I love this quote:
Aristotle: ‘We are what we repeatedly do.’
Eudaimonia – flourishing and enduring joy. I think that’s what we are all looking for.
(Steve – I got your email and will reply soon. You are a very, very brave man! Your strength is unbelievable and inspirational)
Have a great week everyone,
Karen
SEVEN out of 10 people with rheumatoid arthritis avoid parties because they are in too much pain, research has shown.
And two-thirds decline friends’ dinner invitations due to their condition, the poll on behalf of drugs firm Roche found.
One in three said the illness made them feel depressed and lonely.
Around 690,000 Brits suffer RA and half of affected adults stop working within a decade of diagnosis.
It is an incurable condition in which the body attacks itself – particularly the joints, meaning symptoms are much worse in winter.
Jo Lloyd Baker, 42, who lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, knows first-hand how challenging RA can be at this time of year.
She was first diagnosed in May 2008 when her children Henry and Elouise were only one and three years old respectively.
The reality of the physical limitation of RA was brought home to her during a cold snap shortly after her diagnosis.
She said: “I was in the car with the kids and my daughter was excited by the prospect of snow and asked me to help her make a snowman.
“With silent tears rolling down my cheeks, I suddenly realised that she may have well have asked me to climb Everest.
“I couldn’t imagine a time when I would have the energy or agility to build a snowman.”
Research has not established a clear link between joint pain and weather but many people with RA find their symptoms get worse when it is damp.
Jo said: “My survival strategy for the winter involves lots of early planning, online shopping and building downtime into your schedule.
“The kids still need to be outside at this time of year and rather than mention that I am having a bad day I will just suggest we do some
arts and crafts or my husband, Ewan, will take the kids out to burn off some energy.”
Aside from the physical restrictions, RA can also take a significant emotional toll and Jo can identify with the survey’s findings of a link between RA and depression.
Jo said: “I gave up my high powered city job to have the children and my experience with RA has prompted me to start training as a counselor.
“An RA diagnosis is devastating and while I welcomed the relief from the physical symptoms, I was shocked with how little emotional support was available.”
Jo turned to the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society – using their “online forum almost every day for reassurance and support”.
NRSA boss Ailsa Bosworth added: “The survey brings into focus the many challenges that people with RA can face during the winter period and beyond.
“The joint damage in RA often begins early in the disease, so it is critical to treat as early as possible and maintain treatment to reduce symptoms and stop irreversible damage before it occurs.
“With the right management there is no reason for 2012 not to be a happy new year for people with RA.”
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health-news/2012/01/24/rheumatoid-arthritis-leaves-one-in-three-feeling-depressed-and-lonely-115875-23714394/#ixzz1kLKGvEpb”>
Hi Friends,
Please join us on January 25, 2012 at 6.45 p.m.
Where? Cibo restaurant Midtown east
767 2nd Ave (Cnr E 41 st & 2nd).
It’s a casual get together where you can be with others who understand and have some fun 
I received this email yesterday. While I would never disclose personal information I do want to share the feeling of how great it is when you make a difference in someone’s else’s life and months down the track they contact you to show their gratitude. People never forget how make them feel. Here is part of the mail….
I do not support any particular drug company. However, the need for biologic medicines which are accessible quickly in Australia continues to be something which I will always be passionate about. The following is great news for children with RA in Australia.
This is from one of Australia’s leading paediatric rheumatologists, Dr Jeffrey Chaitow.
About the TGA approval and Dr Chaitow’s comment
I am hearing about a newly approved Roche drug for kids with arthritis. Stay tuned…….
Oooooh I am so excited. My book is now available on the ibookstore. Very cool.
http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/enemy-within/id450090274?mt=11
In my book, ‘Enemy Within – A memoir of strength, determination and acceptance’ I write about 9/11. I called the chapter ‘A Brave New World.’ Ten years ago every New Yorker understood that the world had changed. We all had to be brave and courageous. Some faced the adversity without fear and made the ultimate sacrifice. We will never forget.
I went downtown to Tribeca for dinner with my girlfriend on Friday September 9,2011. V lives around the corner from the ‘World Trade Center’. In my book I write about spending part of September 11 with V and with Char. While V stood outside her place , almost 10 years after 9/11, choppers circled the sky and beams of light made the almost full moon illuminate even more. The city’s energy was all around us. It felt like fear was in the air. The atmosphere reminded us both that if we allow ourselves to feel the emotions of 9/11 that the pain is really just below the surface. I was struck by the deep sadness that I still felt.
Yes in many ways we are ‘A Brave New World’ and I am proud of the resilience of New Yorkers, but I also realized today 9/11/11 that we’ll never really be healed. I will never forget the pain.
Then I went to church to pay respect to our fallen heroes and I felt moved to take action again. We all have to do what we can to make the world a better place. A world with hope, love, peace and understanding. A world with optimism. A world where neighbors and communities look after each other just like we did after 9/11.
I promise to do my part every day to make the world a kinder, happier place by reaching out to one person in need, or doing an act of kindness, or caring for nature, or writing a thank you card. My feeling is that if we all do this we truly can make a difference and that our world will be a better place.
Michael J Fox is my hero. Go to www.values.com
To buy my book copy and paste
http://www.amazon.com/Enemy-Within-strength-determination-acceptance/dp/1741108500