August 2011
34 posts
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Congress plans to cut 1.2 TRILLION in federal... →
Please click the link and take just a moment to sign the petition, whether you have RA or not, you are part of a connected online community of sufferers and living in a nation with over 50 million Americans and approximately 300,000 kids who are affected by arthritis.
I expect every one of my followers to do this, I really do. It only takes a minute.
“If we don’t stand up for...
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so many new followers! Thank you!
I’d love to hear from you, so feel free to send a message and tell me about why you followed me, who you are, and maybe even what you’d be interested in seeing on this blog? Thanks!
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“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.”
– Carl Jung
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Weekly Link Roundup 08/30/2011 -- Special Edition
According to this new study, researchers discovered that “at least least 10% of suicides in Britain are linked to terminal or chronic illness, accounting for more than 400 deaths a year,” meaning that one in ten suicides is linked to chronic illness. This does not even cover the suicide link in the US.
I’ve seen some terribly tragic and concerning posts on both tumblr and...
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The Big C vs. The Big RA: "I'd RAther Not Compare" →
“Why consider emotional pain from RA? Because as most people rally around a Cancer patient to bring in meals, offer to tend the patient’s household needs, offer their condolences, prayers and round-the-clock support, the typical RA patient receives none of those things – not even close. In fact, those with RA often find themselves ridiculed and humiliated, their challenge diminished...
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Giving Chronic Pain a Medical Platform of Its Own →
Tara Parker-Pope from the NY Times touche son chronic pain and the struggle to properly diagnose, treat, and understand this phenomenon. Why is it that our physicians are not educated to properly work with those suffering from chronic pain, and how can we as patients help?
“Most doctors view pain as a symptom of an underlying problem — treat the disease or the injury, and the pain goes...
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having major issues with blogspot
so I am switching to a different host. Tumblr will be updated and I will post the new host link when it is up and running, but blogspot is on hiatus for now.
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Weekly Link Roundup 08/23/2011
This week’s theme is pain. Not just any pain, but pelvic pain. That’s right, I’m talking about vagninismus, vulvodynia, endometriosis, IBS, internal cystitis, etc. I started having pain with sex my senior year of high school and finally received a secondary diagnosis of vulvodynia in April of this year. It is one thing I have never spoken about to anyone (other than my...
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Lessons Learned: A Beautiful Journey
There is immense strength to be found in yourself. Sometimes, we just need someone or something to show us how to find it.
When I had my first spine surgery in October of 2002, I had just started middle school. I started school about a week into September and left on the second of October, with no expectations of returning to school that year. I was lucky enough to live in a small town where...
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Be Your Own Advocate: Patient Records
Having a copy of your patient records and why it is important— a must-read for the newly diagnosed.
I was reading through my medical records from my first rheumatologist (who I found to be a complete idiot). He would ask me questions, but not let me adequately answer them without cutting me off, ignored all of my symptoms minus my joint pain, made jokes about abuse when I came to the...
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Anonymous asked: I think you're awesome, and I love your blog.
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hematology and other bad news; not a happy patient...
Originally the hematologist I saw yesterday thought there was nothing wrong with my blood, and that the clotting factor being a bit slow didn’t really indicate a huge problem. He drew fifteen (FIFFUCKINGTEEN) vials of blood, and testing the factor again. If it came back abnormal for a third time, then there would be reason to suspect and issue and test for possible disorders. So driving an...
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Seeing the hematologist soon. Nervous would be an understatement.
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ChronicCurve is now on Facebook! →
I’ll be using this to alert those using facebook to new blog updates and content, as well as new jewelry creations. My latest endeavor— autoimmune awareness jewelry. Please please please like and share the page with your family and friends, as I will be posting resources for them too :) I’d also like to use the facebook as a way for followers to post what types of content they...
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DIY Bathroom Storage: No Bending
I have a bad back, bad hips, and bad knees. Obviously any type of bending is both painful and difficult, and living in a dorm made storage that wasn’t in a low cabinet or under my bed scarce. I stumbled upon this DIY project and thought it was absolutely perfect for my bathroom and eliminated having to crouch and dig under my dorm room sink for my hair stuff. Sure it requires a slight tilt...
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The longer I’m off my meds, the worse I get.
Nights when you can’t figure out whether to sit, stand, or lay down
Nights when you can’t put sentences together or even begin to explain the pain and weakness
It’s that kind of night
and it’s going to be a long one, I can already tell.
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Autoimmune Truths: Part I
The handicapped parking space I choose to use is not your designated space, you obnoxious elderly woman who walks better than I do, so stop yelling at me for “stealing” your so-called designated spot.
Fatigue does not equate to simply being tired. Put fifty soaking wet duvet covers over your head and take a xanax, lose the ability to think clearly, drop bricks on your body, then...
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Spread the word! Invisible Illness Week 2011 will...
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Weekly Link Roundup 08/14/2011
An Endometriosis/Pelvic Pain-related roundup this week!
Uncommon Manifestations: Sciatic and Thoracic Endometriosis— an article on Endosupp about the lack of awareness of these rare endo forms, their history, treatment, and clinical signs and symptoms. If you have endometriosis in your family, suspect you have endometriosis, or have a doctor who refuses to listen to specific symptoms...
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New Study Shows DNA Test Highly Accurate In... →
Raynham, MA – (December 1, 2010) –A new study shows the SCOLISCORE™ AIS Prognostic Test, a DNA test to determine the likelihood of curve progression in children with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), an abnormal curvature of the spine, is 99 percent accurate in predicting which children are least likely to progress to a severe curve (Cobb Angle of 40 degrees or more).
So...
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30 Day Invisible Illness Challenge
30 Day Invisible Illness Challenge in honor of Invisible Illness Week - September 12th-18th. Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know:
1. The illness I live with is: 2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 3. But I had symptoms since: 4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: 5. Most people assume: 6. The hardest part about mornings are: 7. My favorite medical TV show is: 8. A...
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lack of communication in the medical field
is incredibly frustrating. Though I understand in most circumstances why it is so difficult for doctors to communicate with each other, what I do not understand is when they do not even make the effort.
I was supposed to have surgery at the end of June, but two days before the procedure it was called off to “try” Methotrexate and see if it solved my back pain. Never mind the fact...
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weekly link roundup 08/07/2011
Aidsforarthritis— Awesome awesome resource for various products to help people with arthritis or other physical disabilities. AFA sells everything from devices to help turn door handles to kitchenware to a tool that makes putting on jewelry easier. Definitely a great resource.
The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability: For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities Chronic Pain, and...
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Adventures in PreMed: Faking Healthy →
adventuresinpremed:
Many chronic patients who have been sick for a long time know that people have a hard time being supportive with chronic illness. You really find out who really cares about you enough to be around when things get tough. You find that people would rather blame you for it than accept that you’re…
Unbelievably accurate. Definitely a defense mechanism I’ve found...
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It does not matter how slow you go so long as you...
I’ve been thinking about this quote a lot lately and how important its message is to the chronically ill or in pain. What does it mean to “stop” when you have a chronic illness? And how does one accept having to slow down? Perhaps one of the most important subjects I will touch on…
How do we come to terms with having to slow down? How do we accept that we will have...
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“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease”
– Hippocrates 