in the gene coding for protein S, which was arbitrarily named after Seattle, the city of its discovery. The resulting deficiencies predispose carriers to deep venous thrombosis, strokes at an early age, recurrent miscarriages, and pre-eclampsia, and are associated with several autoimmune diseases, most prominently systemic lupus erythematosus.

"Protein S is a really interesting molecule," says Greg Lemke, Ph.D., a professor in the Salk's Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, who led the study, which appears in the Sept. 1, 2009, issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. "During the course of evolution, it was co-opted from the coagulation cascade for the regulation of inflammation in the immune system."

The moment a blood vessel is breached, the coagulation cascade activates a series of enzymes in domino-like fashion, which allows the rapid formation of a plug at the site of injury. As part of a carefully calibrated system of checks and balances, Protein S aids with the inactivation of clotting factors Va and VIIIa, preventing excessive clotting.

In patients who are born with two abnormal copies of the protein S gene, a severe form of thrombosis called purpura fulminans can result. This life-threatening condition involves severe clotting throughout much of the body, ultimately causing death to the tissues.

But Protein S also binds to and activates a trio of receptors, Tyro3, Axl, and Mer, which are collectively known as TAMs. Apart from being involved in a host of cellular processes, the TAMs most famously act as a molecular "trip switch" that prevents the immune system from spiraling out of control and turning against one's own body.

Though protein S's dual role in coagulation and inflammation is one that scientists have known about for years, its exact function has remained a mystery. Lemke and Burstyn-Cohen, wanting to understand the molecular details, created knockout mice missing the ProS1 gene, which encodes protein S.

"It was the last gene encoding a critical component of the blood coagulation cascade to be inactivated in mice," says Burstyn-Cohen, "and the resulting phenotype is probably the most severe of them all." Mice without functional protein S die in utero with massive consumptive blood clots, which soak up all available clotting factors, causing severe hemorrhaging elsewhere.

In addition to blood clots, these mice also had problems with vascular integrity and the functioning of these blood vessels. "TAM receptors are important for maintaining the physiological integrity of the smooth muscles that line blood vessels," explains Burstyn-Cohen. "Without protein S the muscle layer is disordered, and the vessels become leaky."

Like other components of the clotting cascade, most of the circulating protein S is produced by hepatocytes in the liver, or so it was thought. When Burstyn-Cohen shut down the production of protein S in hepatocytes, however, levels of protein S only dropped by half. A closer look revealed that the endothelial cells lining blood vessels themselves provided most of the remaining protein.

"Blood clotting disorders are a good target for gene therapy since the absence of a single factor can sabotage the body's ability to stanch bleeding or stop the coagulation process," says Lemke. "Our findings suggest that in addition to hepatocytes, endothelial cells, which are easily accessible via the circulatory system, may be a particularly good target for gene therapy to correct genetic or acquired defects in ProS or other regulators of blood coagulation."

###

For information about the commercialization of this technology, please contact Dave Odelson at 858.453.4100, x 1223 (dodelson@salk.edu) in the Salk Office of Technology Management and Development.

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, grants from the Lupus Research Institute, the Stein Endowment Fund, and the Hoffman Foundation.

Mary Jo Heeb, Ph.D., in the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, also contributed to this work.

About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is one of the world's preeminent basic research institutions, where internationally renowned faculty probe fundamental life science questions in a unique, collaborative, and creative environment. Focused both on discovery and on mentoring future generations of researchers, Salk scientists make groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of cancer, aging, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders by studying neuroscience, genetics, cell and plant biology, and related disciplines.

Faculty achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes and memberships in the National Academy of Sciences. Founded in 1960 by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk, M.D., the Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark.

Great News on Clinical Trials of Two First Ever Lupus Medications going well!

LONDON/BRUSSELS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Immunomedics (IMMU.O) became the second biotech company in just over a month to report success in the fight against lupus on Thursday, sending its shares more than 50 percent higher.

http://www.lupusresearchinstitute.org/news/lupusnews/09/08/27/update-2-ucb-immunomedics-drug-shows-promise-lupus

More on Lupus:

http://www.lupusresearchinstitute.org/

How to determine Hoax emails, posts, etc.

It came to my attention this morning by the way of another one of the many hoaxes that go around and around the internet, that I needed to post about how anyone can find out if what you receive is truthful, or a down right hoax. I am speaking of posts, emails etc. that talk about some poor child and you need to sign to help them, and pass on, or about how to get something "free", some of the ones that you are emailed to sign a petition about something that sounds odd, etc.

Here is what you can do:

This morning I received an email about how to know if you have a "2 way mirror" in a room, like in a hotel, dressing room, public restroom. Well, at first I thought it was great information, then it dawned on me to do a search on Google just to see if I could verify the information. I immediately got a hit on "snopes.com" that this information is just another one of the hundreds that go around in emails especially that are plain hoaxes. We get an entire realm of these types of emails especially. People put them out there, then if we don't check we begin forwarding them to everyone in our address books. Well, that is what spammers want to us do. It ties up the internet with millions of emails going through, slows things down, and crashes some servers.

So, the next time you get an email, that talks about getting money, about something you think is really too good to be true, even those talking about some poor girl that is sick and you need to sign and forward etc... you can either Google it, or go directly to snopes.com and verify if it is legitimate or a plain hoax. There are many going around that are simply hoaxes. This will save you from sending around emails and wasting your time and your friends time, plus get rid of the lies that circle around the world online.

It is a huge issue, and if we are diligent about checking up on certain items, we can nip many of these falsehoods in the bud.

Rhia

Here is the URL:

http://www.snopes.com

New Lupus First Ever Medication on the Horizon for FDA Approval

I have been following this new medication and its clinical trials. It is in the last phase and will be submitted to the FDA this coming Fall for approval. They are hoping to be able to start giving it to patients by the end of 2010! I hope sooner. Here is the article I received, and a couple of URL's about this latest innovation in medicine. Nothing like it has ever existed and Lupus has never had "its own medication". All of the current medications are used for other autoimmune illnesses and they find they work somewhat on Lupus patients in some ways also. Talk about exciting news for Lupus sufferers! I am definitely ready! Here is the article - from my North Texas Chapter of Lupus Foundation! Dear Lupus Supporter, This is a historic day for all people living with lupus. It has been 40 years since man landed on the moon, but July 20, 2009 will be remembered as the day when a breakthrough in lupus may have occurred. Human Genome Sciences (HG and GlaxoSmithKline announced that their drug, BENLYSTA™, which was developed specifically to treat lupus, was successful in reaching the primary endpoint and most of the secondary endpoints in the first of two pivotal Phase III trials. The 52-week study was innovative in its design. Carefully selected patient participants coupled with a new patient responder index were key factors in the successful result. The drug was generally well tolerated. The trial is the largest double-blinded, randomized Phase III trial ever completed in lupus. The FDA has required the company to complete two such trials and the data from the second trial will be announced in November. Should this trial confirm the results of the 52-week study, HGS and its partner, GlaxoSmithKline, will submit an application to the FDA for approval to market BENLYSTA. Following are FAQ's for your review: Frequently Asked Questions BENLYSTA ™ (Formerly Lymphostat- 1. What is BENLYSTA? BENLYSTA is a human monoclonal antibody that is being investigated as a potential new treatment for lupus. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein made in the laboratory that is developed to find and attach to only one type of substance in the body. 2. How does BENLYSTA work? BENLYSTA is a human monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes and blocks the biological activity of B-lymphocyte stimulator, or BLyS® (pronounced bliss), a naturally occurring protein which was discovered by scientists at Human Genome Sciences (HG. Elevated levels of BLyS prolong the survival of B cells which can contribute to the production of autoantibodies - antibodies that target the body's own tissues. Previous studies have shown that BENLYSTA can reduce autoantibody levels and help control autoimmune disease activity. 3. Who developed BENLYSTA? BENLYSTA is being co-developed by Human Genome Sciences (HG and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). 4. What clinical research has been conducted on BENLYSTA? HGS released Phase II clinical trial results for BENLYSTA in June 2006. The results demonstrated that it significantly reduced disease activity versus a placebo in patients with clinically active lupus, and appeared generally safe and well-tolerated. In July 2009, HGS announced positive top-line results from the Phase III clinical trial, BLISS-52, which will continue to be analyzed. Results from the Phase III BLISS-76 clinical trial are expected to be released in November 2009. The design of the two trials is similar, but the duration of therapy in the two trials is different, 52 weeks for BLISS-52, and 76 weeks for BLISS-76.The BLISS-52 study was conducted primarily in Asia, South America, and Eastern Europe, and BLISS-76 is being conducted mostly in North America and Europe. 5. What are the results of the BLISS-52, Phase III BENLYSTA study? The study demonstrated thatlupus patients who were treated with BENLYSTA had improvement in overall disease activity without clinically significant flare-ups in one or more isolated organs when compared to patients who received the placebo (inactive agent). The patients receiving BENLYSTA also were able to reduce their intake of steroid medications. The study is the largest ever to be completed for lupus and the first Phase III (late stage) trial of a new biologic immune therapy for lupus to succeed in meeting its primary endpoint and most of its secondary endpoints. 6. If BENLYSTA is approved by the FDA, what does it mean for people with lupus? While clinical trials are still ongoing, assuming success, BENLYSTA could represent a breakthrough in the treatment of lupus. If approved, BENLYSTA could be the first drug approved to treat lupus in more than 50 years AND would bethe first drug developed specifically for lupus since the disease was discovered more than a century ago! 7. What makes BENLYSTA different from other lupus treatments? BENLYSTA could be the FIRST FDA-approvedmedication specifically designed for the treatment of lupus. Current medications are borrowed from other diseases and conditions and some are used off-label, which means they were never approved by the FDA for lupus. These drugs include high doses of steroids, antimalarial medications, immunosupressive drugs, and organ-rejection drugs - many which have serious and devastating side effects. 8. When will the drug be available for patients? More information on this issue will be available after the results of BLISS-76, a longer-term Phase III clinical study, are released this fall. The results from the BLISS-52 study and the BLISS-72 study will be submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for review. The review process can take anywhere from six months to several years to complete. ONLY after receiving FDA approval will the drug be available to patients. 9. What side effects have been found with BENLYSTA? In earlier Phase II studies, BENLYSTA has shown no increase in overall or serious side effects or infections. More information will be available on this issue as the data continues to be analyzed along with the results for the BLISS-76 clinical study which are expected to be released in November. 10. Are there other treatments being researched for lupus? There are several promising treatments in the near-term pipeline. More companies are involved in lupus research and there are more potential new therapies being investigated than ever before. 11. Why has it taken so long to find a treatment for lupus? Lupus is a complex disease. It can affect multiple organ systems and symptoms can range in severity from one day to the next. And it can affect each person differently with varying responses to treatment. The complexity presents challenges in evaluating potential new therapies. With each research study, regardless of the outcome, there are new discoveries that help pave the way for new therapies. More information will be available about this drug as it enters the FDA approval Here are the URL's where you can find more information out about Benlysta! http://www.hgsi.com/BENLYSTA.html http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153936.php http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/94/32567/benlysta-new-lupus-medication.html http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_empty.aspx?articleid=2657&zoneid=99 I hope this brings hope to all that suffer with Lupus, the caregivers, the spouses and families as it has to myself, my husband and my family! I will keep you posted! Rhia

Debunking the Ancient Myths of Pain Medications and Addictions

Prescription pain medicine addiction grabs headlines when it sends celebrities spinning out of control. It also plagues many people out of the spotlight who grapple with painkiller addiction behind closed doors.

But although widespread, addiction to prescription painkillers is also widely misunderstood -- and those misunderstandings can be dangerous and frightening for patients dealing with pain.

This is an incredible article that everyone from those with Chronic Pain and Illness, caretakers, spouses, family, friends and all should read. It is time for professionals and us as patients, plus our support team around us need to take a stance to aid us in getting the proper treatments, that often include prescription pain medications in order for us to live with any kind of quality of life. As the article says, and I have also said before, the majority of those who take daily prescription pain medications, use them so we can live a half way normal life, we DO NOT abuse them, we go to our doctors for followups, we sign pain contracts if our doctors ask us to, and we are not the ones abusing or getting "addicted". Addicts are those who seek narcotics for purposes not really due to pain, but more either to sell, or to use as a "recreational high" (just as Cocaine, or any of the illegal drugs on the street). Furthermore, an addiction can be from any drug. It is NOT limited to just narcotics (as this article points out)

It is NOT fair to punish those of us that live in this horrible nightmare of Chronic Daily Pain and Illness, due to media hype surrounding celebritries, or any famous people. We are the ones that try to make it through the days of pain, with proper treatments and medications, so we can work our jobs, raise our children, and be able to continue to enjoy spouses, hobbies, families, and friends.

Please read this article, and pass it on to others if you will.

We need to open awareness on this serious matter, and put an end to the propaganda that surrounds medications that do serve a very horrible disease of Chronic Pain.

Life, Times, and what we try to find that is not insanity in an insane world

Over the past two weeks like for many of us has proven to be a challenge to say the least. There is SO much going on in our nation, from the pitfalls and roadblocks of bureacratic red tape as far as our health care plan, to bombings once again at Hotels in the very countries that have harmed so many. They are killing their own people, innocent people from the world over, and American Citizens. Then we find out one of our soldiers is being held captive by the Taliban. That video that came out of there with him in it, was one that mad most of us upset, mad, sad, and stirred once again the emotional turbulence of what a war can do. Then we have all of the controversy surrounding Michael Jacksons death. The latest I read (which was yesterday morning), now they are possibly looking at the cardiologist, as well as other doctors in regards to Michael may have been murdered. Of course, if you are feeling like I do about the media right now, honestly I have a difficult time believing anything the majority of them say. Between their biased opinions, their stupid remarks, their interjection of comments that they should keep to themselves... FOX of course the main one in my book... I just do not trust most of our reporters anymore. They are after the "breaking story", but not because of pride, more because of the prestige, the power, money and glory of getting a "scoop". The problem is, who knows which if any of those scoops truly contain a non-biased true statement, rather than the propaganda that is all too often slapping us right in the face.

Then there is the entire thing about Judge Sotomayer. Another way the media proves they are full of crap. This woman is definitely fit in all ways to be in the Supreme Court. Her record is squeeky clean, yet between the ridiculous, childish behavior of the Republicans, they continue to try and put her down, find something horrible she has done, when there is nothing. The Republicans are very well noted for stirring up a pile of SH*&, rather than solve issues that we as citizens need so desperately.

Rather than trying to find something that demeans, smears and critizes the Democrats, the entire bunch would rather argue, fight, throw mud, anything they can do, other than spend the time WE VOTED THEM IN FOR... TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE! It just makes me sick to my stomach when I hear the crazy bull crap the Republicans and the media can come up with. They act like a bunch of kindergardener's fighting over a book, pencil, teacher, or something. It should really be pissing the people that are Republican off, knowing this bunch is fighting rather than resolving some of the most serious situations that are country has ever faced. We need to be focused on health care, ridding our world of terrorists, terrorist groups, both afar and on our own home land. We should be trying to fix our economy, make allies with other countries, get North Korea straightened out before they do get the equipment that can launch a Nuclear Bomb at us, or any other country for that matter. We have the realms of states like California, that are completely broke and having to give out IOU'S! to those they owe!!! It is difficult to fathom, unless you can truly look at the incredible amount of greed that exists now days, how Wall Street, some of our largest banking institutions, the biggest corporations on the Fortune 500, along with our richest, wealthiest people on Earth, can lose the billions they have. The only way I can see that happening, is that those that are so greedy, so full of themselves, so much more about stomping the hell out of the "little people", they are finally getting their just reward. I feel you cannot run through this life, with hate, greed, corruption, lying, cheating, stealing, and being a "glutton", not just in a physical sense, but in a life type of sense, a glutton for money, for power, for being over others, for the biggest house, the finest car, the most glorious lawn, having to have over and above all of the Jones' so to speak. That kind of life sooner or later catches up with you. We have seen the amount of money people have been totally rooked out of by greedy jerks like Bernie Madoff and his ponzi scheme, plus the many others that have weazeled normal, everyday, hard working people out of their homes, their retirements, their life savings... leaving them completely broke!!! How can any human go to sleep at night, after you have swindled that ungodly amount of money from victims, and still be able to even look at yourself in the mirror? Plus, how can a spouse stay with a husband or wife knowing fully well that this person they are in a close relationship withm when you watch them for so many years tearing apart others lives? It totally makes no sense to me at all. But, I guess that is because I don't have a "thief", stealing, lying cheating, harming bone in body. It would never even come up in my little pea brain to steal anything from anyone, much less billions and billions... and for what??? There is NO WAY any one human needs that much money to live on. It is possible I might be able to see if someone had children and they were not able to take care of them, possibly stealing food, or living in a run down building, or possibly doing something a little underhanded in order to feed and shelter their kids, but even at that, I believe in my heart, I would ask people to help me first, and then if I could absolutely not get help, I may take food from a store for my kids. But, honestly I think I would beg for help first. There is just only so much a person can buy. It is insanity, and I guess not so much about the amount of money, but like rape, and other types of crimes such as this, it is more about POWER! Most of us know with money comes power. You have the ability to step on others, buy your way out of things that are wrong, flee wherever you please in a hurry, and money allows you more power over others than anything.

Then we have the rash of murders, that continue to just get worse right here in our own back yards. That entire horrible situation in Florida! What goes through some people's minds when they are in a house, with 12 special needs children, and in cold blood, without even having any emotion about it, kill a Mother and Father? Just another thing that totally is insanity. Those kinds of people rob not only in a physical sense, but they have basically "raped" that family of everything, from emotional, mental and physical. Here this couple out of the goodness of their hearts opened their doors to those 12 kids, who already have a huge challenge to grow up and prosper in this world as it is, and now there is a good possibility these kids will never, ever truly recover from the horrific nightmare of both parents being murdered. Murder-Suicide is on the rise, and we have the financial status of our own government to thank for that. Again GREED! Here in a nation that was supposed to be the biggest, the best, the most free, the ones that are trying to care for their citizens have totally forgotten what they are in the government for?? And what is that!??? OUT OF SERVICE!! Those elected officials are supposed to be representing those that vote for them, and what our needs are as this nations people. It surely does not seem as if many of them given a damned about their constituents. It is again more about power! We see it in the lobbying, which is total horse crap! Again it boils down to money, power and greed! Of course with many of the jerks on Capitol Hill also comes corruption, being bought off, using OUR MONEY WE PAY IN, to visit HOOKERS, to fly to another country to see their Mistresses, to buy huge corporate planes, jet the way too many senseless jack asses that have a title like "executive VP" for thousands of dollars of free vacations, spa's, and anything to get those working for them, totally bought off. We should be MAD AS HELL!, when you stop and think about just how much we pay in Taxes and they have the audacity, to take OUR money, and use it on everything BUT HELPING US! Why the hell are we paying for their hookers and corruption??? You can guarantee if you turned in a state tax form, an IRS form, property taxes forms, and did not PAY, so you could take a huge expensive vacation, pay to have your prostitute a mansion, buy your friends a jet to take you everywhere, lavish yourself with millions in clothes, jewelry and antiques, what do you think they would do to us??? Well, we know they would bankrupt us, put us in a locked cage, more than likely for the rest of our lives, but it is OKAY for them to do it??? We need to get our heads out of the sand and stand up to say NO MORE!!!! The Madoff's and all of the greedy asses need to be sent off to some deserted island, with no food, no shelter, no liferaft, 1000's of miles away from any possibe escape, and make them survive off the island they are on. I bet if they had to find something to eat, to make clothes from, a living quarters, shelter from the weather, try and find fresh water to drink, and have no help from anyone... they would not last until the water got hot, so to speak.

When I sit and think about all of the horrible health problems I have, and not just myself, but so many I have met here at Care2 and throughout my life, that are too ill to work, that have spent their life savings on doctors and medications, who cannot get any medical attention, they are trying to fight the government for THEIR MONEY they paid in working and now need disability, but the big boys on Capitol Hill try to make is so damned difficult to get your own hard worked for funds, more often than not people give up, lay down and say it is not worth it! There is NO reason why people should have to wait and wade through years of paperwork when it is obvious that they are too ill to hold down a job! Talk about bull! It is bull.

I have covered corruption, greed, power, murderers, political jerks, and more here in this post.

We have also seen some of our most prized famous people pass away, the latest Walter Cronkite. We have suffered losses to several very special people, from Pulitzer prize winners, actors and actresses, music icons, many in war once again, having the biggest loss this month so far from the 8 years this insanity of a war has been going on. That is hard to fathom also... we have been in this stupid war now 8 years! Honestly, I have to wonder if there is any end in sight... between North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and all of the middle East, the violence in China, the violence around the Dalai Llama and their country, the massive number of suicide bombers that just get worse each day, the Taliban, Israel and Palestine who have been in a "holy War" since time began here, many eruptions within countries fighting among themselves, the most dangerous drug cartel down in Mexico that we have ever seen, pirates capturing huge tankers and holding them for ransom, kids and adults walking into schools, churches, malls, and all types of public places shooting and killing for no good reason...

I could go on and on about my own beliefs, and emotional feelings about what has been going on around our world, but this is not about me. This share is more about each of us. I want this to be a post that is a reminder of what is important, what is not, what family means to us, where our world is going, where it has been, how we can fix problems, and hopefully avoid others in the future.

I realize this sounds very grim, since I have mentioned so many horrid, ugly and mean situations, yet they are what is happening.

I look to you to post, write, or just in your mind, look at life, and out of the bad we often do not understand, find all of the good that surrounds you.

Whether that be a nice little home, your spouse, family and kids. Whether it be a hobby you love, taking a weekend trip, reading a great book, cooking a special dinner, lighting candles for a romantic evening, vegging out and watching movies, taking a walk, calling a friend... whatever that you can do to make your life on track, make you feel better, more wise, more relaxed... find your own little niche that is out of the cold harsh reality of the world... and escape to your own wonderful place, wherever that may be....

With my honor, respect, gratitude, and friendship.... my best to each of you.. Rhia

FDA Further Pain Control Medications Regulations

My Friends... Please read the below, and help with this cause. Thanks so much... Pam "Rhia" Steele
An outrageous nightmare all needing pain meds! Please let's do something!

Here is a petition I have created that will be delivered to the FDA and
President Obama.

Please join me if you choose in getting this issue out there and let
them know how we as those that suffer in chronic daily pain feel.

The link below will lead you to the petition site. You will see the
petition called Pain Control around the middle of the page with my
picture beside it. I urge you if you are a pain sufferer or a care taker
to help take action so we do not lose our medications we need.

Pain Control


Thanks so much! Rhia If you have questions feel free to email me.


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/health/policy/10fda.html


If you never read another news article again, this one you truly need
to
read. If we allow the FDA to further restrict our prescription pain
> medications, and mine, like many are on this list, we could be in a
> world of horrible, nightmarish pain, and not be able to get our
> medications! They are supposed to be making it less complicated for
> those of us in true pain, yet the FDA now is trying to leave it in the
> hands of the pharmaceutical companies rather than our own doctors. It
is
> bad enough now that we fight between doctors, insurance companies, and
> the pharmacies as it is! I could not believe my eyes when I read this.
> Please take time to look over this article, and think about what we
can
> do as a group, plus other people we know to get the word out that this
> needs to be dealt with before the FDA meets the first part of March.
> Whether it be a petition, the signing of letters, or whomever we need
to
> find to take our cases to, we definitely need to act and act now!
>
> Here is the Article from the link above. I am further looking into it
at
> the American Pain Society also, and if you find more information
please
> email me or post. We cannot allow our very lives in the hands of these
> people.
>
> Rhia
> F.D.A. to Place New Limits on Prescriptions of Narcotics (courtesy of
> the New York Time Health Page)
>
> WASHINGTON — Many doctors may lose their ability to prescribe 24
> popular narcotics as part of a new effort to reduce the deaths and
> injuries that result from these medicines' inappropriate use,
> federal drug officials announced Monday.
>
> A new control program will result in further restrictions on the
> prescribing, dispensing and distribution of extended-release opioids
> like OxyContin, fentanyl patches, methadone tablets and some morphine
> tablets.
>
> These products are classified as Schedule II narcotics and already are
> restricted according to rules jointly administered by the Food and
Drug
> Administration and the Drug Enforcement Agency. But the current
> restrictions have failed to "fully meet the goals we want to
> achieve," said Dr. John K. Jenkins, director of the F.D.A.'s new
> drug center.
>
> "What we're talking about is putting in place a program to try
> to ensure that physicians prescribing these products are properly
> trained in their safe use, and that only those physicians are
> prescribing those products," Dr. Jenkins said in a news conference
> on Monday. "This is going to be a massive program."
>
> Hundreds of patients die and thousands are injured every year in the
> United States because they were inappropriately prescribed drugs like
> OxyContin or Duragesic or they took the medicines when they should not
> have or in ways that made the drugs dangerous. The agency has issued
> increasingly urgent warnings about the risks, but the toll has only
> worsened in recent years.
>
> The blame for this is shared among doctors who prescribe poorly,
> patients who pay little attention to instructions or get access to the
> medicines inappropriately, and companies that have marketed their
> products illegally.
>
> The F.D.A. this year will hold meetings with manufacturers, patient
and
> consumer advocates, and the public to ask for advice on how to carry
out
> the new control program, officials announced. The first meeting will
be
> on March 3, and no immediate changes in access to the drugs is
planned.
>
> The 24 medicines under review had 21 million prescriptions written for
> them in 2007, to 3.7 million patients, Dr. Jenkins said. They are
> extremely effective in reducing pain, which many medical studies
suggest
> is widely undertreated in patients suffering serious illness. (A
> complete list of the drugs is at www.fda.gov/cder.)
>
> But many doctors prescribe the drugs far too cavalierly, Dr. Jenkins
> said. The F.D.A. has received reports of patients' being prescribed
> such medicines to treat something as simple as a sprained ankle, he
> said. In such patients, the medicines can be dangerous.
>
> Part of the problem is marketing. Several reports, for instance, have
> suggested that Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, helped fuel
> widespread abuse of the drug by aggressively promoting it to general
> practitioners not skilled in either pain treatment or in recognizing
> drug abuse.
>
> The company has denied such a connection, but a holding company
> connected with Purdue and three top Purdue executives pleaded guilty
> last year to criminal charges that the company had misled doctors and
> patients by claiming for five years that OxyContin was less prone to
> abuse because it was a long-acting narcotic.
>
> Doctors are also to blame. A common reason for disciplinary actions at
> state medical boards is the use of narcotics in patients who show
clear
> signs of addiction or for whom the drugs are obviously inappropriate.
>
> The F.D.A. generally avoids interfering with the practice of medicine
> because doctor behavior is governed by state medical boards. Instead,
> the agency usually tries to provide doctors with the best and most
> current information, and then allows them to decide how to use it.
>
> Most of the drugs withdrawn over the last 20 years, however, were
taken
> off the market because doctors continued to use the medicines in ways
> that the F.D.A. warned against.
>
> For decades, the agency's armory in these battles held only a popgun
> and a cannon — the popgun being the issuance of widely ignored
> warnings; the cannon being its ability to force a medicine's
> withdrawal. But a law passed in 2007 gave the agency a new,
intermediate
> weapon — Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies. Known as REMS,
> these programs allow the agency to place strong restrictions on the
> distribution of certain drugs.