Re: Mike

[Guest guest]

Brat, I don't know about that Celebrex. I didn't know it was for pain,

though. Thought

it was an antidepressant. Shows what I know, huh? Hope you feel better

quick, hon.

As for my stress levels, it's up and down, like everyone else's. About my

eldest son,

, I've decided to try to let go and let God. Best I can do at this

point in time.

Re: My daughter, same thing. I send cards and gifts when appropriate, and

call when I

feel up to listening to it all, but am letting go of it. I am encouraging

the boys to see

the whole thing in the light of reality (not an easy task), and to help them

as much as

possible to understand what can motivate someone like Karla. And, to help

them to

recognize real evil (that b*****d) when they meet it. Other than that, I am

not in

charge. I keep abdicating the throne as Queen of the Control Freaks. LOL

As for me, I am definitely in a flare of sorts. But, I think the Plaquenil

is helping me

to weather it a little better. My body is doing it's whole schtick, but I am

back on a

more even emotional keel, and that's good for me and the boys. Poor things

didn't know which way to turn when I got crazy.

You feel better, missy. Love, MM

[Guest guest]

Hey, Brat, Thanks for the uplifting words. It helps when I start going into

self-blame and guilt mode. You know how it is with us Born and raised

Catholics. We feel

guilty if we're not feeling guilty about something. LOL Love you, MM

[Guest guest]

Hi, Brat, You could always do what my friend and I did when we went to Lake

Tahoe

for a few days. I didn't drive in those days, and she was not sure of her

ability to

drive with her medical problems, so we hired a limo and driver. It was

great. Every

place we stopped, this uniformed chauffeur followed us around carrying our

packages,

pulling out our chairs, and etc. It was so funny to see people's faces.

When we got

out of the limo at Harrah's, all these people were gawking at us, and here we

come,

the Fortrel Twins, Poly and Ester, in our knit suits. (Very in style at the

time) The

looks on their faces were priceless. LOL hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Nope, not me. I ain't got no bucks, lady. However, maybe Miss Brat

will pay.

She is the one who is talking down on your driving. MM

[Guest guest]

We can take turns then... You can drive thru NY but once we hit PA

move over.....

> I was thinking the same thing about Ms Lead foot!! I'll have to

think of

> someway to bribe her into letting me drive!

>

>

[Guest guest]

oh and by the way, we will take MY CAR

> I was thinking the same thing about Ms Lead foot!! I'll have to

think of

> someway to bribe her into letting me drive!

>

>

[Guest guest]

Are you going to pay for the Limo Miss MM??? THERE IS NOTHING WRONG

WITH MY LEAD FOOT!!!!!

> Hi, Brat, You could always do what my friend and I did when we went

to Lake

> Tahoe

> for a few days. I didn't drive in those days, and she was not sure

of her

> ability to

> drive with her medical problems, so we hired a limo and driver. It

was

> great. Every

> place we stopped, this uniformed chauffeur followed us around

carrying our

> packages,

> pulling out our chairs, and etc. It was so funny to see people's

faces.

> When we got

> out of the limo at Harrah's, all these people were gawking at us,

and here we

> come,

> the Fortrel Twins, Poly and Ester, in our knit suits. (Very in

style at the

> time) The

> looks on their faces were priceless. LOL hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Hey, Brat, BIONIC BOOBS?!?!?!?! Whew. Wouldn't that frost your cookies?

LOL MM

[Guest guest]

Hi, Brat, I think each person must make up their own mind about

how they feel about the issues, then act upon their feelings. However, I

think we

all need to remember that Bush made the statements on 9/11/01 that... " We will

go

after the terrorists who did this awful thing, and any who harbor or aid

them. " " This

will not be a short term undertaking, but one that will require our endurance

and

determination to prevail against this kind of terrorism, all over the world. "

That message never changed, and for those who are just now protesting the

war,

meaning protesting in the last six months, where were these protestors from

the

beginning?

I am of two minds about it all. I think it's kind of amusing how Hussein

calls the president, " Junior Bush " , and I think Bush Sr. should have done the

job back

in '91. I hate half measures on anything, even if the old saying is that

" half a loaf is

better than none. " By the same token, I was unsure why we were so sure they

had

the weapons that Bush kept talking about, and here they are using them

against Kuwait in retaliation for the first bombings. So, they DID have them

after all.

I'm scared for the young people and the civilians involved. My adopted

brother, Larry,

had his right leg blown off by a mine in Viet Nam in '68. My uncles fought

in Korea,

and my son, Randy's, two foster brothers from before I adopted him are both

in the

service and over there right now. In trying to offer them support and

prayers for a

safe return home, I have to wonder what that will entail, and how safe the

world

will be when this is over. I have to remember what kind of strength it takes

just to

parent kids in today's world, how we can even hope to keep them safe enough

to grow

up, much less succeed in life. I think, if we were to think too hard on any

of it, we'd

just give up as a species and let it all go. Earth was never stable, life on

this planet

was never easy, and never will be. We can only do the best that is in us,

and hope and

pray that everyone else will do the same. When an insane ruler has the

potential to

end the world in one moment of madness, it may be our duty to try our best to

stop

him. I don't know. I do know that the road to Hell is paved with good

intentions, but

it's awful hard to know when those intentions should be followed through

isn't it?

I guess true courage comes from knowing the dangers, weighing the options,

searching one's conscience and acting accordingly. Sometimes the decision to

act will not be in one's own best interests, but in the perceived best

interests of others.

That's why we who adopt children do so. It is our perception that it is in

the best

interests of a child or children to take them into our hearts and homes. In

the long

run, we may, on hindsight, change that perception, but only time and God can

know

how things will come out.

It is my suggestion that we put our faith in our higher power to guide us

well, to give

us strength and courage to face what we must, and to let us live and love

each in our

own way. There is my sermon for today. Sorry to get so long winded on you.

If each

of us looks after our own little corner of the world to the best of our

ability, and

thinks of it in terms of the whole picture...Think globally, act

locally...then maybe we

CAN change the world. That's what we believed in the pre-Watergate days,

anyhow.

Loving hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Hi, Brat, Well, I will definitely not be using anything like that for a

while. Those

crystals were SHARP! I thought, for one sleepy moment, that the window near

the

head of my bed had shattered and glass fragments were in my eyes. Very scary.

How are you doing? Are you getting back into the swing of your regular

schedule, yet? Just had an email from Normi. She is back in that deep pain

place, again. The

pain management clinic is closed, but there is a pain doc available on

weekends, so

she says she's calling him first thing when daylight comes. Probably has by

now. If

I hear more, I'll let you know.

You take care, sweetpea. Love, MM

[Guest guest]

Hey, Brat, Congrats on the downsizing. I often thing with this disease, the

least God

could do was make us all skinny with it. I know a lot of the members have

trouble

gaining weight and keeping food down, but not this giant economy sized mama.

No

way. I could give fat transplants to the whole third world and still have

more than I

need. LOL Glad you had a good time. I'm recovering from having company

Friday night. My room, being mom's of course, is still waiting for cleaning,

but it'll just have to wait some more. I'm pooped out today. Yesterday, I

didn't sleep much, but last night I slept fourteen solid hours. Must have

really needed it. Didn't even have to

take a pain pill, although I could barely move this morning. More later,

Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

I wish I could loose weight.. I don't eat that much.. but it just keeps hanging in there...lol Carol

ps.. any skinny minnie that wants a fat transplant... just let me know....lol

Re: Mike

Hey, Brat, Congrats on the downsizing. I often thing with this disease, the least Godcould do was make us all skinny with it. I know a lot of the members have troublegaining weight and keeping food down, but not this giant economy sized mama. Noway. I could give fat transplants to the whole third world and still have more than Ineed. LOL Glad you had a good time. I'm recovering from having company Friday night. My room, being mom's of course, is still waiting for cleaning, but it'll just have to wait some more. I'm pooped out today. Yesterday, I didn't sleep much, but last night I slept fourteen solid hours. Must have really needed it. Didn't even have totake a pain pill, although I could barely move this morning. More later, Hugs, MM"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies

[Guest guest]

Hey. Brat. The thing I don't understand is why they don't let me position my

own boob

on the damn machine. I got ahead of them on the left one, and didn't have

half the pain

as on the right one that the tech pushed and pulled around, and then didn't

allow me time to adjust the rest of me to avoid pinching parts that don't

need imaging.

Just makes me so mad that I have to pay for this damned test for days

afterward.

Ok, 'nuff said on that subject.

On another subject altogether, I am taking the boys up the coast during

Easter break.

We leave here on 4/21 and return on 4/25. I can't wait. My friend is too

ill for us to

stay free at her back cottage, but I found a reasonably priced Best Western

hotel in

town, so we are staying there. I am really good at taking along the

necessities for

breakfasts and lunches, and we can eat out for dinner very reasonably there.

Best fish and chips in the whole state, not to mention fresh crab and red

snapper. Yummy.

So, I will put myself on no email format when we leave, and take me off when

we get

home. Just wanted to give you a heads up early on. More later, Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

That sounds great.. what is the cost for cross country. Carol

Re: Mike

Hey, Rion, How about the train? My sons and I take the train a lot to Southern Calif.to visit Reesey's old foster family. I do that when I'm not up to a seven hour drive.We are planning a cross country trip by train in the future...but first, want to do thenorthwest corridor. That's a two day trip, and we would get a disabled-abled, so tospeak, compartment. They will even serve your meals in your compartment, and youget to see all the good scenery without the fuss. You have your own bathroom, andbed, and everything. Think about it. Huh? Huh? MM"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies

[Guest guest]

Carol, Check with Amtrak office your area. I find that different areas have

different

specials on travel. For instance, travelling the central Calif. corridor

between now

and April 30th means kids travel free, and a second adult at half price. I

just call

my AAA travel agent for details and she does the rest. Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

I'll do that.. I know there is a lady in our church and her mom hops on the planes and flies cross country about 4 or 5 times a year.. ette is very sick and mom would stay.. but she needs to get back home for a little

love Carol

Re: Mike

Carol, Check with Amtrak office your area. I find that different areas have differentspecials on travel. For instance, travelling the central Calif. corridor between nowand April 30th means kids travel free, and a second adult at half price. I just callmy AAA travel agent for details and she does the rest. Hugs, MM"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies

[Guest guest]

Hey, Brat, Well, guess what? I got the biopsy results finally, and...are

you ready?...

You sure?....Welp, here goes...the results were INCONCLUSIVE! @0#!!!@!@!# & @!

Oh, yeah, you two can be the first on your block to wait a month for test

results, which

have been repeated countless times over thirty years, and get...ZIP.

The doc from the university called last night while I was at a PTA meeting.

Left a

message that said, " Well, it's not a lupus rash per say. But, we can't rule

it out

altogether. It seems to be a reaction to something. (Well, duh.), I will

forward copies to your other doctors. Call me if you have any questions. "

QUESTIONS?

OF COURSE I HAVE QUESTIONS! I can't believe this. Put through all this,

yet again,

for nothing. As would say, PPFFFT!

So, that's the latest. On the thyroid tests, the ranges used that say I am

" normal "

were not the latest being used for the purpose. When you use the latest

ranges, I am

definitely not normal. So, I will be talking with my doc again. Here we go

round the

mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, ....Sheesh. Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

Brat, my brat, They don't say what the plan is. I don't think they know

what to do

next. I certainly don't. I just know I can't go on with this pain on my

skin, and my

clothing catching on it and ripping the hide right off me. Showers are very

painful,

the lesions sting and burn something fierce, and when I get out, I barely pat

myself

dry. When I get up in the mornings, the red mask is very pronounced on my

face, and

forehead. It looks just like a giant moth, with the antenna going up each

side of the

forehead. Very weird. The palms of my hands are firey red today, so I know

that

humidity is effecting me, and the back pain means rain in the next 48 hours.

I'm very

accurate about weather prediction. Too bad I can't get a job doing that,

huh? LOL

Anyhow, that's where it's at right now. Very frustrating, and anger making.

All I

could do after I listened to that message on my recorder last night was cry.

I don't

usually give in, but I was running out of rope and not in the mood for tying

knots. If

you get my drift, Cliff. More later, Love, MM

[Guest guest]

Carol, Well, that ol' butterfly is flying today. Probably because I got so

mad at those

docs, again. LOL I don't ordinarily have high blood pressure, but I'm sure

it was off

the map last night. Teehee. More later, Love, MM

[Guest guest]

What's with the inconclusive shit?? I hate that word! They show

something don't they? GGGRRRRR!! Feel like ripping somebody's tonsils

out? They make you wait and say inconclusive. What a laugh. So are they

going to try something different? Or just let it go and hope it goes

away and never comes back?

I HATE THAT WORD,INCUNCULSIVE! BAHHH!

HUGS,LINDA

http://hometown.aol.com/doxiemom43/myhomepage/personal.html

[Guest guest]

What's with the inconclusive shit?? I hate that word! They show

something don't they? GGGRRRRR!! Feel like ripping somebody's tonsils

out? They make you wait and say inconclusive. What a laugh. So are they

going to try something different? Or just let it go and hope it goes

away and never comes back?

[Guest guest]

, Don't you just love these doctors, the little dears...Ewwwww! I

know that's

why they call it a " practice " , but enough is enough. Hugs, MM

[Guest guest]

, Don't you just love these doctors, the little dears...Ewwwww! I

know that's

why they call it a "practice", but enough is enough. Hugs, MM

AND MOST OF THEM STILL NEED TO PRACTICE. THEN MAYBE THEY WOULD FINALLY GET IT RIGHT! I THINK SOMETIMES THAT THEY GET THEIR LISCENSE FROM A CRACKER JACK BOX,LOL

http://hometown.aol.com/doxiemom43/myhomepage/personal.html

[Guest guest]

, I'm praying for you.. I hope you had a better weekend. I know that when I was waiting on getting dxs. I was hurting so bad and no one would do anything till the test were back. well one saturday night i had it.. i called and told them that my pain was unreal. I wanted to know what was wrong and NOW!!

the doc on called said you have lupus.. I ask what is that.. well it too hard to explain.. I said well lets get a dictonary and explain.. I ended up calling this sweet lady and she told me everything and sent me to a wonderful doctor who got everything under control.. except my weight...lol love Carol

Mike

It's called practice what you preach, and nobody likes to do that!I don't know what's wrong with getting our tests results. I think theyjust misplace them and don't want to tell us that they did. It doesn'ttake that long to get the results. My dr said they would be back in 3 or4 days and it was like a month later. He couldn't have been that wrong.My knees, ankles and toes are killing me. And my neck. But the rest ofme seems to be working okay. Today that is!You take care and keep bothering them for your results. It's hellwaiting for them."The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies

[Guest guest]

i tell you mm i would have to kick that doctors butt...lol praying for you love Carol

Re: Mike

Hey, Brat, Well, guess what? I got the biopsy results finally, and...are you ready?...You sure?....Welp, here goes...the results were INCONCLUSIVE! @0#!!!@!@!# & @! Oh, yeah, you two can be the first on your block to wait a month for test results, whichhave been repeated countless times over thirty years, and get...ZIP.The doc from the university called last night while I was at a PTA meeting. Left amessage that said, "Well, it's not a lupus rash per say. But, we can't rule it outaltogether. It seems to be a reaction to something. (Well, duh.), I will forward copies to your other doctors. Call me if you have any questions." QUESTIONS?OF COURSE I HAVE QUESTIONS! I can't believe this. Put through all this, yet again,for nothing. As would say, PPFFFT!So, that's the latest. On the thyroid tests, the ranges used that say I am "normal"were not the latest being used for the purpose. When you use the latest ranges, I amdefinitely not normal. So, I will be talking with my doc again. Here we go round themulberry bush, the mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, ....Sheesh. Hugs, MM"The LUPIES Store" Come check out our store...http://www.cafepress.com/thelupies"The LUPIES Web Page"http://www.itzarion.com/lupusgroup.html"The LUPIES online photo albums!" Check out what your fellow Lupies look like...http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?username=lupies