Rheumatoid nodules

Rheumatoid nodules

As part of the rheumatoid process, firm, non-tender, subcutaneous nodules develop in about 25 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients. These are commonly found at pressure points like the elbow, back of the forearm, and metacarpophalangeal joint. Nodules usually occur in chronic active cases of rheumatoid arthritis, and are commonly associated with more joint deformity and serious extra-articular manifestations including lungs, eyes, and blood vessels. Nodules may vary in size during the course of the disease process,

Complications of rheumatoid nodules

pain
limited joint mobility
neuropathy
ulceration
fistula formation
infection

Surgical removal is an option, but nodules tend to reoccur in as little as a few months when they are present over an area of repeated trauma.

Scarletina or Scarlet Fever

Scarletina or Scarlet Fever

Ninth grade was a big year I was away from home in boarding school and in high school. I had a roommate from Honduras, we both got a bug and after a trip to the local doctors office were told that we had “SCARLETINA”. We spent the next week or ten days confined to our room. I never gave it much thought again for the next twenty-five plus years.

In the intervening years I’m diagnosed with “RA”, and with no family history I thought what could possible have triggered my RA. Then I remembered the Scarletina episode so many years ago, And wondered if the two could possibly be related.

2007 Duluth Arthritis Walk

Here we go again! 2007 Arthritis Walk

Come Join Team Ohana (formerly Team Ohana pu).
We had a good time last year and would love to have a larger team this year. So mark May 19th on your calanders.
It should be a lot of fun again and it’s a great fund rasier too!

The information below comes from the Arthritis Foundations web site.



2007 Duluth Arthritis Walk
Saturday, May 19, 2007

Grandma's Sports Garden and LakeWalk


Walk with us this spring

The Arthritis Walk® is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide event that raises awareness and funds to fight arthritis, the nation’s leading cause of disability. It is a tremendous opportunity to help improve the lives of the 46 million men, women and children doctor-diagnosed with arthritis. Get your company involved or recruit friends and family members to form a team. Best of all, walk in honor of a loved one with arthritis and know you’re making a difference by raising funds to support Arthritis Foundation research, public health and public policy efforts to improve the lives of people with arthritis.

At the Event…
• Choose from a three-mile or one-mile walk route
•
• Write an inspirational message on the Wall of Heroes
•
• Wear a blue “hero” hat if you have arthritis
•
• Enjoy the fun, festivities and free health information
•
Register Today

Register online today! Once you register, you can set up your own personal Web page and begin fund raising. Raise $100 or more and earn an official Arthritis Walk® T-shirt.

Trying to keep a positive attitude.

Trying to keep a positive attitude.

I know its best to stay up beat and positive when you have any disease, but sometimes it is just really, really hard to do that. Every now and then when I get to feeling blue about my RA I start asking myself ”Why Me!”

I think this usually comes about when I let myself get too fatigued and don’t take the time to rest my body, along with a bunch of back to back bad nights sleep. Everything hurts from the feet on up. I have a couple of Nodules on the bottom and side of my right foot, they start hurting and I being limping more which goes to my hip then my back and neck. Now I’m miserable and my hands are stiff and I have trouble holding on to things. I must look like I’m 100 years old, lord knows I feel terrible.

After feeling like this day in and day out its hard not to get down about it. The problem I have is that I am usually so positive that when I hit bottom like this its really difficult to pull the boot straps up and climb out of the hole. I know I can and will but in the meantime it just sucks and I wonder why did I have to be so lucky to get RA in the first place and how?

We were Christmas shopping yesterday and I saw a women using an electric chair to get around the store. I can’t help but think Oh My Good is that my future? and I get pissed off and think Why Me! I have a new appreciation for what disabled people go through everyday,

When we go shopping I try to park some distance from the store as I know its better to walk further even with some discomfort just keep the joints moving. Handicapped Parking stalls are for those who really need them and I hope I never need one. I get really pissed off when I see some one without a permit or a disability using one of these few too spaces and I feel like yelling at them.

I know this post is kinda rambling but its what's been on my mind this morning. That and WHY ME.

LAUGH OUT LOUD!

Close to 30 years ago I first read in Readers Digest a column called “Laughter is the best Medicine” I always enjoyed the stories and I to this day will pick up a copy of RD to check it out.

This morning I was surfing the web and came across this really neat site http://www.raliving.com/ and found that they encourage one to laugh to help relive stress. I always new that Laughing made me feel better.

So a little joke before I close. Being Dyslexic this is one of my favorite Dyslexic jokes. Is it true that the dyslexic atheist sat up all night pondering if there was a DOG?

****Greed****

Record Profits & Record Fees. I just do not understand this. When an industry is making record profits why do they increase their fees to record fees? I think this is just plain out right GREED. So any idea what industry I am talking about? Actually it a couple of different ones, First it Big Oil, Secondly Medical Insurance (Blue Cross & Medica fro examples) and last but not least the Pharmaceutical industry. These companies are running on GREED!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

Medications Costs. How fair is this the pharmaceutical companies lobby and get a law passed to keep prices high. Which cause many law abiding citizens to go north of the boarder to get their pills affordably only to have the department of Homeland Security take them away. In this case I think the terrorist are the lawmakers and the drug companies ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I thought this was the home of the free,

Follow up

Well I saw the surgeon who biopsied the nodule and spoke to my rheumatologist on the phone. The good news is its still just RA nothing else, The bad news is their not sure why the nodules are draining it could be a good thing or not. Its possible that my meds are working on them and they are getting smaller.......God I hope so!.

Two weeks ago today I bought a magnetic necklace and have had it on the whole time. I think there is something to it as my feet have not hurt as much as they did before. I think I’m ready to try the copper thing.

Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *&%$

Ouch! One of my Nodules on my right index finger has been draining and is spongy so my Rheumatologist had it cut opened and biopsied. I’m not sure which hurts worse smacking the nodule on something or having a needle with ansthiea stuck in to it. Any way I will now what is going on in about three weeks. I’ll follow up at that time.

The Duluth Arthritis Walk

The Duluth Arthritis Walk on May 20th was the first for me but definitely not the last. It was a great experience and there were some 250 people who participated. Over $27,000 was raised for the foundation. I am planning on walking in the event each year.
This Fall in Duluth there will be a memory walk for the Alzheimer's Association. I’m going to try to get people to join me in walking in memory of my mother in-law Mary. It would be a great way to honor her.

Medications in Mexico

Recently we took a trip to Mexico and thought we would check out the price of the medications we are on. They had just about everything we needed, however they selling price was just about the same as our co-pay so we declined to buy any. We are fortunate to have reasonably good insurance.

We were prepared with our prescription bottles but did not need them. You can walk into any of the Pharmacies and tell them what you want and they will sell it to you no questions asked. How’s that for a regulatory action?

Come Join Team 'Ohana Pu

‘Ohana Pu means Family together in Hawaiian and that is the Name of my team fot the Arthritis Walk on May 20th. I would lencourage you to join me in walking and or in Donating to the Arthritis Foundation. Eithe of wich can be done on their website at http://arthritiswalkduluth.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=143138. It should be a lot of fun hope to see you there.

Take a Walk

This morning I woke up with a minor flare in my left hand and knees. I have spent the last hour reading more about Humera and the possible side affects and while the occurrences are low they can be very serious. I do plan to read more about Embrel at a later time.

The more I read about this disease the angrier I get. And think why me. Then I think what can I do about it? My response is two fold. First is to live my life the best I can and try to stay as active as possible. Secondly I can donate money to the Arthritis foundation, and there are different ways to do so.

On May 20th 2006 in many Cities around the country there will be an Arthritis Walk. You can choose the one or three mile walk. Debbie and I are planning on walking and would like to encourage you to join us weather it is in Duluth or the nearest location to your home. More information can be found at http://www.arthritis.org/events/arthritiswalk/default.asp

Here's what they say on ra.com “According to the World Health Organization, more than 50% of patients with RA completely stop working within 10 years of onset. Statistics like these demonstrate that RA, like heart disease and diabetes, can result in a substantial amount of disability.” I do not want to be in the 50% that stop working. All I am asking is for you support and understanding. And if you deiced to take a walk on May 20th great.

frustrating and annoying

One of the most annoying effects of RA for me is never knowing when a flare will hit or how severe it will be of how long its going to last. Every thing might be going well and I’m feeling fine and wham all of a sudden a knee, foot, hand or fingers are all swollen and not working very well. Most of the time I can just keep going but sometimes it really hurts and I have to just stop doing and sit or quiet using that hand.
This is tough because when the pain is bad I do not want to slow down but there's no choice. Sometimes walking or simply grocery shopping can be a challenge due to pain. Its a silent pain as no one know that you have it unless you tell them, do you really want to say I hurt too much and need to stop and go home?
When you do tell people about the pain there are those who if they can’t see it then it dose not exist. This can be very frustrating and annoying. If they could only walk a short distance in your shoes they just might sing a different tune.