i just love our cats they are so perfect/ kellys really sick and caught it from work,,now we are trying to keep me from getting it,,its pretty bad shes bedbound and deep lung coughs and hurts to talk or breath /OWCHIE / we hope to not spread it.

as for my RA i had to place heating pad on my friggen elbows in order to relax and sleep ,,they have really been the worst lately always sore and red and hot -
i said along time ago as for treatment and me? heres how it plays out=
we go in a punch it (with some kind of treament),right?
it comes back and punches me harder,,so in other words what ebver i do to controll it,,only last for a small time the ra just grows into a bigger stronger monster then the treatment,,so i say back OFF and hang low and just dont bother the RA,,K? kewl.
i also want to mentiopn here that i figured out that my VISION is so poor that i just cannot see w/o those glasses that kelly found -i wear them to see and they only magnify everything..i got so mad about my vision and not being able to see that i statred to cry this AM..i just got all worked up and said to kelly then "reason i cant see is because the vessels im my eyes are inflAMMMED WITH RA im sure" -because sometimes i see almost fine -- and guess what i thinnk i cant swallow because of RA too,,its in my throught,,,however ya spell that word.. its been thru my whole gum area and jaw ,,why not my throught and eyes ,,its non stopable

no comment other then "sleeping"

these elbows wont stop hurting and they LOOK different now.sad.

kelly's HOME 2day =she took some time off from work(yesterday and today) we were up late last nite,she had homework due after school- i messed around online- my fingertips are in great pain they are split to the bone and they keep me from really sleeping,,look@ them:






did i mention that the air hurts my skin when i walk thru it? well,i know that sounds crazy but i swear to god ,,it hurts my flesh all over when i walk thru air- this is not a constant condition as i seem better at 16 hours of sleep and ready 2 do things. BUT it doesnt last for very long -i go down quickly- perhuapss 4 -5 hours later im ready for a nap- im sleeping my life away

these are NOT my hands just an example of how my hands feel- and if i dont get treatment this is how they will look

i hope its OK ,,but i read this on a friends site about her:

When my Grandmother was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis a few decades ago, the milder cases were simply put on aspirin, over 20 a day! If they didn't die of a bleeding ulcer, they were quickly disabled from the disease. The more severe cases might be put on Prednisone or gold salts but that was pretty much it. Not a lot to choose from. As much as I hate having RA, I am glad I have it now. Never before have we had so many treatment options. In the last two years we've been bombarded with new drugs and treatments. We have so much to choose from. Most of us will live full productive lives, unlike those a generation ago. Early detection and treatment are important in slowing down the disease and preserving joints.

i wanted to say i appreciate this point of view,,and i get so wrapped up in TODAYS RA we forget,,it could have been a much worse for me had i been born back then- LOOK AT THE LAUNDRY THEY DID BY HAND - WRINGING AND SCRUBBING THEN IRONING,OMG HOW??? There is no way a lady with rheumatoid could have made it back then- noway.

This is my blackkat. he acts like a "puppy.dog" so i call him "lil buddy"..he comes running to me when I call for him. He really should be in hollywood with commercials B/C he can train easy. I taught him how to kiss,he raises his cute lil head up so i can kiss him on the head - its way cute- he knows love, and he has been at my side from the very moment he was born,,god i love this kat!hes very special,,& very diferent.


this is a view of my knuckels on my left hand see hte swelling on th e1st and second knuckel HURTS just to look at it,


i was just emailing some friends from myspace (that have RA as well)its always good for me to mingle with the RAers out there..cuz we have a "bond" or a "connection". ITS healthily for us all to bitch and complain and get it all out and then we just turn around and smile to our loved ones,,,bearing the pain and feeling abit "not so alone" for the moment and that makes me feel better inside my own heart. now,,, i have the BEST girlfriend in the world,and the best father in the world and the best sister who loves me with all her kids to be around- i truly thank GOD for my blessings as i see i do have them, no one here is yelling at me to go to work,,OR why r you so useless? nothing like that,,in fact its oppisit// its NOTHING but support for me. im not saying this is a "bed of roses" here,,we r struggling along we dont even know how we r gonna make it,,but today TODAY= the lord has blessed us and we thank Jesus for that! we do ,,we really really do! its called :debi=OPEN YOUR EYES- see the love? humbly i say i do,& "im so very greatful".

its been awhile,,i've been extremely tired these past few days,, and UNABLE-god, that word! unable,,but- its whats up and i have done about nothing except sleep-
i became depressed about this;;;;;;;

Complications in Other Areas of the Body

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect other parts of the body as well as the joints. Some patients with severe disease may then be at higher risk for complications such as the following:

Peripheral Neuropathy. This condition affects the nerves, most often those in the hands and feet. It can result in tingling, numbness, or burning.
Anemia.
Scleritis. This is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the eye that could result in corneal damage.
Infections. RA patients have a higher risk for infections, particularly from some of the immune-suppressing drugs that they take.
Skin problems. Skin problems are common, particularly on the fingers and under the nails. Some patients develop severe skin complications that include rash, ulcers, blisters (which may bleed in some cases), lumps under the skin, and other problems. Severe skin disease can reflects a more serious case of RA in general.
Gastrointestinal Problems. Although patients may experience stomach and intestinal distress, one 2000 study reported lower rates of stomach and colorectal cancers among RA patients.
Osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a disorder in which bone density decreases, is more common than average in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. The hipbone is particularly affected. The risk for osteoporosis also appears to be higher than average in men with RA who are over 60 years old.
Lung Disease. One small study found a very high prevalence of lung disease in newly diagnosed RA patients. The association between a history of smoking and a higher risk for RA, however, may at least partially account for this finding. (Cigarette smoking, in any case, may increase the severity of the disease.)
Heart Disease. Mounting evidence suggests that RA can increase the risk for heart disease, possibly because of the inflammatory response in RA, which may also injure arteries and heart muscle tissue. Some studies have reported that people with RA are 30% to 50% more likely to suffer heart vessel blockages and 60% to 70% more likely to die as result than people without RA. A smaller British study confirmed that about half of RA patients are likely to have silent symptoms of heart disease, and that it tends to develop about 10 years earlier than in people without RA.
Lymphoma and Other Cancers. Alterations in the immune system associated with RA and certain treatments may play a role in the higher risk for lymphoma observed in RA patients. A higher risk for lymphoma and blood cancers may also occur in patients who were given total lymphoid irradiation, an RA therapy used mainly in the 1980s when other therapies failed. Aggressive treatments for RA that suppress the immune system may help prevent such cancers, but more research will be needed to evaluate this possibility. Other cancers that may occur with increased frequency in RA patients include prostate and lung cancers.
Periodontal Disease. People with RA may be twice as likely as non-arthritic individuals to have periodontal disease. Chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction are central to both diseases

most hated attribute of RA is:
"not able 2 do anything"
AND-"we don't know for how long"...."am i down for a day?" or a few hours? a couple of days? everything about RA is unpredictable and it comes with alot of baggage too ,,like depression.
Im so unable and thats about it for today,,,hohum,,(so disappointed in me)