In Remembrance, Reflection, Pride, and & Celebration. May YOUR July 4th Holiday be all you want it to be...

Have a Happy, Safe, and Wonderful July 4th Holiday Weekend!

 

I want to wish everyone a very SAFE, HAPPY, and reflective July 4th Holiday weekend! As I watched what the news had to say yesterday evening, it was pure shame I felt (even though I am not one of ""them") that our Grand Nation, has have to endure such horrific hate crimes, terrorist acts, and again "credible" threats enough to warrant each and every "celebration" especially in our huge cities, like Washington DC, New York, LA, and more to either have so many "patrols" out, or some have even cancelled their events due to the fact they feel it is NOT safe enough to even have a beautiful celebration of our Country, the USA! That also makes me mad, sad, and also even a bit fearful. Our small town has a "celebration" planned for tomorrow. We have now had a "Farmer's Market" that opens every Saturday to local growers, who come and sell their fruits, fresh veggies, and so forth. So, our town also is including some out of town vendors, even a small concert, and then a fireworks extravaganza* in the evening,, as well as one out of the Texas Motorplex, that they have been putting on for years for the holiday. Yet, even here, just because we are a "small town"... you NEVER KNOW... who could be a "lone wolf".... we have had our share of close calls in our country and the surrounding ones, and we don't live but about 35 miles from Dallas. So, we want to put aside our "fear" and think, "Oh, this would never happen here, not in our small community"... alas, sad but true, it only takes ONE person to create a horrific scene even in a small town.

So as we ready ourselves for cookouts, family gatherings, going to other celebrations, the lake, camping, and all of the many activities going on throughout our nation, be "viligant", watchful, and don't be afraid to "report" something you feel is "not right".... those types of "mindfulness" is what keeps us safe, happy, and being able to celebrate with family and friends...

I bid you ALL A Wonderful 4th of July Holiday Weekend... whether traveling, or at home cooking, wherever you are, be safe, be happy, we do still have much to celebrate and in so many ways... and Enjoy your Holiday! Hugs to All, Rhia Steele

 

FROM THE IFAA - Results from an in-depth study to IMPROVE EARLY & ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS of Autoimmune Arthritis diseases, as well as other AI disease that often are in Tandem!

Here is the link to this extremely important study of the importance of EARLY and ACCURATE Diagnosis when it comes to Autoimmune Arthritic Diseases, and other Autoimmune illnesses that often are in "tandem" with them. This report had hope of educating more of our Medical Professionals, Dentists, and Others, about these illnesses and diseases. It is SO Crucial to have an EARLY and ACCURATE diagnosis, so more Aggressive and targeted medications and treatments are done early, before so much damage has been done.

We have also seen and witnessed over the past couple of years SEVERAL often "very young people" are either extremely ill or even pass away due to the possibility that they were not diagnosed early enough, and had the proper treatments. That is just another reason why the report and others to follow are critical for all of us that suffer from these hideous diseases, syndromes, and illnesses.

Please see the report in its entirety at the URL below:

Early Symptoms of Autoimmune Arthritis Investigation

When "Radiology Reports" come in and say you had a "prior" laminectomy BUT you NEVER had LUMBAR Surgery~ - Really???

I have a VERY ODD Question for everyone.... Have you ever heard of someone having a test done on their lumbar spine, for instance as I did last Friday, AN when the Radiologist read and typed his his report, he says several times there appears to be "such and such" from a "PREVIOUS" laminectomy????? I have NEVER HAD LUMBAR spine surgery... NONE! So, was he SEEING something that could be "further damage" I have, that for some reason made him think I have had a laminectomy before? I've tried to think of a way to "google" the question, and just can't get it worded where I can find out why this might be. So, if anyone has ever heard of this. or knows anything about it, feel free to post. I GOT my reports from the discogram done on Friday. My Orthopedic surgeon has NOT gotten back to me, but the reports were already up on my personal "patient portal" this morning. So, I could sign in, see and print them. So, I already know what the tests say, but this business about him saying something several times about a "prior" laminectomy has thrown me for a loop....   ( can also be spelled laminotomy)  and can mean "partially removed" or "fully removed" depending on which was done... YET NEVER HAD I HAD THIS DONE???


More later.... but if anyone has an answer... or how to look this up so I can get an answer... feel free to post, post on my Facebook page, or send me an email... I am so curious as to "why" it "appears" I've had an operation on my "lumbar spine" when I never have....

I went ALL WEEK LONG, well since Monday KNOWING that my Orthopedic surgeon HAD the "discogram" results. I had "pulled" them myself on Monday afternoon, from my "patient portal" and printed both the discogram and the CT afterwards so I could read more about them.

FINALLY yesterday   REALLY??? I get a call from his office! (About time Huh)? So, of course he wants to "go over" the results with me... I can fairly well guess what that will entail. If what I am reading is how I interpret it, I am sure I will be going through at least a "1 LEVEL" "fix" between my L-5 and S-1 discs... so that maybe actually "2" not sure how they were looking at it.

Well, so happens Mom has an her appointment with Him next week also! So, I asked if there was anyway, they could fit me in either before or after her.... well some times things actually DO work out! Unless something changes he can see me right after seeing my Mom, on that same afternoon..... YES!!!!!!!! What a thrill... not of course getting to the results, for either of us, but at least NOT MAKING 2 TRIPS to thSAME DOCTOR in DALLAS in the same week!

I am still quite in a quandry about this "prior" lamenectomy thing. My suspicions are either since I had the CT back in early May, I believe, due to the osteoporosis, "something broke off" thus creating it to appear I had a "prior" removal of that part in my lumbar spine.... either than or the guy is a total nut!! Which also could be true!!! I'll keep you posted here and on FB... I appreciate as always the kindness I receive from so many of you.....

Fingers crossed that IF I DO have to have SURGERY, it will be more of a "micro" thing, without a huge ordeal of very invasive operating.... but time will tell......

More Great News from the AF and FDA - truly making headway!

 

Awesome News Once again from The Arthritis Foundation along with the FDA!

 

 

http://blog.arthritis.org/news/fda-osteoarthritis/

Ankylosing Spondylitis, Spondyloarthritis, Axial Spondylitis, AI, Hip,Lumbar/Sacral Spine Pain, Surgery, and Tests, Discogram

This comes at an EXTREMELY important time in my life as of now. I saw on my orders last week for the "discogram" that "Spondy" was also what my Orthopedic Surgeon felt was a part of my issue. I already have severe osteoporosis, which shows in my lumbar spine, my hips (both), and then in my "femoral" portion of my leg. 

Honestly, I didn't know a great deal about Spondylitis, Spondyloarthritis, or even Ankylosing Spondylitis, until lately. Of course I knew it is an autoimmune disease, and knew some things about it, yet, not until I began to have the very severe problems with both hips, especially the horrid pain, I can't sit for long, or walk for long... many things do really make the pain much worse. 

Then I began to look a bit into it, and mentioned it to my Orthopedic Surgeon. 



This in red represents my own DEXA scan (a 2nd one) and the results of what is shown to be severe osteoporosis.

DEXA Scan Results for myself in 2013

Summary :
 
Osteoporosis in the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip. The
bone density at the spine was overestimated due to degenerative
changes, as suggested by the significant discordance in the
density of the individual vertebrae.
Area BMC BMD T T% Z Z%
L2-L4 43.92 33.73 0.768 -2.8 71 -1.8 79
Total Hip 34.44 21.84 0.634 -2.5 67 -1.9 73
Femoral Neck 5.34 3.06 0.573 -2.5 67 -1.5 77
Comments:
DXA of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) reveals a bone density of 0.768
g/cm2. This value is 2.8 standard deviations below the mean for
young adults, and represents 79% of the mean density for
patient's age. Femoral neck bone density is 0.573 g/cm2. This
value is 2.5 standard deviations below the mean for young adults.
Total hip density is 0.634 g/cm2, a value that represents 2.5
standard deviations below the mean for young adults. Hip density
represents 73% of the expected density for patient's age.
___________________________________________________________________________________

These numbers show my hips, lumbar spine as talked about and femoral neck bone all show severe osteoporosis. Thus this could be also associated with spondyloarthritis, axial, and so on... As horrible is it is to know I am "shrinking, now by almost 3 inches in the past about 5 or 6 years... and knowing a fall, or sometimes with severe forms of this, you can actually do nothing but walk across a room and a hip break, or the compression fractures are usually a huge concern, which is one reason they are considered about anyone "shrinking" We all do to a certain extent as we age, but this is different for sure. I was happy to see this article and wanted to share it with all of you. 

 http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/BackPain/52341?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2015-06-29&eun=g773630d0r

CURE CLICK - "Clinical Trials" can be "simpler" - Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Severe & Mild Asthma, Prostate Cancer - more to follow

 

 

 

Check out the complete catalog of clinical trials available on TrialReach

 

 

Want to know More about "Cure Click"?

 There are DOZENS of different graphs, charts, information, video's and more! Please feel free to let me know if you would like more information!