tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55323888252987130352012-01-30T22:42:00.440-05:00Learning to live, love, and adapt to life with chronic illness...Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.comBlogger4351100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-11379832137923984032012-01-27T14:16:00.000-05:002012-01-27T14:16:20.416-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-39335315258111516942012-01-15T09:27:00.000-05:002012-01-15T09:27:45.578-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-26719897305408765192012-01-09T09:21:00.002-05:002012-01-09T09:23:21.680-05:00

  Most of us know that whether we are dealing with our own health crises or that of someone close to us, it can be a stressful and overwhelming experience, to say the least.   But there is a new book out, “The Patient’s Checklist,” by Elizabeth Bailey, that seeks to make the experience a little easier.  Bailey, who is not a patient herself, but found herself caught in a medical minefield when

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-56324087510409318132012-01-01T18:07:00.002-05:002012-01-01T18:07:54.014-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-37677003573301438212011-12-23T18:30:00.001-05:002012-01-01T17:22:06.324-05:00

To be perfectly honest, I’m not really looking forward to rehashing 2011.  It pretty much sucked the big one.  Anyway, here goes…  It was the year when issues that didn’t have to do with my health blew up: -         Tie Me In Knots; I Won't Come Undone It was the year I explored issues involving diagnosis, ageism, race, disclosure, physician-assisted suicide, and other topics: -        

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-11096343894451995242011-12-21T09:16:00.000-05:002011-12-21T09:16:46.550-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-55510338866340555032011-12-11T09:27:00.000-05:002011-12-11T09:27:29.081-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-79900661387486331272011-12-08T09:32:00.000-05:002011-12-08T09:32:32.105-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-2200088594859689242011-12-04T09:19:00.000-05:002011-12-04T09:19:12.694-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-53034352949720918912011-12-01T09:01:00.001-05:002011-12-01T09:03:38.191-05:00

For the next edition of PFAM, Sharon asks us, as chronic illness bloggers, to reflect on why we write/blog.  I think this is a great question. Writing is in my blood.  It’s what I do.  I’ve been writing since as far back as I can remember.  I was born to write.  I’ve always kept journals, but in the past, most of the writing about myself has been a private venture.  I think it’s a big step to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-66785597571556543592011-11-16T20:31:00.000-05:002011-11-16T20:31:35.708-05:00

Injectable.  Injection.  This is the very thing I have been trying to avoid since I first got sick.  I’ve never been a fan of shots, IVs, or needles of any kind.  While I’ve gotten more used to them as time goes on and I have had to stare more and more of them down, I still have a hard time stomaching the idea of sticking a needle into myself.  And I haven’t had to. But that’s about to change.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-88754267670586625582011-11-07T11:53:00.000-05:002011-11-07T11:53:05.314-05:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-3531344919429254762011-10-31T09:19:00.000-04:002011-10-31T09:19:30.712-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-30981565723479950352011-10-24T09:04:00.002-04:002011-10-24T09:06:22.109-04:00

In commemoration of World Psoriasis Day, which is October 29, 2011, I am reviewing the documentary, “I’m Just Like You – Children With Psoriasis,”* and hopefully helping to bring attention to this disease.  I’ll admit that due to my own ignorance, I didn’t really know what to expect from this film.  I knew that psoriasis was a skin disease, but that’s as far as my knowledge went.  You may

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-42410555457939589822011-10-17T08:42:00.001-04:002011-10-17T08:45:19.031-04:00

No, this is not some freaky ass rheumatoid arthritis contraption.  It's gloves for kickboxing.  I’ll admit it.  My last post was kind of down in the dumps.  And it was two weeks ago.  But things have changed.  Why?  Because I had to get off the couch.  I go through these phases, especially as the weather changes and my pain increases.  My couch becomes my own private island, with everything I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-54172983418858376762011-10-03T12:06:00.000-04:002011-10-03T12:06:23.431-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-30483493982769363732011-09-19T11:59:00.001-04:002011-09-19T12:52:53.090-04:00

In the same day, two seemly unrelated events occurred.  The first was a student disclosing to me that they had been dealing with a serious illness.  I immediately felt for and empathized with this student.  I wanted to reach out and give the student a hug.  But I didn’t.  I listened.  And I did something that maybe I shouldn’t have done.  I disclosed my illnesses.  I tend to do this when

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-32556853099040099652011-09-12T08:39:00.003-04:002011-09-12T08:44:26.113-04:00

When Brittney posted her theme for PFAM, my reaction was great topic, but it doesn’t really describe me right now.  But oh how the mighty fall.  I was totally wrong.  Her theme fits my life perfectly right now.  Here’s why.  I’d been feeling pretty good, despite having a busy travel schedule and some ups and downs.  But then school started.  And the weather was cold and rainy.  And the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-40682359708117933232011-09-04T09:17:00.001-04:002011-09-04T09:34:18.401-04:00

For the next edition of Patients For A Moment, Phylor asks us to offer up the songs that help us make it through.  I was totally up for accepting this challenge because it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time. Coming up with the soundtrack of my life is one of the things on my bucket list.  That might sound lame, but… So, here goes.  In some ways, you can see that this list

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-20433179761769751142011-08-24T21:24:00.001-04:002011-08-24T21:35:28.616-04:00

I recently spent four days in Las Vegas.  I was there for an academic conference.  But since I had never been to Vegas before, I tried to have a bit of fun, as well. There were two ways to treat this Vegas trip.  The first was like many of the blowhards who were attending the conference – to totally and completely hate Vegas without really experiencing it.  Or to go full tilt and experience

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-72067955906618359022011-08-19T16:27:00.000-04:002011-08-19T16:27:58.077-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-66696207635314398722011-08-16T07:37:00.000-04:002011-08-16T07:37:49.785-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-9566797327592450012011-08-08T08:44:00.004-04:002011-08-08T10:11:48.240-04:00

‘This is my temporary home It’s not where I belong. Windows and rooms that I’m passin’ through. This is just a stop, on the way to where I’m going. I'm not afraid because I know this is my Temporary Home.’ -         “Temporary Home,” Carrie Underwood I haven’t written for about two weeks, and I’ve been hiding out a bit.  I’ve had a lot on my mind recently.  I’ll admit.  Until recently, it

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-14790055669584423702011-07-26T16:33:00.001-04:002011-07-26T16:35:37.165-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-11778317353596309252011-07-19T07:11:00.000-04:002011-07-19T07:11:23.170-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-36161304629656112102011-07-12T09:20:00.000-04:002011-07-12T09:20:09.837-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-30125337694826071952011-06-27T20:35:00.000-04:002011-06-27T20:35:39.458-04:00

As promised, this is a what's in my bag (chronic illness style) vlog.  Make sure you watch all the way to the end... That is all for now.  I have a busy travel schedule the next two weeks, so I will not be posting much (if at all).  But I already have some posts planned for when I get back.  For now, enjoy getting up close and personal with the contents of my purse.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-8439831007984254092011-06-19T09:23:00.002-04:002011-06-19T09:32:29.077-04:00

So I don’t mean by the title of this post ensuring a future in which you end up chronically ill.  What I mean is, ensuring that despite chronic illness, you have a future. For the past few years since I got sick, I have done a lot of soul searching.  Who I am?  Who is the person that I want to become?    What do I want to do with/in my life?  What are the important things that I want to focus on

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-42949393167187611342011-06-13T19:51:00.001-04:002011-06-13T20:43:09.573-04:00

A few months ago I watched, “You Don’t Know Jack,” the movie where Al Pacino plays Jack Kevorkian, or the man known as “Doctor Death.” And it got me to thinking.  In the movie, Kevorkian blames doctors for selfishly keeping people alive who have no quality of life.  That’s very subjective.  I’m sure that on my worst days, somebody would think my quality of life is pretty bad.  But at least for me

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-30239715818214395272011-06-08T07:30:00.000-04:002011-06-08T07:30:25.868-04:00

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Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-1274293059786088822011-06-06T07:40:00.000-04:002011-06-06T07:40:49.236-04:00

I haven’t talked much about my family on my blog, not because they aren’t a huge part of my life, because they are. I haven’t talked much about them because this is my story. I’ve been public about it, but didn’t want to put them in a more public eye than they would be comfortable with. However, my aunt and I recently did the arthritis walk, and my aunt, sister, and I did the lupus walk. Given

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-53616996009716523572011-05-31T07:03:00.000-04:002011-05-31T07:03:02.889-04:00

I’ll be hosting “Patients For A Moment” on June 8th. I’ve been feeling pretty down lately, as is evidenced by my last post, so my question for this edition is related to that: What gets you down, and what do you do to pick yourself back up? (You don’t necessarily have to specifically address the second part of the question if you aren’t sure what the answer is). Sorry to be doom and gloom,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-19745572215366848832011-05-29T16:07:00.000-04:002011-05-29T16:07:28.602-04:00

“Made a wrong turn once or twiceDug my way out, blood and fireBad decisions, that's alrightWelcome to my silly life Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstoodMiss ‘No way, it’s all good’It didn’t slow me down.Mistaken, always second guessingUnderestimated, look I’m still around […]” - “Fuckin’ Perfect,” Pink I haven’t unleashed this much blackness in a while. It doesn’t feel good, but I have to let it

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-61355494895705094452011-05-22T15:24:00.002-04:002011-05-22T15:35:53.328-04:00

For the next edition of Patients For A Moment, Maria at My Life Works Today! wants to know what your goals are for the summer, which you won’t let illness get in the way of. This topic is very timely for me, as I prepare for what promises to be a crazy summer. As I talked about in my last post, I have a lot of traveling to do this summer. Most of it is for my dissertation research. I never

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-72443157804783625812011-05-11T22:54:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:36:15.869-04:00

“Do you ever feel like a plastic bag,drifting through the windwanting to start again?Do you ever feel, feel so paper thinlike a house of cards,one blow from caving in? […] You just gotta ignite, the light, and let it shineJust own the night like the 4th of July ’Cause baby you’re a fireworkCome on, show ‘em what you're worthMake ‘em go “Oh, oh, oh”As you shoot across the sky-y-y [...]” - “

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-4774099264413431802011-05-02T18:19:00.000-04:002011-05-02T18:19:15.402-04:00

The theme for the next edition of PFAM is memorable advice. I think my experience of physical therapy over the last few months fits well with this. Besides the colonoscopy and defogram, this has been the worst experience I have ever had in the medical system. Not only was the physical therapy itself uncomfortable and antiquated, but I felt like my physical therapist and I were living on two

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-21636210859589823762011-04-25T08:55:00.001-04:002011-04-25T18:07:52.223-04:00

I had a few blogging-related experiences last week that I wanted to share. I had the opportunity of being an audience member of the WEGO Health Webinar “Navigating Your Health Narrative” about health blogging, and I also read the book “Chocolate & Vicodin,” written by blogger Jennette Fulda. I had never taken part in a Webinar prior to this one. On the Webinar panel were bloggers Lisa from

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-63265650256848655452011-04-21T15:14:00.000-04:002011-04-21T15:14:57.081-04:00

My last post was about a recent flare. It hit me pretty hard for a few days, and has seemed to level off a bit. That’s not really what is wearing on my mind, though. It’s been about two months since my boyfriend dumped me. I say it that way because that’s the way it happened. It feels like so much longer, but I guess that’s because when you go from spending everyday with someone and they are no

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-77429151855417495672011-04-15T07:25:00.000-04:002011-04-15T07:25:25.088-04:00

(The title of this post should be read aloud in your most caveman like voice) I did something kind of stupid the other day. It was a gorgeous day out, so I decided to go for a run. I’m not a runner, but I decided to run a block and then walk for two or three and then run again. I’m not sure exactly how far I went on my run/walk, but it was kind of far. Well, on Monday I woke up with my legs

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-30592167754141676542011-04-11T17:07:00.000-04:002011-04-11T17:07:39.025-04:00

I started my blog almost three years ago to the day. In the first 10 days, I posted nearly 50 times. I didn’t know what I was doing, as a blogger or as a patient. I felt like my life had been robbed of something that I would never get back. I can’t quite put my finger on what I was robbed of because I don’t view the situation the same way now. Certainly my life has taken turns that I never

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-33938009879769873682011-04-01T09:01:00.001-04:002011-04-01T09:01:16.553-04:00

As far as chronic illness is concerned, help can often be a strange bedfellow. We want help. We don’t want help. We know what we want/need. We don’t know what we want/need from others. At least this has been my relationship with help as it relates to my chronic illnesses. For me one of the most helpful things has been the virtual chronic illness community that I have become a part of. Community

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-57444847681515073382011-03-17T22:31:00.000-04:002011-03-17T22:31:03.008-04:00

“[…] For all we knowThis may only be a dreamWe come and we goLike the ripples of a stream […]” - “For All We Know,” Donny Hathaway Illness has changed my life in tangible and intangible ways. For all I know, it may be simultaneously the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. It has given me perspective. I think it’s easy to think about the things we can’t do because of illness. But

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-67636224685503382342011-03-14T07:49:00.001-04:002011-03-14T07:53:28.725-04:00

Yes, that’s right. A signing vlog. Me, on camera, singing. I wrote the poem that follows, and decided to put it to music, that is, a tune inside my head. And then I decided to record it and sing it for you all. I’ve been wanting to write or vlog about how I’ve been feeling, but really didn’t know how. So this poem really captures my life at the moment. So enjoy this rare treat of my tone

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-6530444114260644652011-03-10T17:03:00.000-05:002011-03-10T17:03:51.312-05:00

Some people say that white men can’t jump. And some people say that white women can’t get lupus. But tell that to all of my fellow bloggers who have lupus…and are white… I evidenced this myself firsthand in attending a lupus support group – in a predominantly white area – where I was the only white girl in attendance. So there. It’s no secret that lupus has higher incidence rates in African

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-36499185014040033092011-03-07T13:17:00.001-05:002011-03-07T13:31:57.253-05:00

I am grateful for the expanding opportunities I am being offered, and have entered into a partnership with HealthCentral.com. I am looking forward to seeing how the relationship develops. That said, this blog, and the readers of this blog, mean the world to me. You have all been there through good and bad, with encouragement and advice. You’ve allowed me to spout off and rant, and ultimately,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-90010373277100524232011-03-03T13:08:00.002-05:002011-03-03T13:11:29.468-05:00

“[…] Or should I give upOr should I just keep chasin’ pavementsEven if it leads nowhereOr would it be a wasteEven if I knew my placeShould I leave it there […]” - “Chasing Pavements,” Adele I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what is worse: being chronically ill or being dumped. And I’ve come to the conclusion that being dumped is worse. With chronic illness, it’s forever, but there’s always

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-80324227997688897422011-02-20T16:06:00.001-05:002011-02-20T16:36:41.322-05:00

Above is my “love note” that was printed in the latest issue of Lupus Now magazine. Why the public declaration of love? Because in the dictionary, love comes before lupus. Coincidentally, it also comes before rheumatoid arthritis, too. (Lucky me!) Because I’m in love; every hour of the day, every day of the week. But I guess that doesn’t matter now. What I intended to write here isn’t what I

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-79377901556291124652011-02-14T12:58:00.000-05:002011-02-14T12:58:16.687-05:00

OMG!  Do I really look like this when I talk?  Anyway, this is the prednisone vlog.  I'll warn you, it is a bit on the long side (about 11 minutes), but there is a bit of repeating.  I hope to try and do one vlog a month.  Let me know what you think about this one, and feel free to give any suggestions you have about the topic of future vlogs.   

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-3835564799007897092011-02-07T13:29:00.000-05:002011-02-07T13:29:18.852-05:00

I recently read “How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This” by Carla Ulbrich. Carla is a fellow lupus blogger and her blog persona is The Singing Patient. I’ve invited Carla here today to tell you a little bit about herself and her book. What does the title “How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This” mean to you? (And by the way, the cover is super cute!) CU: Thanks! I’m really happy with the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-33199894629581920582011-01-31T13:51:00.000-05:002011-01-31T13:51:15.082-05:00

I started physical therapy for my gut last week. I was hoping to write a post about it once it was over, but that is at least six weeks away, and I really needed to vent about the experience. I really didn’t know what to expect going in, but I assumed that you just lay on a table and someone palpated your stomach in such a way that it would get things moving. Not so. Are you ready for this?

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-46143558593120072422011-01-26T08:16:00.000-05:002011-01-26T08:16:54.570-05:00

“I finally found someone That knocks me off my feet I finally found the one That makes me feel complete It started over coffee We started out as friends It’s funny how from simple things The best things begin” - “I Finally Found Someone” by Bryan Adams and Barbara Streisand My BF and I have been dating for a year today. So I guess this makes it our “one-year-dating-anniversary.” I think that my

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-64481140870912372142011-01-23T12:21:00.002-05:002011-01-26T08:31:05.347-05:00

Hey everyone, this is my first vlog.  I really hope you like it.  Forgive the lack of makeup, and the fact that I apparently really like to roll my eyes. Please feel free to leave comments about whether you like me vlogging, and if so, what topics you would like me to talk about in the future.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-77190437995191124472011-01-21T08:27:00.001-05:002011-01-21T08:30:36.053-05:00

You know, rather than punch people in the face, as one of my previous posts suggested I want to do, I’ve decided to come up with a battle cry, and I think the title of this post is just about perfect. It’s so annoying when I talk to people and they tell me I’m too young to be sick. I have lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, among other things. I’m 25 years old. Clearly I’m NOT too young for this.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-74435131293441142362011-01-18T21:35:00.000-05:002011-01-18T21:35:20.357-05:00

The Mayo Clinic recently released the results of a study, suggesting that women have a 3.6% lifetime risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and a 0.9% risk of developing lupus (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/mc-mcd010511.php). This reminds me while I’m not alone in this fight, I am unique. The lifetime risk for breast cancer for women is 12.2% or about 1 in 8, although this

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-22627787240868551972011-01-10T19:24:00.000-05:002011-01-10T19:24:31.817-05:00

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” - Martin Luther King, Jr. I have the right not to remain silent. Hence, this post will emit all of the things and feelings I have been dealing with over the past few months. Thanksgiving was terrible. Christmas was non-existent, and I already feel like the first days of 2011 have flown by without me noticing. I’ve felt

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-33290070387898945132010-12-30T15:41:00.001-05:002011-01-03T15:12:53.960-05:00

“Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes Five hundred twenty five thousand moments so dearFive hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutesHow do you measure, measure a year” First, I’ll start with the other remembrances, and then I will get to the books. 2010 was a year for many things: The year of Methotrexate: I chronicled my on again, off again love affair with the drug,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-35666749855007270922010-12-22T09:11:00.000-05:002010-12-22T09:11:32.644-05:00

Welcome to the latest edition of the patient-centered blog carnival, Patients For A Moment. This is the last edition of 2010. Can you believe it? I can’t! Where did the time go? For this edition, I asked readers to wax nostalgic, based on the following question I posed: What is/are your favorite/best post(s) of 2010? Participants had the option of submitting a post they wrote some time over

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-18561034344224729532010-12-08T08:00:00.001-05:002010-12-08T08:04:25.143-05:00

I’ll be hosting “Patients For A Moment” on December 22nd, and I’m starting a new tradition. The theme for this edition is: The year in review. (I hope to do this every year!) What is/are your favorite/best blog post(s) of 2010? You can participate in one of two ways: 1. Provide me with all of the required submission information on a post that you wrote sometime between January 1st, 2010 and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-875845128310129182010-12-04T14:18:00.000-05:002010-12-04T14:18:42.748-05:00

In my everyday life, here are a few “everyday” things that I can’t live without: - Cloth bags – You know, the ones you can buy just about anywhere these days. I’m accumulating quite a collection of them. But they are great because I feel they balance weight better than traditional plastic or paper bags, I can shoulder them, rather than hold them in my arthritic hands, and as a bonus, they are

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-45727588796744822602010-11-24T09:30:00.001-05:002010-11-24T09:32:01.717-05:00

Do people die from medical red tape? When I was discharged from the hospital, I was told that I needed to make a follow-up appointment with my GI doc within two weeks of my discharge – my GI doc who I didn’t see while I was in the hospital – I mean this to say that if she had seen me, I’d feel better about taking an appointment at a later date. I called to make the appointment and was told that

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-3686676196104553382010-11-17T14:36:00.000-05:002010-11-17T14:36:13.785-05:00

Last July, I wrote a post airing my skepticism about the new drug, Benlysta. And several of my readers agreed with me. Given, the news about the drug over the past several days, I find myself writing about it again, and singing a similar refrain. I would love to be hopeful. I would love to be jumping up and down right now, and bouncing off the walls. But I’m not. After surviving my second

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-59386764596668321512010-11-15T09:04:00.002-05:002010-11-15T10:36:14.703-05:00

Is illness always in bed, a third party waiting to get in on the action? I spent this past weekend in the hospital with my boyfriend, spending from around 5 o’clock Friday night until a little after 4 a.m. on Saturday in the ER, and was admitted from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. I had, had pretty severe pain in my right side for about four days. I do sometimes get a pain in the area

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-71446660621031447262010-11-08T12:06:00.000-05:002010-11-08T12:06:18.815-05:00

Saturday morning I woke up, and went to take Methotrexate, only to realize that I only had two pills left. I take six every Saturday. I panicked. I looked at the two pills and contemplated what to do next. Not take any at all? Just take a third of my normal dose? As I started to think clearly, I realized that the CVS that my prescriptions are at is only a few blocks away. So I threw some

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-53955462071020217052010-11-03T08:39:00.000-04:002010-11-03T08:39:40.213-04:00

So I’m channeling Lady Macbeth here a bit. But notice that the title of this post says “shot” and not “spot.” You can probably tell where I’m going with this. With the change in weather, I have been feeling pretty awful, like I’ve been put through the ringer, always under the weather – joint and muscle pain, headache, nausea, sensitivity to smell, sensitivity to fluorescent lights – I’ve got

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-77609359375141036112010-10-27T12:57:00.001-04:002010-10-27T14:11:01.916-04:00

MAC Brave Red (the name sold me)  “[…] Feet on ground, Heart in hand, Facing forward, Be yourself. I’ve never wanted anything. No I’ve, no I’ve, I’ve never wanted anything, so bad...(so bad). Cardboard masks of all the people I’ve been Thrown out, with all the rusted, tangled, dented God Damned miseries!! You could say I’m hard to hold,But if you knew me you know […]” - “Good Mother,” by Jann

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-6736057156362445292010-10-14T09:32:00.000-04:002010-10-14T09:32:24.679-04:00

I read an article back in April about young people blogging about death. You can read my post here. The article chronicled Eva Markvoort, a Canadian, 25 year-old who had cystic fibrosis, and died in April from chronic rejection, while waiting for a second double lung transplant. She was an outspoken advocate in Canada for both cystic fibrosis and organ donation. And she was the subject of the

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-6456410910656718542010-10-04T13:07:00.000-04:002010-10-04T13:07:24.938-04:00

Several days ago, I finished reading the book, “How to be Sick” by Toni Bernhard. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and am excited today to have Toni as a guest blogger on Getting Closer to Myself, as part of her virtual book tour. How did you get sick? TB: I fell ill on a trip to Paris in 2001 with what the doctors initially thought was an acute viral infection, but I never recovered. After six

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-5258271249331791252010-09-27T11:43:00.005-04:002010-10-03T13:32:49.962-04:00

Where was I during Invisible Illness Week? I was, well, invisible. I’ve had two feet firmly planted in dissertation reading land, and have been busy with that. But now I’m back in blogging and chronic illness land, albeit with two feet still firmly planted in dissertation land, and I am, needless to say, royally pissed. For the second time in a month, I am being told that I need to get my

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-86676449369746797222010-09-22T09:07:00.003-04:002010-09-27T17:43:51.747-04:00

(I don't talk about religion often, so humor me...) Since my boyfriend is more religious than I am, I have probably taken part in more religious activities in the last six months than I did in the past few years, combined. This is mainly because, with illness, came a crisis in faith. I questioned a lot about my religion, and I still do, but I am trying to remain open-minded and take part.

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-52288901145796612342010-09-06T13:41:00.000-04:002010-09-06T13:41:39.883-04:00

In honor, and in anticipation, of Invisible Illness Awareness Week (http://www.invisibleillnessweek.com/), which is September 13 to September 19, 2010, Maria of My Life Works Today and I are collaborating on a project. So many of us have invisible illnesses, so our goal with this project is to make the invisible visible. So what are you waiting for? Grab a paper bag, get creative, and show us

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-36731181681757618972010-09-01T14:36:00.001-04:002010-09-01T14:38:35.896-04:00

“Oh what the hell she saysI just can’t win for losingAnd she lays back downMan there’s so many times I don’t know what I’m doin’Like I don't know now […] And I don’t know what I’m supposed to doBut if she feels bad then I do tooSo I let her be […] And she says ooohI can’t take no moreHer tears like diamonds on the floorAnd her diamonds bring me downCuz I can’t help her now[…]” - “Her Diamonds”,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-46142542249075391812010-08-25T09:06:00.000-04:002010-08-25T09:06:23.044-04:00

Welcome to the latest edition of the patient-centered blog carnival, Patients For A Moment. The posts submitted for this edition were based on the following question I posed to readers: What advice would you give, or what would you want non-chronically ill people to know about your illness and your life? ***** These 10 gems of wisdom have taken several different forms, from letter to list,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-29354239470837725872010-08-16T10:28:00.000-04:002010-08-16T10:28:08.901-04:00

I’ll be hosting (again) “Patients For A Moment” on August 25th. Here is my question for this edition, which your posts should be related to: What advice would you give, or what would you want non-chronically ill people to know about your illness and your life? Being chronically ill can be really frustrating because of the lack of understanding from those around us. On the flip side, I think

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-60465918442727625722010-08-10T15:48:00.000-04:002010-08-10T15:48:39.156-04:00

I try not to take myself too seriously. And I try to focus on the funny, silly, ridiculous experiences that come with being chronically ill, rather than the horrible ones, although sometimes they are hard to ignore. Sometimes, however, we just have to laugh at the funny parts, which brings me to this post. I’d say that one of the most up and down experiences you can have as a chronically ill

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-81000891662100576212010-08-02T14:24:00.000-04:002010-08-02T14:24:57.221-04:00

“You can’t know how you would behave in a crisis until it drops out of the sky and knocks you down like a bandit: stealing your future, robbing you of your dreams, and mocking anything that resembles certainty. Sudden tragic events and even slow-burning disasters teach us more about ourselves than most of us care to know” (7). - Lee Woodruff, “In An Instant” ***** As I mentioned at the start of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-88661908944903606252010-07-21T13:58:00.002-04:002010-07-21T14:07:50.004-04:00

For the upcoming edition of Patients For A Moment, Queen of Optimism asks:What is the nicest thing (or things) anyone has done for you since you became ill?My answer to that question is based on the following experience…Recently, I got an e-mail with the phrase that is the title of this post as the subject line (although I’ve added punctuation for effect). I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-4098673993008988422010-07-14T08:32:00.002-04:002010-07-14T08:45:57.396-04:00

Welcome to the latest edition of the patient-centered blog carnival, Patients For A Moment. The posts submitted for this edition were based on the following question I posed to readers:What have you done (or what do you aspire to do) in spite of illness? So often we are told by various parties in our lives that we can’t or shouldn’t do things just because we are sick. What have you done in

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-56894904752476698992010-07-05T15:47:00.003-04:002010-07-05T16:24:02.773-04:00

I’ll be hosting the “Patients For A Moment” – a patient-centered blog carnival created by Duncan Cross – on July 14th.Here is my questions for this edition, which your posts should be related to:What have you done (or what do you aspire to do) in spite of illness? So often we are told by various parties in our lives that we can’t or shouldn’t do things just because we are sick. What have you

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-23803888703459675002010-07-01T08:26:00.005-04:002010-07-03T13:13:00.355-04:00

There are always blog posts to be written. Things I want to write about, but can’t, don’t know how to, or simply don’t have time. I’ve wanted to write this post for a while and I’ve been waiting for this appointment – yesterday – with my rheum for a long time. I was excited to tell my rheum that I actually think I am having more good days than bad, and that while this is great, I suspect I may

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-64580937262947826412010-06-26T09:06:00.002-04:002010-06-26T09:09:57.978-04:00

Like life in general, lupus is a learning curve. You’re not equipped with everything you need to know the day you’re born. And I wasn’t equipped with everything I needed to know about chronic illness the day that I was diagnosed with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.It’s a process, a never-ending evolution. It takes time. It takes patience. And it’s a cold dose of reality that is hard to

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-34480366986161601992010-06-16T08:16:00.004-04:002010-06-16T08:21:18.508-04:00

Lately I’ve been suffering from a case of what I will call “blogstipation.” I have plenty of ideas of what to write about, but I’m all plugged up. I sit down, and I’ll write a paragraph or two about a topic; but a few paragraphs does not a blog post make.I guess I’m also feeling like the stakes are a bit higher these days. Almost every week, someone adds themselves as a follower to my blog (which

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-19833359594064447792010-06-01T08:27:00.001-04:002010-06-01T08:30:09.705-04:00

Holy June Batman! Wow, time is flying by, and I haven’t been posting much lately. As a quick update, I’ve been teaching undergrad stats during spring term. The prep work it takes to teach this class is eating my time, and I’m very much looking forward to some time off when class finishes in a few weeks. And I just got back from spending a wonderful weekend in New York and New Jersey, meeting

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-74499992374512198692010-05-24T09:10:00.001-04:002010-05-24T09:13:51.316-04:00

Lately, I find myself saying “the lupus” not “lupus”, when referring to the disease because I think it may be gaining ground… One thing that I’ve become very bad at is going to the doctor for things when I know there is a problem. That’s pretty counterintuitive for someone who’s chronically ill, I know, but it’s the truth. I’ve been having some pretty serious dizzy spells, for months now. At

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-3459497477362242092010-05-15T17:11:00.001-04:002010-05-15T17:25:03.459-04:00

I attend(ed) two “in-person” support groups; one on campus through the student health clinic, which I helped start, and one off campus sponsored by the Lupus Alliance. The on-campus group is for students with any type of chronic illness, and the other is specifically for people with lupus. One thing I’ve noticed is that at the several support groups I attended, while we often talked about

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-13586225788124584492010-05-10T10:23:00.002-04:002010-05-10T10:26:41.410-04:00

May is Lupus awareness month. And today is World Lupus Day. I cited an article in my last post, Time Is A Luxury We Don’t Have, about young people blogging about death. I did some research on the main person that the article was written about, and I learned a lot. So it goes that when children who have cystic fibrosis are young, they can’t quite say “cystic fibrosis”, so they end up saying “65

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-36721028861420833222010-04-28T09:35:00.003-04:002010-04-28T09:43:56.504-04:00

“[…] I will remember youWill you remember me?Don’t let your life pass you byWeep not for the memories […]” -“I Will Remember You,” Sarah McLachlan It’s spring, well at least technically, because if you’re in Michigan right now, it’s pretty freaking cold. But anyway, it’s spring. And with spring comes new life. No where is this more evident than in my blogging circle, as there are several bloggers

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-11128058493182072602010-04-22T14:30:00.002-04:002010-04-22T15:39:45.554-04:00

About a month ago, I wrote a post about the book, “Despite Lupus”, by Sara Gorman. I enjoyed reading the book, but was left with a lot of questions. I contacted Sara, and she was nice enough to answer my questions, to be shared with my readers in the guest post that follows. For those who haven’t read your book and/or blog, tell us a bit about yourself.SG: I was diagnosed with systemic lupus 9

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-39877228462171086882010-04-15T19:43:00.000-04:002010-04-15T19:45:40.848-04:00

On Saturday, my blog turns two! I can’t believe that I started this blog two years ago, just a week after receiving my diagnoses of lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Since then so much has happened. Solu-Medrol infusions, my first inpatient adventure. I guess pretty much the usual stuff as far as these illnesses are concerned. But other things have started happening in my life, too. I’m not

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-91212591478861565202010-04-07T08:31:00.001-04:002010-04-07T08:36:25.029-04:00

“[…] And if you call, I will answerand if you fall, I’ll pick you upand if you court this disasterI’ll point you home […]”- “Call and Answer,” Barenaked LadiesOne of my worst fears was recently realized. I was “sick” with my boyfriend (the doctor). I got a lupus headache that totally ambushed me. It was a bad combination; my methotrexate day, time of the month, rain, and no coffee (TMI? Sorry

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-32650184102044337692010-03-25T19:26:00.003-04:002010-03-25T19:37:45.645-04:00

(This isn't my man. But this is a gift he got me when he was out of town. He said I need to have a doctor in the house when he's not around. Isn't he sweet?)There has been some good excitement in my life as of late, but it has taken me awhile to sit down and compose my thoughts. Because in some ways, I feel like I’ve become pretty good at dealing with the bad stuff, but not as good as

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-66941172777846744572010-03-18T09:26:00.004-04:002010-03-18T09:43:20.182-04:00

I had taken a break from reading books about lupus or rheumatoid arthritis or chronic illness, mainly, I think, because I have really been entrenched in illness for the past few months. Things have been quite up and down for me, and experiencing lupus flares after months without them has taken both a physical and emotional toll.“Despite Lupus” has seriously been sitting on my shelf for probably

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-43067380352086869302010-03-10T23:19:00.001-05:002010-03-10T23:21:20.048-05:00

During my last flare, one of the lymph nodes in my left arm became swollen and painful. Nearly two weeks later, more nodes were involved and I was in a great deal of pain. This is the first time that this has ever happened. I had e-mailed my rheum to brief him on the situation, and when it got worse, I made an impromptu appointment to see him.The more I thought about it, the more it dawned on

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-28101919609233345702010-03-03T07:54:00.003-05:002010-03-03T08:06:04.056-05:00

After hosting Patients For A Moment #18 and asking other patient bloggers about their relationship with illness, I decided that I should explore my own. I was a bit forestalled in this because I was hit with several lupus flares in February, which quite honestly, took me very much by surprise. Because these flares brought with them symptoms that I haven’t experienced in months, maybe even years,

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-21738573984582911222010-02-24T07:47:00.000-05:002010-02-24T07:47:00.492-05:00

Welcome to the 18th edition of the patient-centered blog carnival, Patients For A Moment. The posts submitted were based on the following questions I posed to readers:What’s Illness Got To Do With It?What is your relationship to illness? Is there a particular time when you wish illness wasn’t in the picture? Or is there a time when you find it’s easy to forget about illness? Illness can be

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-47695333492892540542010-02-15T09:00:00.003-05:002010-02-15T09:07:10.721-05:00

I’ll be hosting the 18th edition “Patients For A Moment” – a patient-centered blog carnival created by Duncan Cross – on February 24th.Here are my questions for this edition, which your posts should be related to:What’s Illness Got To Do With It? What is your relationship to illness? Is there a particular time when you wish illness wasn’t in the picture? Or is there a time when you find it’s

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-35205332194129464122010-02-12T09:01:00.002-05:002010-02-12T09:06:15.726-05:00

I was a little late, and didn’t end up submitting something for the latest edition of Patients For A Moment (PFAM), which was hosted by Selena at Oh My Aches And Pains. Selena’s question for this edition was, Love? Hate? What are the four letter words you use to describe your life with chronic illness? Despite the fact that I didn’t make it in time to submit, I thought this was a really

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-39628685406952461732010-02-06T09:09:00.003-05:002010-02-06T09:25:57.666-05:00

I’ve been a bit absent from blogging lately because I’ve been waiting to get some closure on some issues I’ve had with Methotrexate (MTX). MTX is the first medication from which I’ve seen tangible improvements in my arthritis. My pain is greatly diminished, and my joint mobility has visibly increased. So you’re probably wondering, is there a “but”? Yes, unfortunately, there is…My

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-1869688229771436572010-01-27T08:00:00.002-05:002010-01-27T08:04:38.570-05:00

A few weeks ago, I took this bag of change I had to a coin counting machine. I’ve had the change for maybe a year, and figured I probably had about $70 worth. Turns out I actually had almost $160 worth of change. Change that I take out of my wallet everyday and save, because I don’t like carrying it around. Basically “found” money.Anyway, rather than save that money, I decided to buy an IPod

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-75484765081623299672010-01-18T06:24:00.001-05:002010-01-18T06:24:00.301-05:00

At a recent support group meeting I went to, the leader asked us at the end of the meeting if any of us were offended that she refers to us as “Lupies” in her e-mails.Personally, I’ve never been particularly fond of the term. But it doesn’t bother me, per se, that she uses this greeting. But apparently, it bothered someone. Because she received an anonymous complaint that someone found her use of

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5532388825298713035.post-18652960712936768612010-01-11T07:34:00.004-05:002010-01-11T18:19:41.949-05:00

A month or so ago, I went to bed with a dull ache in my shoulders, which I assumed was from carrying groceries and other purchases after a shopping trip. When I woke up the next morning, it was clear that I was flaring. I could only extend my elbows half-way – and resigned myself to walking around like Frankenstein’s monster all day long – had a low-grade fever, and felt nauseous.Lupus and

Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13910940045470516414noreply@blogger.com5