Ennis Daily News Local Paper Arthritis Foundation and Myself - Article

After lots of jumping through hoops due to out local paper having new people coming in, I got the article about myself and the Arthritis Foundation in and published this past weekend. I didn't realize it was printed, because "Rhia's Law" if it will happen, it will happen to me... I didn't get my paper thrown that one day, out of ALL days, that one day I didn't get the paper as usual. That NEVER happens usually....


Anyway. I will thrilled to see it, and also thrilled to hear one friend of the family who told us about it this morning at the doctor's office, which is how I found out that it had been published!!!

I went straight to the paper and picked up a copy, and when I went into the market, I had several people stop me and say they had seen it in the paper over the weekend!!!!! Which made it even better!!!!!

I am kind of upset that they "shortened" it a bit, because it was longer. But, I think due to the fact he had left it out, and it had not been published when I first sent it to them, he made sure he got it in immediately.

Again, I owe so much to the Arthritis Foundation and especially to Laura Keivel, who has truly made me feel that I have found "my voice" in being an Ambassador for the Foundation. "The Lord Willing and the Creek Don't Rise" as the saying goes, I hope to be back in DC, for the Annual 2015 Summit on the Hill, in March again. If at all possible I plan to be there every year my body, my mind, my spirit, and everything involved allows me to...

Some of Life's Little Disappointments - Especially When It Involves People, Promises and Illness

I've been on what some might call a "tear", "Rampage", "soap box", "griping session", or just plain bitchaaaching and griping over the past couple of weeks.

As this age, one would think by now, I would totally understand PEOPLE will let you down, disappoint you, make you feel less than, not as good as, or like you are some 3rd "rate romance", in some "motel rendezvous" - Touche' as some would say. A title to a song by Sammy Kershaw if my memory or what's left of it serves me correctly. Well, someone may have actually recorded it before him, but I do remember liking his version, especially with his voice singing it.

I am NOT "literally" speaking of any "incident" involving some 3rd rate romance or any kind of motel rende-anything... but the "feeling" you must have when you feel like you have some how it "bottom" of the pile of humanity. Those that seem to be sitting on top of you, and not even caring they are smashing your
"innards" onto the floor just beneath you.

I will say, taking totally up for ME, I've in all honesty, sick, not sick, felt like crap or not, kind of like "sickness and in health" have worked my butt off the past two years and honestly more, as a voice, advocate, volunteer, activist and Ambassador for the things I hold near and dear to my "stance" about humanity. I am definitely and maybe even a bit defiantly cut from a "different mold" than some. I would think that from the time I was about 4 years old, I totally became different than many kids, and later on, than many adults I have known or heard of. I have kind of "beat and whistled" my own horn and drum so to speak. I rarely go for the "normal" of anything. I've never felt being "normal" was anything but basically boring. And who in this day and age of almost being able to do anything... the SKY literally is the limit... would want to spend their life normally boring??? I did for years, OR I tried to "think" I was going with the general flow of those around me. Well, hell, I can attest that now I realize where I went, what I did, who or whom I met, saw, spoke to, and how I decided many years ago to live my life... was for many NOT considered anything but normal.


Sometimes I have to wonder if that is the reason I am "chronically ill".. as silly as that sounds, let me explain further. For those of us that are fortunate enough to have very little issues with our health, then you truly cannot possibly put "your feet in someone's shoes" that are chronically ill and/or in chronic pain. If you have been one of the people that rarely missed a day of school, went on to college, and the same happened, then you went out into the working world, got a job, and you just never miss work because of illness, surgery, and so forth. I have to wonder if that is even the "norm" now days. Maybe it is because I am a fully fledged "chronic illness" survivalist, that knows rarely a day that everything physically feels ALL RIGHT! It is usually one, two, three or more things happening to me physically, that effects my emotional and mental health also. If you awake to pain every morning of your life... you know without a shadow of a doubt (unless some miracle happened in the night) that you WILL awaken with some kind of ache, pain, or something that kind of makes your start of the day, a bit slower than many. For those like myself, that have to run to your desk (well almost more like crawl) take all of the "early morning" medication that you HOPE will give you a reprieve from pain, illness, or whatever maybe happening on any given morning of the week or weekend... so that is in itself is your 1st priority. Then you dive into go and turn on the coffee pot, and probably take a look at the MANY things on your list or lists that you either NEED to, HAVE to... get done... or more like what you can possibly PUT OFF until the next day or later in the day once your joints, bones, hips, shoulders, neck, feet, ankles, thumbs and probably the rest of you are kind of "lubricated", jump started like a small car battery, & then after the brain fog lifts... you maybe able to begin your day.

ADDING THIS FROM TODAY SINCE IT KIND OF GOES ALONG WITH THE ABOVE... NOVEMBER 9TH 2014...

AND HERE I GO AGAIN... STILL ON MY "SOAP BOX"....


As if I were not busy and stressed enough I decided to take the Defensive Driving Test again... just for the 10 percent off my insurance but all and any discounts help for sure. I am doing it all online which is great. But, damned I don't remember it being as long as it is now. It has been a long time I guess since I took it last. So, they have probably added more to it due to cell phones and all of the new technology in cars that can help and also hinder with distractions.... so now I am in the middle of that, along with waiting for Geico to answer a question before I change policies, and then I had paperwork to come in for another thing I am in that has to be done every 7 months, I have three appts next week, the dentist, blood work and my heart doctor, plus my last Arthritis Foundation Ambassador meeting for my year of training is Tuesday afternoon, so I find out it if I've done everything to be an Ambassador, plus possibly did the extra things in order to be a "Platinum Ambassador". I found out the article that I've sent to our newspaper goes in (either it went in yesterday and wouldn't you know I did not get my paper) or it goes in tomorrow. I had an email from the new editor of the paper. I had sent it in about 3 weeks ago, and heard nothing. So, I resent the email, and still did not hear anything. I went down there early last week with a copy of the email and the article. The woman told me then they were having a change of staff, thus the delay. Well, I got a very nice email from the new "editor" who told me he was going to make it a "Highlighted" Article in the "Life Style Page" with my photo on it and everything! So, it is in the works also... but through all of this, then have have a "week" reprieve from APPTS!!! - only to have ONE EVERY DAY OF THANKSGIVING WEEK!! I HAE TO HAVE my pain pump refilled 2 days before Thanksgiving, Mom and I see the PCP the Monday of that week, and then I have to go back to Dallas to see my Rheumatologist the day BEFORE Thanksgiving... when ahe the heck am I supposed to have any time for a holiday... sometime next year I guess!!! It is insanity, and that week will be nuts anyway, due to many being off the entire week, kids out of school, parents possibly taking a few extra days off... I hate to think about Dallas Traffic... especially during the week of a major holiday... nuts, they already can't drive on normal days, much less during holiday time... I dread it... MY problem is also I am not feeling very well at all... I thought a few days ago I might be either coming down with something, or had a flare coming, ... and I just have not had the energy I really need to get over all of these doc visits, taking care of the house, grocery shopping... speaking of... I went Friday for my "stock up" we are OUT OF everything grocery trip... and I knew it would be a load. I took in about 7 or 8 reusable bags knowing I would probably fill them full. Well, I got about 3/4 of the way through my list, and I was hurting so badly in my lower back, my right hip and lower back, and side began to just hurt like hell. My feet were hurting like they do in the mornings when I first get up, and I was just almost not able to push the basket around. I had to LEAVE off part of my list, get in line, check out, get them to carry the bags to the car, and go directly home. I was a total wreck, by the time I drove home, got 7 bags of groceries that I could barely lift into the house, and then had to put it all up... myself... Jim helped by helping me empty the bags and sort stuff out, but he can't bend over, reach up, get on a chair etc... so of course I still had to get everything put away, and was grateful I saved 46.00!!!!!! in coupons... but it took me a couple of hours to print some, cut all of them out and organize them, then get them and me to the store, and get them out and double check them as I bought items to make sure everything was correct and check out....then of course as I said above get them home, put up etc.... I have and continue to discover between the time it takes me to get ready, shower, hair, makeup, then to get everything prepared lists, coupons and so forth, put myself in the car, get to the store, and walk through a huge store then get everything home... it takes all of my SPOONS for the Day and then some... and IT SUCKS!!!!! It sucks to feel ill, it sucks to feel old, it sucks to look old, and it just all sucks right now.... I cannot seem to get myself organized enough anymore to keep me from taking 5 times as long as I used to before the illnesses....

Nominated for Several WEGO Awards!!!! for 2014

I am so elated!!! I've gotten several nominations for the WEGO Annual Health Awards and just got my "Tweets" and Emails stating so, I am just blown away by those who believe in my hearts advocacy, volunteering, activist and Ambassador work!!!

Here is my profile information on WEGO:

https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/1998

Here are the nominations I have received so far:

Talk about feeling totally honored!!!!

Be there With Your "Jingle Bells On"!!!!!!

Be sure to Check out other locations around the nation for other cities that are having the "Jingle Bell Run".... this is Nationwide!!! I know San Antonio, Austin and I believe Houston will have one here in TX, and possibly more... but they are sponsored all around the Nation!!!!

Here is the link to find out where the closest is to you!!!

http://www.arthritis.org/get-involved/jingle-bell-run-walk/

Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicare, Supplements, & Health Insurance

I realize many of us are probably on disability of some kind. Those of us that have been chronically ill, for way too many years, have finally had to "give up" some awesome jobs, to get only a "fraction" of the benefits and salaries we once had.

Yet, chronic illness, whether autoimmune, CFS, FM or many other diseases, syndromes and illnesses, brought many of us to the place of decision... to give up a job and go on disability.

Well, in some states and TX is ONE of them, if you are UNDER the age of 62 I believe it is, and you have Medicare, they would not allow you to just purchase a "Medicare" Supplement. You HAVE TO get a Medicare Advantage Plan. Of which, there are not be a very few of these types of plans. With the "hatching" of Obama's health care plans, most of which Congress, as I understand it, you WILL BE able to purchase a "Medicare Supplement" if you so choose. The point of that is though, they are MORE EXPENSIVE than getting into a Medicare Advantage Plan. Some of the Advantage Plans do not even charge ANY Premiums. But, there are some doctors who may not take them, or you may have to get some PA's (Pre-authorizations) by your physician on certain items, or possibly you may have a medication, that may require "step therapy", where you try certain meds first before you go to one the doctor recommends for you. Although all of that is going on, I do know several bills have already went through Congress to change those issues.

Well, I've had Humana - their Medicare Advantage Plan now for about 5 years and for the first several years I was quite satisfied. Them seemed to have been over the past 3 years getting slower and slower to process claims, making doctors wait to get paid, which of course is going over about like a lead balloon. So, like my own PCP, who had now decided as of Jan 2015 to STOP taking my Humana Plan! Well, this is the doctor WHO FIRST DIAGNOSED MY LUPUS! Plus he is the one who takes care of my Lupus, taking care of my flares, and medications. Even though we have been with him from almost Day 1 he was my physician, and I am trying to get him "Grandfather" me in due to the Lupus situation. Which I know can be done, especially due to the Lupus, because they did it with another physician for me on my pain doctor, who takes care of my pump.

But, when I started checking around, I've found out that I maybe doing a smart thing by changing over to the AARP "Sponsored" United Heathcare Medicare Advantage Plan. AFter researching it over about 3 hours yesterday,  I began to see more benefits ALL of my doctors take the Plan, all of my medications are in their database, and say that they take them... it does not cost the 49.00 a month, plus they give you some basic dental and eye coverage and for something like 30.00 or a little more you can get premium dental coverage.... anyway, if any of you have the plan, I would love to hear from you.

I shall post more tomorrow... I am worn out for some odd reason...

So, I think I may join my two pups and my husband on the sofa to watch the rest of the ballgame that is on

(A bit more from Facebook)

Well, if any of your have a Medicare Advantage Plan, and want to share how you feel, please I would love to know. I right now have Humana Gold Choice, and I have found out that MORE of my doctors and my medications will be covered under "United Healthcare Medicare Advantage Plan" for 2015. I spent a couple of hours yesterday checking all of my doctors and my medications through the site, and doctors that are going to "DROP" the Humana MAP in 2015 ARE going to continue with United Healthcare HMO Medicare Advantage Plan... I used to be extremely concerned about "HMO's" when they first appeared on the Horizon. They have a very bad rap to the entire insurance industry as far as health wise. But, now with the Medicare Advantage Plans more doctors in my area and my own personal doctors are covered... where they as I said as dropping Humana. Even the specialist that did my neck and reverse shoulder replacement take the United Healthcare plan, and he had dropped Humana over a year ago, and if I needed to see him I would have had to pay something like 30% or maybe even 40% of the visit charges!!!! So, if any of you have an opinion... likes, dislikes and so forth PLEASE either share here, or message me if you wish, or even email me at redstangblonde@yahoo.com or rhia@ravishingrhia.com.... I am thinking about changing both myself and my Mom over to this other one. AND to BOOT Nationwide UPPED my insurance and I just got through getting a new quote, which is over 500.00!!!!! a YEAR cheaper that who I have now... I am so pissed.. they PROMISED ME when I had to get the new car, my monthly premium would only be about 15-20 a month higher... BULL they almost DOUBLED their premium!!! I also found out that since Jim is NOT able to drive at all, and may not be able to for a long, long time if ever. So I DO NOT have to keep him on my policy for now, until he can drive again. Talk about a bunch of money hungry greedy asses... pardon my French! You have to watch your back, front and sides, because they will "stab" you any way they can.... corporate GREED!!!!