Jeffrey Gottfurcht Children’s Arthritis Foundation

 

If you know a child/young adult with JRA/RA who is struggling, refer their parents or friends (or them) to this: Jeffrey Gottfurcht Children’s Arthritis Foundation— a foundation that grants wishes/dreams (like Make A Wish) to children and teens ages 4-20 who struggle with autoimmune arthritis and deserve to smile a little brighter. Or donate to the foundation in their name :)

Bad Day Blues and Breaking Points

Rheumatologist appointments are always a nerve-wracking experience for me. It seems that between each appointment I develop absurd amounts of new symptoms I had no idea were related to my autoimmune diseases. I am constantly holding my breath wondering if today is going to be a good rheumy day or a day of poor blood results and bad news— a bad rheumy day. Today was one of those bad days…

today is the day

Weekly Link Roundup 6/29/11

1. Chronicillnesscat.tumblr.com — Next to my percocet, the humor I find in this site is the best medicine to dull some pain. Being able to laugh at myself makes these diseases a little easier. Have a laugh, check out chronic illness cat!
   
2. RaWarrior — everything you ever wanted to know about rheumatoid arthritis and chronic illness. This woman’s website is absolutely wonderful- a great resource for both families and those who are sick.
3. ButYouDontLookSick — A website designed for those with chronic illness. Excellent forums with specific threads for tons of different illnesses, from chronic migraines to Lymes, Lupus to the undiagnosed. created by the author of the Spoon Theory, this website was my go-to for questions, advice, and resources to give to my friends and family.
4. Chronicallyscrewed.tumblr.com — a young woman my own age suffering from ME/CFS. She has a great way with words in describing her journey that I can relate to when I can’t seem to find the words (or the ability to write them, thank you brain fog) myself. I have followed her from the very beginning and her story resonates deeply with me. She is one of very few people that I am able to have contact with that is my age experiencing very similar symptoms.

Blog of the week: Cranquis.tumblr.com
Dr. Cranquis is a real life urgent care physician who takes time out of his busy schedule to provide tales of his daily experiences as a physician, ins and outs of medical school, various articles, as well as help people through his ask box with various concerns and questions. Dr. Cranquis won’t cease to make you laugh and there is always something new to learn by reading his stories! A very big thank you to Dr. Cranquis, as he was the person that inspired me to start blogging about my illnesses and reach out to others.


*if I post your link in a link roundup and you would like me to remove it, please send me a message so I can do so.

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Awareness Bracelets for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Where Are They?!

I have one for Scoliosis, now I want one for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Problem is, I can't seem to find any purple and blue silicone awareness bracelets for RA. Though it is my goal to order custom blue and purple bands for RA, I went hunting and found some alternatives for the time being:

A product of Rest Ministries and Hope Keepers-- white stands for Invisible Illness awareness. You can order this band here.

International Autoimmune Arthritis Movement:

"The only official silicone Awareness Bracelet that represents the fight to bring understanding to Autoimmune Arthritis diseases..."
" I Am...
A Leader for Change,
Hopeful,
A Believer in Progress,
And Rebranding Stereotypes.


I Am and Advocate for
Autoimmune Arthritis Awareness."

$1.50 each and 100% of proceeds go directly to the foundation. You can order them directly from their website here: http://www.iaamovement.org/

National Scoliosis Foundation- Scoli Band"The Scoli~Band is[...]designed to show unity among scoliosis patients, healthcare providers, and supporters worldwide..." Scoli-Bands are $3.00 each and can be purchased here: http://www.scoliosis.org/store/scoliband.php

 Arthritis Foundation "Kids Get Arthritis Too" awareness bracelets. "Sold in packs of 5 or packs of 50 for fundraising. Sixty-five cents per band / $3.75 per 5 pack benefits the Arthritis Foundation when purchased at the Individual Supporter prices." You can order them here.

Let's Move Together-- Arthritis Foundation
Let's Move Together is an organization run by the Arthritis Foundation to empower and encourage arthritis sufferers to stay active and participate in Arthritis Walks to raise money for a cure. Like the bracelet listed above, the braceles are $.065/band or $3.75/five bands and proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation. You can order them here.

I will add to this list as I find more :)

Covering It Up

When I'm feeling my worst, I find that I have purple-ish circles and bags under my eyes (not to mention how pale I am to begin with) and have struggled to find a product that conceals them well. I can't say I always have the energy to apply make up, but I don't always want to look as awful as I feel. So, the search is over. No painting thick globs of heavy foundation onto my face, no brushes, just a quick touch and go:

A powder foundation with hands down the best coverage I have ever seen in my life. Completely conceals those circles, let alone any blemish on my face. I apply a light moisturizer on my face and let it sit before applying the foundation.

Try Epicuren Acidophilus Probiotic Facial Cream. Perfect for those with combination skin like mine-- It's expensive, but cleared up my acne no other product could (and I've tried many), goes on lightly (a little bit goes a long way), sits well under make up. and doesn't make my skin oily. Fact: Epicuren uses enzymes rather than harsh acidic chemicals to clear skin

Long overdue; a long story short

My journey with autoimmune illness began my senior year of high school, though looking back I can see signs that were present much earlier. This is my story…