Halloween Part 2

How, when and why did the pumpkin made it's entrance in Halloween?

"The names will-o'-the-wisp and jack-o'-lantern refer to an old folktale, retold in different forms across Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Appalachia and Newfoundland.

One version, from Shropshire, refers to Will the Smith. Will is a wicked blacksmith who is given a second chance by Saint Peter at the gates to Heaven, but leads such a bad life that he ends up being doomed to wander the Earth. The Devil provides him with a single burning coal with which to warm himself, which he then used to lure foolish travellers into the marshes.

An Irish version of the tale has a ne'er-do-well named Drunk Jack or Stingy Jack who makes a deal with the Devil; offering up his soul in exchange for payment of his pub tab. When the Devil comes to collect his due, Jack tricks him by making him climb a tree and then carving a cross underneath, preventing him from climbing down. In exchange for removing the cross, the Devil forgives Jack's debt. However, as no one as bad as Jack would ever be allowed into Heaven, Jack is forced upon his death to travel to Hell and ask for a place there. The Devil denies him entrance in revenge, but, as a boon, grants Jack an ember from the fires of Hell to light his way through the twilight world to which lost souls are forever condemned. Jack places it in a carved turnip to serve as a lantern.

In America, the carved pumpkin was associated with the harvest season in general, long before it became an emblem of Halloween.

Despite the colourful legends, the term jack-o'-lantern originally meant a night watchman, or man with a lantern, with the earliest known use in the mid-17th century and later meaning a will-o'-the-wisp ."
~Wikipedia.

Nice to know. At least I can put my mind to rest. Or... can I, considering it's Halloween!

Halloween Part 1

Most of you probably know where Halloween originated from, but I, being Dutch, didn't really know. It's not a tradition in The Netherlands. Since inquiring minds like to know, I looked it up and found out that it's actually an old Gaelic festival called Samhain.

"The Festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture, and is erroneously regarded as 'The Celtic New Year'. Traditionally, the festival was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The Ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, where the bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.

The term Halloween (and its alternative rendering Hallowe'en) is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the eve of "All Hallows' Day", also which is now known as All Saints' Day. It was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints' Day from May 13 to November 1. In the ninth century, the Church measured the day as starting at sunset, in accordance with the Florentine calendar. Although All Saints' Day is now considered to occur one day after Halloween, the two holidays were, at that time, celebrated on the same day."
~Wikipedia.

Halloween was not a holiday until the 19th century and commercialization started in the 20th century, around the 1930's.

Leaves me with one more question: Where did the pumpkin came in and why? I will tell you in part 2, hehe.

Dealing Department

I wanted to share with you what I came across, doing some research:

Gardening and Arthritis.
"If you’ve always loved the pleasures of tending your own garden - fragrant flowers or the taste of a really fresh tomato - you don’t have to give them up just because arthritis has come into the picture. In fact, gardening is a great activity for maintaining joint flexibility, bone density, range of motion and quality of life. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found that gardening ranks as high as weight training for strengthening bones.
A few simple modifications can help you keep your garden growing with ease."

So, I don't have to give it up at all (big grin). I guess all in moderation, huh?
And I am so grateful. My self-infliction turned out not to be as bad as I had expected!

Complaint Department

Ok, it's not all a bed of roses. How appropriate, haha. I just got out of the yard: digging, planting, raking, sweeping. And I can already tell I overdid it. How I hate those consequences!

And since this is my blog and complaints are welcome, I might as well set the example by being the first one to do so. At least I will feel better afterwards, just to have gotten if of my chest. I know it's all frustration and aggravation, not being able to do as I would like, without having to pay the price, which is pain. It's like having had a thorough workout and you feel your muscles ache the next couple of days. Project that pain and stiffness in your joints and you get the pic. Not very pleasant huh? Yeah yeah...hardheaded, I knew it up front. If only that soil hadn't been so hard to dig in! ( Hey, I have to put the blame on something! Can't be me, haha.)

I just love working in the yard. It always gives me so much pleasure and satisfaction to see God's creations grow and flourish. And since I can't have flowers in our backyard, because the darn dog digs em up, ( I say darn dog, but I love her to death...sometimes I want to, literally though, haha.) I have to plant them in the front-yard. Digging there is difficult and it did cross my mind that I might regret it, but I constantly hope that I won't. False hope, sigh. And there is pride involved too...I can do it, I will do it! My fingers and wrists are already getting stiff and sore. So are my shoulders. Why did I get that stupid disease? It tends to get me down a little. I will prolly not be able to do much for the rest of the day and I dread the evening, for it will get worse. I think I will develop a good relationship with my painkillers tonight.

Hmm, sounds like a case of selfpity. But it is good to be able to complain ( don't worry, I won't make a habit out of it. I usually am pretty tough when it comes to physical pain:-) It also helps to put things in perspective and to see the options. I can stop overdoing or pay the price. The price must have been worth it to me, for I am paying, haha. And the selfpity? All happens for a reason!

I haven't been in pain for so long (except for the times I inflicted it upon myself, duhhh...) And like I mentioned so often in my previous posts: I haven't had flare ups for a long time. So, instead of complaining, I should be grateful and count my blessings! I have so many. One of them is...the yard looks nice! Another one...Thank the Lord for painkillers:-)

Thank you all for reading and listening to my ranting and raving. It sure helped:-)

Critter's Cooings

Hey y'all! It's me, baby Critter, pounding on Oma's computer. Don't know what all this does, but it's mighty interesting. I hope I can keep my head (on) straight. It still tends to wobble from time to time. I am getting better at it though.

Oops, just drooled on the keyboard. That's one of those things I can't control. It just drips out, ya know? Those gums already ache from time to time. They say that's early, so what? All I know is that it's highly irritating! I can get my fists in my mouth to chew on them, but that's kinda hurtful. So, whenever I manage to grab Oma's fingers, I chew on those. Much better, hehe. Oma asked me if I am a "drooling wobbler" or a "wobbly drooler". Don't worry Oma, I'll get back at ya. I will ask you the same question in a few years, hehe.

I love standing up. Yep, I got strong leggies :-D. Oma calls them "chunkies". Duh... what does she know, it's all muscles! But I have to admit, I am filling out nicely.


She also thinks I am smiling at her, while I really am smiling because she is being silly. Making all those crazy faces and sounds. I try to tell her, but each time I coo, she claps her hands and cheers. Well...news-flash! I am trying to communicate here. Geezz woman, learn english! And then she wonders why I start fussin'. To make it worse, she starts kissing my chubby cheeks. Eww, keep that girlie-stuff away from me, it tickles.

Opa keeps telling me how "he loves that little boy". Of course you do. How could you not?! grin. He is sweet. He is gonna learn me how to spit, he says! Good, that way I might be able to get rid of some excessive saliva. That's it!!! Opa, I am already trying to spit! Can't aim yet, but it's a start.

I know they love me, even though I sometimes shake my head (hence the wobbling) at their behavior and their actions. Hmm, is that how they feel about me sometimes?grin. But... I know I am the apple of their eye and I'd like to keep it that way. :-)

I better go now before this keyboard gets too wet and start to spark. Was nice talking to y'all!

Twins

I can imagine it's kinda difficult to get twins smiling at the same time, for a picture. But these little beauties sure hit it off! It's so cute to see all the differences in character, just by looking at the expression in their eyes. Even the way they smile is an indication. One thinks something is funnier than the other. Maybe one is a thinker and the other one a feeling-person???

This is just one of the many portraits I have done. You can see many more in my slide-show in the left side-bar or you can go here.

Just For Fun

I bet you have come across this one during all your blogging-experiences. Yeah, I know, there are a gazillion out there and I pass up a gazillion minus one or two.

I am not really a quiz-type, but every now and then one grabs my attention and I take it. Mainly to see how far off they are and to get a good laugh out of it!! I found this one on a friend's site, something I couldn't pass up, just for the fun of it. I have to say, they got this weirdo (me) pegged pretty good, haha.

Your Blogging Type is Kind and Harmonious

You're an approachable blogger who tends to have many online friends.
People new to your blogging circle know they can count on you for support.
You tend to mediate fighting and drama. You set a cooperative tone.
You have a great eye for design - and your blog tends to be the best looking on the block! (not really! haha).

What's Your Blogging Personality?

You are funky, outdoorsy, and down to earth.
While you may not be a total hippie...
You're definitely one of the most free spirited people around.

You are very impulsive - every day is a new adventure.
However, you do put some thought behind all your actions.
Still, you do tend to shock and offend people from time to time!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

You Are 31 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twenty something at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirty something at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Footloose

How often do you think of your subjects, that carry you along all day, wherever and whenever you want to go? No clue what I am talking about? Our feet! I suppose the most neglected parts. Until or unless they ache (like with everything else I suppose, haha).

I can only speak from the Rheumatoid Arthritis point of view. I have no clue about any other form of Arthritis. But RA starts in fingers and toes. It spreads throughout the hands and feet after that. So those are the first and continual reminders: aggravating, frustrating and painful. Even when there is no pain, they are a constant reminder of my RA. My hands... their deformities. My feet... when I walk too much, wearing the wrong shoes, or none at all.

One of the first things besides the pain, was that I started to loose the arch in the foot. In the beginning that was easily overcome with shoes that had a good support. Later on, as it got worse, with inserts. Yuck...yes, yuck!
Have you ever tried to wear inserts in a sandal or open shoe? It's impossible! Unless you constantly want to pick up after yourself, haha. Sure, you can glue them in, but that is so restrictive and inserts were issued only one pair a year, so they have to be transferable. Well, I can tell you one thing though, it sure eliminates a lot of shoes and cures you rapidly from your "Imelda Marcos" syndrome :-)

Slowly but surely my bunions started to bother me and I could hardly wear any shoes at all because of the pain that it generated. No problem, there is surgery for that. Bunion problems are not a result of RA. Anyone can get it. In my case the RA accelerated the process.

There are some preventions you can take yourself. For instance: watch what kind of shoes you buy, and exercise. I saw the need for wearing good shoes and not torture myself any longer by following fashion. I got a great pair of tennis-shoes and Thank you Lord! I can walk on them for days without pain if I had to ( I have to give hubby credit here as well, he urged me to get them and guess what....I listened!!! haha.)

It's best to set that foolish pride aside and do what is needed. Even when it is not always what I want:-)

Wrist Wrestling

I would like to express my sympathies for those in pain.

I am so grateful not to be in pain and not having had a flare up for quite some time. But Lord have mercy...I do know pain! There was a time when my wrists hurt so bad at night, that it would wake me up and not let me go back to sleep. The pain was excruciating. Had someone handed me an axe to cut them off, I might have, no joke! Pain killers hardly helped, neither did rest. During the day I was doing ok, still hurting, but not as bad as at night. My rheumatologist sent me to another hospital, where they had an entire team of rheumatologists and more experience with RA cases. After a thorough examination of my hands and wrists, they tried (yep...tried!!! haha) to persuade me to have surgery. They offered me the following options:

1: Fusing my wrist bones together.
2. Wrist Joint Replacement (Arthroplasty) and at the same time correct some deformities of my fingers.

I didn't like both options at all. The first one resulted in very limited movement of my wrists and they could not give me any assurance that it may not come to a joint replacement after all. My objections against the second option was, that the replacement only lasted for 10-15 years and could not be replaced more than 2 times. After that I would not be able to use my wrists at all. Now consider, I was in my late thirties at that time. That would mean that somewhere from the age of 70 to 85, I would be helpless! (Eww...ain't that awful, considering I intend to become at least 94, haha.) Plus, I still had to be careful with what I would be doing.

I took my time to consider all of this and then decided that I would stick out the pain as long as I could, hoping it would get better, like in all the flare ups I had before. And God was gracious, it did! I have never regretted not to have gone through with any of those surgeries. Even in spite of the deformities of my hands, I can still do almost anything. My wrists are fine. No pain, no limited movements. And should I reach the point where I would be confronted again with the choice of one of the options mentioned above, I prolly would choose the replacement. It would give me more freedom of movement that the first one. But I trust God in all this. He will decide the time and open the doors:-)

For those of you who had or are going to have a Joint Replacement (of any kind): may God bless you. For those in pain: you have my compassion and my prayers.

See You Soon!

Have you ever given it one thought how professional and organized you would have to be to in order to coordinate and manage, for example, a conference, or a meeting? Actually, you need to have quite some expertise and equipement to organize one of those events worldwide!

Audiovisual Management Worldwide (AVMW) is a full-service audiovisual management and consulting company that can take care of all that for you. And if you would rather do it yourself, they can provide you with AudioVisual Rentals and Audio Visual Consulting.

This brand new business can also provide you with  Audience Response Systems, which gives you quantitative data about the level of understanding of your attendees and helps you improve the quality of your data.

Using AVMW will definitely help your attendees to look forward to "meeting" you again!

Make A Move

I decided to dive a little deeper into the exercise issue. There are many forms of "movement" we can do, that keep the strength in our muscles and the flexibility in our joints, without too much effort or strain. They might even prevent damage after/during another disease-attack, bless your heart:-). Well, everyone is different and each of us has their own likes, dislikes, preferences and abilities ( which is good, otherwise it would be boring huh?). So I did a little research on what we can do and the effects of it. And as always, consult your Rheumatologist. I am no doctor, just a patient sharing experiences:-)

There are several sports you can do ( and not just for RA!), like: Swimming (preferable in warm water), water-exercises, bicycling, stretching and walking.
You can do these anytime at your own leisure and pace as/when the situation of your condition allows. You don't even have to leave your house for it. Exercise equipment can be purchased at the stores. Even a swimming-pool... if you are swimming in money, haha.

Then we have the slow movement arts: Yoga and Tai Chi.
Anyone at any age can do it. " For people with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions because it improves flexibility and builds muscle strength gradually. And done properly, can be a beneficial exercise for people with arthritis." ( How slow can you go? haha).

Another is Ergotherapy :"Treatment of disease by physical effort." This may help prevent and improve injury, or to give relief to people who already have symptoms.
Physical therapy: "Therapeutic exercise is the systematic implementation of planned physical movements, postures, or activities designed to: 1) remediate or prevent impairments; 2) enhance function; and 3) enhance fitness and well-being."
The therapist will develop a range of exercises solely for you and your condition. Now, if that doesn't make you feel special...:-)

After several years of RA, I had Mensendieck therapy. If I had to describe it, I would say it's a combination of all of the above. I was taught several exercises that I could do myself. I managed to do it for about half a year. Then my RA flared up and I could not do all of them. A good justification I figured for stopping all together. Yeah, yeah, laziness, headstrong, impatience...Take your pick, haha. So, I honestly can not tell you if it helped. Looking back, I think it prolly would have:-)

Haunting Questions

Sometimes you come across things that don't seem to make sense when you think about them. Some are actually pretty funny, some I just can't figure out. Well, inquiring minds like to know, ya know??! And apparently I am not the only one. I got these in an e-mail and they are pretty tough to answer.

- Can you cry under water?

-Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?

-Why does a round pizza come in a square box?

-What disease did cured ham actually have?

- How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?

- Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like
every two hours?

-Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

- Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?

-Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

-If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?

-If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?

-Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

-If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?

-If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

-If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

-Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

-Why did you just try singing the two songs above?!

-Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's where the sun don't shine?

-Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you,
but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

Okay, I admit, I can't make squad of it. They are giving me a headache.
WOW, I may just have found the answer! Maybe they are invented by the Pharmaceutical Industry!!! grin.

Nature's Gift

I have always considered Nature to be one of the most wonderful creations. I enjoy it thoroughly. I hear you...What has that got to do with RA or arthritis? Well, here is the connection:

When I learned I had RA (which was about a year after it started. It took about half a year before it showed up in my blood and another half year before they could determine by it's course what type it was) I was told that eventually, I might end up in a wheel chair. Now that was very disturbing to me, almost devastating. It took me about three days to cope with that and then I thought: NO WAY! I did not accept that at all ( and still don't ). If there was any way, or possibility, to prevent that, then I would find it. So I started looking around for alternatives besides medication. Sometimes being hardheaded comes in handy haha.

I came across Homeopathy. What I learned was that Homeopathic medicine was extracted from plants and completely natural, stimulating the body to heal itself. So I figured it couldn't hurt to try it and I found a real good Homeopathic Doctor nearby ( That was in the Netherlands, long ways off if you don't live there haha, but I listed some sites below where you could find one, if you are interested). He was very honest with me and told me he could not cure it, but he could keep me out of the wheel chair. That was all I needed!
It took not long to find the right homeopathic medicine. And I have had nothing but only good results and experiences with it. The time between the activity of RA got longer and longer, and up till now it has been years since it was really active. I consulted my Rheumatologist before I decided to try it. She fully supported me and saw no harm in it. The homeopathic medicine was not a substitute for the medication she gave me, but worked in combination with it. Neither the Rheumatologist nor the Homeopathic Doctor undermined eachother's authority or treatment.

I used to be very skeptical towards alternative healing. ( Seemed like witchcraft to me, yeah...I read too many fairy-tales haha). But I saw and experienced the results. Not just concerning my own health, but my daughters as well. My oldest was cured from severe ear infections after one visit to the same doctor. She never had it again, while it was the order of the day constantly. My youngest had an eating disorder, which was gone as well after one treatment. I don't believe in luck. I believe in God's Blessing:-)

"Homeopathy assesses the whole person, and focuses on disease prevention and health enhancement using natural medicines and patient education. Homeopathic medicines stimulate the body's ability to heal itself. Many health conditions can benefit from homeopathic care. Homeopathy is particularly effective in the treatment of long-term chronic diseases, as well as the prevention and reduction of acute conditions."

I also learned that there is a difference between a Homeopath and a Homeopathic Doctor. The last one has a medical degree, while that is not necessary for the first one. Most Health Insurances cover only the last, and then not all expenses either. Worth while to inquire before you decide to give it a go.

To find a Homeopathic Doctor near you, check out these sites:
http://www.nupath.org/directory.html
http://www.homeopathy.org/directory.html

Bon Appetite

There has been quite some animosity against France, for which I am sorry, because it prevents people from even considering vacationing there. And France is such a beautiful country!







Whether you like to stay at cozy france hotels , near the beaches on the west-coast, or prefer the colder climate close to the Alps, you can find France's rich history and culture throughout the entire country.

Of course the most well-known city is Paris. Who hasn't heard of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre or the French Quarters, which are all easily accessible from the paris hotels. Consider taking a river-cruise on the Rhone or the Seine, it's more than worth it!

Another place you might want to consider is Nice. For a very low price you can stay at one of the nice hotels and venture out in the vicinity and visit one of the many museums France has to offer.

And if you are not really into all the above and would rather have a lazy vacation, a good glass of wine from one of the many wineries and a haute cuisine meal, for which France is known as well, may whip up your appetite!

Something Is Fishy

I have heard several recommendations to supplement with fish oil. It seems to have good influences on the joints and joint pain. (Perhaps that's why Eskimos don't have RA, haha. Nah, seriously, I don't know if that "joke" is true). But nevertheless, I did try it. I can not say that I noticed positive effects. Which is not surprising, as I recently found out. It's effect will be noticed after taking it for several weeks. Yep, I was too impatient again.

"Some people with RA have had modest improvements in joint tenderness over time after taking large amounts of fatty acids. Fatty acids are found in:
Fish oils (from some cold-water fish) salmon, mackerel, herring, Flounder, Halibut, Tuna, Bluefin, Canned white, Canned light, Cod, Catfish.
Plant oils : dark green vegetables, margarines, Soya bean oil, cooking oils, rape seed oil, vegetable oils, certain nuts."

Several studies were done on whether fish oil had positive results and/or what they were. Well, so far it seems to be good (elbow)grease:-)

Be sure to talk to your doctor before supplementing. They might be able to give you a good brand and where to get it. And for those of us who are not too mobile, good news: these days you can order online and compare prices! Hmm...that must be my Dutch heritage speaking.

Dare to Compare

I have been posting much on Rheumatoid Arthritis lately and if you like to read just the RA-posts, click on this link Rheumatoid Arthritis Posts, or on the link in the side-bar.

Ok, I decided to dive into the new treatments for RA. My rheumatologist had wanted to put me on one of them and if it didn't take so much co-payment, I prolly already would have been. (I guess we will wait for the generic haha). It tickled my curiosity though as in what the difference was between them. So I visited their websites and gathered the information that I would like to know and think is worth sharing...What do they do and how is the medication taken? Right now I am on Ibuprofen, Plaquenil and Methotrexate. So how/where do they fit in/go out?

First site I visited:
http://www.remicade.com/index.jsp
This I found a very good and informative site. Definitely worth visiting! Great information and not only on the medication, but also tips for daily living with RA.

This is how it works:
REMICADE, in combination with methotrexate, is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, inhibiting the progression of structural damage, and improving physical function in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis.
How to take it:
REMICADE is administered by IV infusion. A REMICADE infusion takes about two hours. After the initial three infusions, the dosing regimen is once every 8 weeks (only 6 times a year).

Sounds easy enough. No hassle, no storage, no disposal. Only a trip to where the medication is administered. Hmm...You have to plan your vacation around it though.

Next site:
http://www.humira.com/
Good in formation on the medication (that rhymes haha).

How it works:
HUMIRA helps stop the progression of RA, cuts down the number of painful, swollen joints, and reduces disability. HUMIRA has been studied in combination with MTX and the results are consistent. Almost all HUMIRA clinical trials were conducted with combination therapy.
How to take it:
HUMIRA is taken as a self-administered injection. It comes in a single-dose, pre-filled glass syringe with a fixed needle. And is usually taken once every two weeks. HUMIRA needs to be stored in a refrigerator (2°C - 8°C/36-46°F).

This means you can do it at home and take it with you when/if necessary. Providing you can keep it cool till you have to take it. (I suggest you leave the fridge at home and find an icebox or something to carry it in. You got enough burden to carry around as it is:-). But it means storage, disposal and obtaining the medication.

Last site:
http://www.enbrel.com/
Info was good. It was a little less well organized as the previous ones. It took me a little longer to find what I wanted to know. But let's pertain that to my impatience:-)

How it works:
ENBREL is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms, inducing major clinical response, inhibiting the progression of structural damage, and improving physical function in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. ENBREL can be initiated in combination with methotrexate (MTX) or used alone.
How to take it:
ENBREL for adult patients is 50 mg per week given as one subcutaneous (SC) injection using a 50 mg/mL single-use prefilled syringe. and can replace two 25 mg vials of ENBREL.
The vial and diluent syringe should be stored in the refrigerator. ENBREL and the prefilled syringe must always be kept cool—at 36° to 46°F (2° to 8°C)

Same comments here as on the Humira. One other thing I read though, was that other doses should be manually mixed. But instructions are included with the medications, along with a vial adapter device and free kits and supplies.

Conclusion:
They all seem to work well and not just for RA, but for several other diseases. All the sites give good drug information as well as info on insurance/insurance support, and patient support.

I guess what it comes down to is what is most appealing and/or convenient to you. I, for instance, don't like the idea of sticking needles in myself, so if I had to make the choice right now, it prolly would come down to no.1. Yeah, I am a coward. This concludes the lesson for today, haha! I hope it is of any help.

All Covered

One thing I found out living here is, that you just can't do without a car. It's absolutely essential, a necessity, to get where you need or want to be. The distance just requires it. And of course with that comes the responsibility to have good insurance. Whether you are young or old, use the car for private or business, you simply can't do without

Our daughter is looking for another car. The one she has doesn't suit her needs and is quite expensive as well where it concerns her Car Insurance.

She is shopping around, finding a car she likes and checking into Better Car Insurance Rates. The good thing is, she can get Insurance Quotes Online and take her time to find the best insurance, suiting her needs and wants and be relieved knowing she has got it all covered!

"Unflame" the Inflamed

Rheumatoid Arthritis is not constant. It comes and goes. There can be quite a long period between the activity of the disease. It's difficult to tell how long. It can vary from days to months and even years. I am blessed with the latter right now and I am so thankful! But...I expect/know it will be back and I am prepared, although I don't look forward to it. I never know how I come out of it and that is somewhat scary:-)

Over the years I learned what works best for me. First thing I do is make sure it is the RA coming back and not me having overdone it (which I tend to do, so I scare myself to death each time, haha). That determination takes me usually about a week. When the pain and stiffness are still there it's clear. First thing I do is take more Ibuprofen, to fight the inflammation and to ease the pain, so I can still be active and not loose all the strength and/or function. I do however slow down substantially, for the risk of overdoing and aggravating the inflammation is great.

I was told to keep those aching joints warm. Well guess what? Didn't work at all for me. It got worse. Which I kind of found logical, for heat only stimulates. But a lot of people seem to benefit from warmth, so try it first. I decided on my own (yep, I knew better) to cool it. And that did the trick. The pain and the swelling got less. Best way to cool it is by ice pack, the reusable ones you can buy in any drugstore. You can keep those in your freezer and use whenever you need. Be sure to wrap them in a kitchen towel or another piece of cloth (protecting yourself from freezer burn, haha).

Keeping some activity or light exercise going works well too. Just make sure it is all in moderation and does not put too much pressure on your joints. Take long rests in between and do not rush. Nice and easy does it. Yes, it is hard to do but you will be grateful for it later. My experience is that the less I do, the more my joints stiffen up and the more function I loose. That results in a much longer recovery period afterwards. Of course you will not get all back that you lost. RA takes its toll. But you would be surprised how much you can recover!

Of course your Rheumatologist will adjust your medication and prolly also can tell you what to do or not to do. Listen carefully, try it and do not be afraid to ask questions. And keep in mind...This also shall pass:-)

Creepy

Here is another masterpiece of carving. I wonder how someone gets the ideas to do this from. It sure is inventive and creative. Kind of creepy as well. I would love to see the kids' reaction to this. Maybe it makes the candy less appealing, haha.

Sandbag

Mia, our dog is now almost 3 years old and she is a "yard dog", constantly outside. Well, you would think she can't do much harm there. Wrong. She made herself the proud owner of our grill-cover and tore it apart. She apparently didn't like both our rubber doormats, for she shredded those. Several plastic pots stored under the building fell victim to her teeth and disappeared one by one in the garbage, chewed to pieces. My oh so carefully planted daylilies were dug up from out of the pot and made it, thanks to my quick intervention, to the front yard, out of her reach. A little toy, left behind by the neighbor's son...defragmented. Our plastic outdoor tables are constantly found scattered around the yard and the legs are already slightly mutilated. Our wooden benches bear teeth and scrape marks. Do you need me to go on??? Ok.....as you wish, even if you don't, hehe.

But... she really gets me aggravated. The yard-man came to mow the lawn and since we don't want her to get hurt and him to get annoyed, we put her up in the pen. We had another chiwawa (however it is spelled haha) in there, that couldn't run loose except under supervision, for she crawled under the fence and hit the road ...or the cars speeding by! She already found out she could crawl underneath the kennel door, so we put chicken-wire up, about a feet high. Mia refuses to go in by herself, so one of us has to carry her in. Yup...yesterday I had to do it, or at least try to. She is such a smart female dog! She drops on the spot and doesn't move. Now picture this: a two to three feet-tall dog, about 30-35 lbs, laying flat on the ground, acting like a bag of sand when you lift her up, letting all limbs hang as they hang and looking at me with eyes saying " I don't think so!!!" And she thought right. My strength is not that bad, but this "sandbag" was too much. I could lift her up, but not high enough to keep her paws from getting stuck in the chicken-wire. So I just had to let her go and hoped for the best. Nope, food won't work, and giving the example of stepping in and urging her to join, is useless. She would rather shut the door behind me, haha. I know the noise of the lawnmower scares her and I hoped she would take refuge under the building. And she did. So it went well after all. But at those times I get mad for being hindered by RA and having a "pretending-to-be-a-sandbag" dog haha.

Nah, seriously, I love the critter to death. Sometimes I want to, literally, haha. But those are only brief moments:-) She is something else, a real character. I just wished every now and then she would acknowledge that we have dominion over her!

Blogging Money

I am aware of the fact that many bloggers would like to make an additional income by blogging and are trying to find their way through all the offered services, affiliate programs and internet home-businesses. I am one of them, haha.

Blogsvertise is definitely one to check out and consider. They pay you to blog about all kinds of products and services, using your own words, writing in the style you are used to. Blogsvertise rules are easy to follow and the requirements for posting are minimum. No need to go looking for an opportunity, Blogsvertise delivers the assignments right in your mailbox!

Get paid to Blog(svertise)!

Trick or Treat

Some houses have turned into a "nightmare" for Halloween. You can go from one house of horror to the next, even more frightening then the previous.

At times it can (should???) make you wonder, who is being tricked and who might get the treat. Or maybe... be the treat?!

Blah

I got some funny pumpkin-pictures in the mail, which I thought I would share with y'all.
I also have to say, there were some in there that were ,what I would call, some serious pumpkin-carvings. I can only admire that talent and work!

Now I can imagine, if you had many pumpkins to carve, you might just feel like this!! grin.

Tip And Trick

Thank the Lord for all those small gadgets that make life so much easier!

I always had to ask someone to open a new jar or bottle, just because I don't have the strength and when my stubbornness would kick in, I would pay for at least 2 to 3 days with stiffness and pain. Well...that's not necessary anymore.

I got that neat little kitchen aid that I place on the lid of the jar, a little push and it pops the vacuum. It takes hardly any effort then to twist the lid.
An electric can opener takes care of the cans and with a peeler I have no problems attacking potatoes, apples etc. Being able to do it myself gives me my sense of independence back. (Yep, that's pride talking, I admit it)

I also got this little tip a while back that I would like to share. Often the lack of grip is giving problems holding the cutlery. You can buy special cutlery, but it's cheaper to buy some foam tube insulation at any hardware store, cut it in the length you need and slide it over the handle. It gives a perfect grip and you can even handwash it when/if need be. It is also simple to carry in a purse or to have some as a reserve in your glove-compartment. In that case a surprise-dinner (poking hubby) can be fun instead of a dread.

I would like to include this site http://www.aidsforarthritis.com/ that I checked out and found all these helpful things on. When I stumble across more, I will let you know.

These were just a few tricks and a tip (of the iceberg ). I am sure there are many more and I would love to hear them. So if you have one...Please share it. You might make someone's day:-)

Find Your Strength

This post is inspired by the comment below:

"I am also beginning to feel the effects of age, as my right hand is beginning to clamp up."

Early on, my RA exposed itself by stiffness in my fingers and hands. I would get up in the morning, my fingers cramped and bent, hardly able to get them to move. Hardheaded as I am (sorry hubby ;-) I refused to give into it and forced my will to move my fingers in spite of the pain. Not a very easy task to do! My rheumatologist gave me a few tips. I would like to pass these on, for they might be of value and give some relief of the pain and frustration that come out of it:-)

She told me to fill the sink with warm water, put my hands in it and slowly try to move my fingers. It seems to loosen the muscles and joints and makes it then easier to get some movement going. This you can practically do anytime and anywhere when needed. She also advised me to get a soft, squeezeable ball, in the seize of a tennisball. Take that in your hand and squeeze it as your strength allows. And for as long as you are able to. It keeps you from loosing all your strength and makes it easier later, when the pain has subsided, to regain your strength.

For me, the first helped as long as I held my hands in the warm water, but half an hour after I took them out, it was devastating. My inflammations in the joints reacted severely and it was worse then when I woke up. So I quit doing that and kept on being hardheaded haha. The ball definitely helped. And I do recommend that. It is my experience that by practicing and doing what I can do, I maintained the strength (and maybe even some function) I have now. But hey...everyone is different and it is worth trying. How else will you know what works for you? Point your mind to it, set your will in place and find your strength to regain your strength!

Colored Traffic

The Blogrush-colors are available! Although they are still making major changes (for the better), it generates more traffic to your site.

The widget comes in so many different flavors now, there is always one that suits your blog, as you can see in my side-bar!

Do you want to increase traffic to your site for free? You can with Blog Rush! It increases traffic and readers to your site in HUGE daily numbers. A small widget on your blog shows your blog to other readers on different blogs via the widget. Its Free and you'll see on your Blog Rush dashboard an increase in readers from day one. It's simple and easy to do in just a few steps. Want to learn more? The movie on the site explains it all. Go get Blog Rush now!!

And if you like to see something spectacular, I advise you to go here!

Temple

This is one of my earlier drawings. If you compare it to my latest work, you can see the difference and (what I consider) the improvement in my talent. It's so true: practice makes perfect, not that I am perfect in any way. But I am striving to be as perfect as I can be! :-)


Inspired by:

Matthew 21:12
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
NKJV.

See more of my work here.

Disabled Or Enabled

I have a question that I like to pose here.

Does RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) really disable us? Physically yes, to a certain degree anyway. But that is not all that life is about. There is a reason for everything. We may not always understand it, but God knows!

My experience is that it made me look for other abilities in myself and opened new doors for me. For instance...I could draw a little when I was younger ( not that I consider myself old, by no means. As I tell my hubby when he complains about getting old: "come back when you are 94!" haha). My drawing was no better than any average kid, but I could draw what I saw a little better then some others. I never did anything to improve it or even to exercise it. Until about 3 years ago.

My husband's testimony led to me being saved, for which I am so grateful. I began to study the Bible and saw images in my head of what I read. And I had the urge to put it on paper. I started to draw the Biblical images I had and God blessed me. And He kept on blessing me. I draw portraits now too, and as I am told, reasonably well.

This is just an example of how God can use me. I don't know what the drawing may be good for, but I have faith.

In time He will show. The thing is, a limitation may spark other abilities. Try not to get discouraged over what you can not do. Look for what you can do!

So let me rephrase the question....How has RA enabled you?

Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Nurse that took my x-rays asked me what doctor to send them to. I told her the name of my rheumatologist and she looked up at me with curiosity. Her eyes were filled with questions. She told me her husband had been diagnosed with RA about 3 months ago. I understood the despair, the not knowing, the uncertainty. It reminded me of how I wished someone had been there to tell me what to expect and answer my questions, when I learned I had RA.

She said he was in much pain and told me they had put him on methotrexate and a pain killer, but it didn't have it's full effect yet. I gave her an encouraging smile and told her the pain would pass. The relief in her eyes was overwhelming. "He will be so glad to hear that", She said.

"Can I ask you another question?"

"Please", I answered.

She looked at my hands and pointed at them, wondering if the deformation occurred before or during me being on the medications. I told her during. Her face got a sad look. I knew of the new medications these days like Humira, Enbrel and Remicade that stop that kind of deformation. She knew about them but her husband had a liver problem and could not take them. I decided to share my experience with her in the hope it would be of any help to them both. I urged her to tell her husband that after the pain was gone, to exercise his joints. A lot of his strength would have been gone and the functions of the joints would be very limited. By exercising he would get a lot of strength and function back. I raised my hand and showed her the difference of what it was after the pain had gone and how it is now. I can still make a good fist, due to exercise. She was so grateful for all the information, even though it was minimum.

On my way home I couldn't let it go. There are so many people out there with so many questions and concerns about RA or any other form of Arthritis. And so many who can be a support and encouragement by sharing their experiences. Well, maybe this blog might be helpful :-)

This sure is Faith!

Maybe this little cat is not aware of the dangerous position it's in, nor of the way how it's every move is being watched. Maybe it is aware of both and walks in faith. Just like we need to do. Each day our words and actions are being closely observed by our enemies, ready to attack every chance they get. But the greatest enemy lurks within us and only with and by Christ's strength we can overcome and defeat him.

Brain-Strain

Every now and then I come across a blog that has a "random quote". I love that, for it's mostly very thought-provoking. Well, believe it or not, but my mind engages itself into somewhat deeper thoughts sometimes, haha. Here is one that crossed my mind:



"Patience is a virtue.
I can't wait to have it!"
~Corry.

Pumpkins

I read this before and there is a lot to say for it. I know from my own experience that you also have to do your part. You will have to be committed to work with God to get rid of all your "ickyness". No, it's not easy, it doesn't always feel good and it may go against what you want, but in the end you will come out so much better and happier! So... let go and let God!

A woman asked a coworker, 'What is it like to be a Christian?'

The coworker replied, 'It is like being a pumpkin.'
God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff.
He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed.
Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.'

Prison

A blogger-friend of mine works with incarcerated juvenile boys and wanted a drawing that might lead them to Christ. She gave me the verse she had in mind, which is underneath the drawing, and together we came up with the subject for the drawing. I hope and pray it will make a difference in the boys' lives!

I think we sometimes create our own prison. But God always opens doors to break out! :-)



John 8:36
He Who the Son has set free, is free indeed.

See more of my work here.

A True Act of Kindness

This is so worth reading and my question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child'

Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted in the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat and everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball. . the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, :'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team. 'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.' Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY:
We all share thousands of jokes through the Internet without a second thought, but when it comes to sharing messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces.

If you're thinking about sharing this message, chances are that you're probably considering people who aren't the 'appropriate' ones to read this type of post. Well, the person who shares this believes that we all can make a difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day to help realize the 'natural order of things.' So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present us with a choice: Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we pass up those opportunities and leave the world a little bit colder in the process?
A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

May your day, be a Shay Day!

Funny And True

A man came home from work and found his four children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill or that something serious had happened. He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out of the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"
She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?"

"Yes" was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

Portraits II

Isn't he sweet?! :-)

To see more of my work, view the slide-show in the side-bar,
or go here.

Disclosure Policy

Easiest way to make this a separate page on my Blog is to make it a post and then link to that post in my sidebar. So here it is.

This policy is valid from October 1, 2007

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This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content may not always be identified.

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Links

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A link back would be highly appreciated! :-)

Scribbles: http://scribbles-corry.blogspot.com or
All Over The Map: http://www.allovermap.com.

Thanks!!! I hope you enjoy your visit.