Healing After the Holiday

My topic for today's post was supposed to be "How to Recover From a Holiday". In preparing to write said article, I attempted to read what others had written about this subject especially from those with a chronic illness's perspective. But either I am searching for this information in all the wrong places, or else there's not a great deal written that offers helpful strategies to recuperate from post holiday crashes, flares, black holes, train wrecks, or........well. If you have a chronic illness, you know exactly what I'm talking about here.

Most information out there related to this topic is directed towards avoiding said post holiday crash, flare, black hole, or train wreck. I would have to concede that avoiding the occurrence of these nasty events would be ideal. But I also think that some of the advice offered in this vein is rather difficult to follow for those of us who are like me: unrealistic, stubborn, and have a tendency to become so engrossed in the events of the day that any strategy or plan is immediately nixed. More specific to my usual mode -- in spite of energy saving plans, unexpected fatigue appears which results in stupidity which leads to stupid activities which compound the fatigue by astronomical multipliers.

Typical strategies for avoiding fatigue disasters usually include sound advice such as the use of pacing one's activities, planning and taking frequent rest periods, eating healthily, avoiding last minute stressful situations, and developing the ability to delegate, to refuse invitations, and to hone the just-say-no skill. All of which I have no capability to do effectively. So after all major holidays of the year, I crash, or flare, or drop into an energy black hole, or drive myself right into a health train wreck.

You'd think after a decade of dealing with this disease I'd know better.

In attempting to recover from the after effects of a holiday, at this point my strategy is simple: I sleep and whine. And, after a period of time which varies from holiday to holiday, I sense that I am finally crawling up out of the wreckage of a crash by assessing the level of my boredom and frustration. Initially in my flare, I don't want or care to do anything but stretch out horizontally in bed for an extended and cranky period of time. Then I progress to stretching out horizontally on my couch with eyelids cracked open just enough to crabbily watch mindless television programs and subsisting on leftover (and of dubious quality) pumpkin or pecan pie. After which I goober pie down my front and realization dawns that I have been wearing the same jammies for an indeterminate amount of time; which may or may not result in a clothing change. It is at that point when boredom and crankiness begin to dramatically increase. Interestingly, the levels of energy returned directly correlate with levels of boredom and crankiness. So that when even I can't stand to be around myself, my crabbiness forces the realization that I can and will do just about anything that gets me out of the house and into any other environment. At that point I usually realize that I'm on the mend. Most often this enlightening moment takes place during a brief shopping outing.

I wouldn't say that this is a particularly effective or enjoyable method of recuperation. There simply has to be a better way.

Do any of you have other strategies for energy renewal after a holiday crash and burn that don't include old pumpkin pie and days of crabbiness? Be a real pal, guys, and share, please? Christmas is coming........

Expectations

Every year since my diagnosis, as I'm planning our holiday activities I have found myself thinking Next year I'll feel better and this will be easier. It's a strategy that gets me through those nasty post holiday crash times.

But this year, I have given up on that sentiment. I'm limping around because of killer knee and leg pain and am still struggling to regain my energy levels from a few months ago; which is certainly not better than last year. I require an enormous amount of rest yet still have several the ground just dropped out from beneath my feet fatigue episodes. Gosh. I'd give my eye teeth if I could feel with complete sincerity that in a year's time I would have less pain and more energy.

But after several years during which the holidays have become progressively more difficult for my body to handle, I'm not feeling the optimism and I'm not going to imagine that next year will be any better. To my great surprise this feels kind of.......like relief. It feels rather liberating not to feel as though I am required to meet a very difficult-to-achieve goal that amounts to grinding my disease into submission. To let go of expectations, realistic or otherwise.

Hm. Weird.

I'm not sure if that is a step forward in acceptance of the progressive nature of Sjogren's; or if it represents a serious defeat in my battle with autoimmune disease.

I'm thinking it's a step forward. Next year as I get out the Thanksgiving decorations and start covering every flat surface with turkeys, perhaps I will feel better than this year. Or the same. Or worse. I'll just have to take whatever I'm given. And it will simply have to be OK.

Post Pie Malaise

Sleeping off the pie thing. See ya'll tomorrow.

Thanksgiving. Boom. Done.

Yep.. the turkey has been roasted, the games have been played, the annual trophy awarded, and the PIE has been eaten!

Yes. That's the way to do Thanksgiving. See y'all tomorrow.

Thanksgiving Times Have Changed

Hm. How did Thanksgiving change from this.....

......to this?

However you choose to celebrate, have a very happy Thanksgiving! 

There's Star Wars -- And Then There's Star Wars

Are you a Star Wars fan? And are you going to see the newest in their endless parade of films? Here's the trailer of The Force Awakens set to be released in December.



While the above trailer is impressive, actually I like the Navy's spoof version much, much better. Mostly because they use REAL planes. And turn a mop bucket into a droid.

Breathe Easy

I picked up my bi-pap machine today, and I have it all set up and ready to roll. I have to admit that I'm nervous about my first session. But it looks all sleek and high tech and my nose pillows mask has a spiff purple strap. So if I hate it and end up throwing that purple strapped mask across the room in frustration tonight at least it will look good dangling from my dresser mirror.

Grr. Tried to add a pic but something isn't working.

As always, I will keep y'all posted.

One Small Success and One Big Mistake

Guys! Guess what? I was upright and conscious all the way through church today. Yep. I stayed till Magic Fingers Terese finished playing the last chord of the last hymn and slammed the cover down over the keyboard. 

I felt encouraged. And optimistic, even. So much so that I asked John to take me out shopping. 

I will leave the decision to choose the correct label, found in the title of this post, of each of these two actions to you.

Yet Another Sunday Smile

I double dog dare you not to tap your toes as you watch this. My favorite part? Check out Shirley Temple's adorable tiny feet hopping their way up the stairs.

Doggie Sweater Update

I know y'all have been waiting with baited breath (what does that mean, actually? It's not like everyone is waiting with minnows or fly lures in their mouth. Ew.) *Smarty pants Kelly (see comments below)has clarified the correct spelling of this word is BATED, meaning that my discussion, above, is just plain silly* to find out which sweater Lulu has consented to wear in this latest cold snap.

She's a fussy sweater-wearer.

And this year's choice is.........

.........a ratty four year old kind of stinky model. Instead of this one, which I think is much softer and warmer:

When I put the pink sweater on her, she freezes like a statue. She will NOT move even when enticed with treats. What a dog.

Lulu says I have absolutely no schnauzer fashion sense.

The Long and Winding Road

Ah, yes. My surgery date is fast approaching for my total knee replacement on December 8th. Which means that all of the pre-op physical therapy appointments, pre-op surgery clinic appointments, examinations by anesthesia and my surgeon appointments, and joint replacement class appointments have all begun.

Today's appointment was located in the hospital where my surgery will be performed; which was kind of nice because it allowed me to become familiar with that hospital, having never been there before. And it was NOT nice because this hospital is located on the outer west fringes of the metro area, and I live on the east fringe. The traffic today was beyond awful, and if you've ever been through Portland, you know that because of the rivers and some 1000ft+ hills, getting across town isn't as easy as one may think. I looked at my maps app on my phone to check out the traffic situation as I was leaving and saw red red red everywhere at 9:45am. I was sure rush hour would have been over by then. I was so wrong....

I asked my phone for an alternate route for navigation, and I was off. I took bridges that I scarcely knew existed and maneuvered unbelievably winding roads. Goldie and I sped upward into lush green forests in the mist and rain.

In short -- I had absolutely no idea where I was for a majority of the trip.

So I followed my phone's instructions unquestioningly (even when it told me to make a U turn on a highway). How weird. But as the road became straight and dropped back down out of the woods, I found my bearings once again and with surprise saw the hospital smack dab in front of me.

Yay Google Maps! Yay for my brain, who showed up for duty this morning! I parked Goldie with relief and while checking in for my appointment, gave traffic as an excuse for being a few minutes late. After which I heard a chorus of agreement from several other patients standing nearby.

I was grateful that whatever had mucked up every highway in the general Portland vicinity had vanished by the time I pointed Goldie towards home.

As I was making my way through the rain on twisting roads through gorgeous scenery, I couldn't get this song out of my head. I'm such a child of the '70s. C'mon people. Hold those Bic lighters high and get 'em waving. Sing along with me:

Medscape Medical News: Ozone Injections in Knee Osteoarthritis

Any time I see an article or a study about osteoarthritis I check it out because as we all know -- my arthritic knee has caused me no end of grief. I thought this study in particular was surprising. Ozone?! Interesting. It was published on Medscape Medical News. Check it out.

So how do they get up that high to collect this stuff? Image used with permission here. 

Ozone Injections Promising in Knee Osteoarthritis
Laird Harrison
November 13, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO — An ozone injection into the knee can soothe pain and improve quality of life for people with knee osteoarthritis, a randomized controlled trial suggests.
"When I saw the results I was very surprised," said Virginia Fernandes Moça Trevisani, PhD, from the Federal University of Sao Paulo, who presented the finding here at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2015 Annual Meeting. 

Ozone appears to inhibit prostaglandins and cytokines and reduce oxidative stress, she told Medscape Medical News.
It has been used in Europe for many years in the treatment of cancer, AIDS, caries, rheumatoid arthritis, and a variety of other ailments. However, it is not approved for clinical use in Brazil or in the United States, and the only studies in osteoarthritis have been case reports, Dr Trevisani explained. 

She said she was skeptical when she read the literature. "It seemed too good to be true." 

To test the claims, Dr Trevisani and her colleagues recruited 98 people 60 to 85 years of age who met the ACR criteria for knee osteoarthritis. 

The researchers randomized 63 patients to an injection of ozone gas 10 mL once a week for 8 weeks, and randomized 35 patients, who served as the control group, to injections of air...... 

....The results are surprising, said James Udell, MD, from the Arthritis Group in Philadelphia, who moderated the press conference that was held after an ACR team flagged the study as one of the most interesting abstracts being presented. 

You can read the article in it's entirety here after setting up a free account.

Conquering Sjogren's: Preparing for a New Doctor Visit

I recently came across the link to this 2012 article from the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation blog Conquering Sjogren's and thought it deserved another look.

Sjogren's and Preparing for a New Doctor Visit

When meeting a physician for the first time, it’s imperative to come prepared. Prior to my first visit, I write out my objectives for that appointment. My initial goals are often quite simple. Primarily, I want to determine if a successful working relationship with the practitioner can be achieved. Medical care of a chronic illness, in my opinion, is a journey that requires a trusting partnership. Unfortunately, many primary care physicians have had little experience with Sjögren’s. Therefore, it is part of my responsibility to provide them with updated information on our illness.

Listening carefully to answers to questions (such as the two listed below) will provide useful information for making this decision.

How many patients have you treated with Sjögren’s?
Are you interested in receiving professional educational information regarding Sjögren’s treatment, research and management?
If a practitioner is not open to learning about Sjögren’s, then I know immediately that this relationship isn’t a good fit. While this can be discouraging to realize, it is far more challenging to try to work with a physician who is not willing to learn about our complex syndrome.

Secondly, before an appointment, I gather three pieces of information:

Copies of my last few lab and test results.
A typed list of my current medications/supplements with dosages.
A typed list of significant medical conditions/ injuries with corresponding dates and treatments (the last two are kept as easily updated documents on my computer).
Providing my new practitioner with these lists helps expedite my appointment and serves as an indicator that I am serious about taking an active role in managing my health.

Depending on the situation, I also have brought a copy of The Sjögren’s Syndrome Handbook to give to the physician along with a copy of The Sjögren’s Quarterly which I offer to have sent to them. I explain that a great deal more has been learned about Sjögren’s in the last 5-10 years, including the fact that many patients experience more systemic disease involvement than previously understood (many doctors still only relate dry eyes and dry mouth with Sjögren’s). I also inform them that while significant medical ground has been gained, it still takes, on average, seven years to diagnose Sjögren’s. This is a mind-numbing statistic considering it is the second-most-common autoimmune disease, affecting nearly four million Americans.

Bringing a medical history binder to my appointments also has been extremely helpful. I use a large three-ring binder divided by medical specialty (including copies of office visit records), lab results, testing results, new treatment information, medication records, and notes. Because my binder is ridiculously thick, I keep it in my tote bag, out of sight, until I need to reference something. Several times I was able to provide missing lab results which provided the basis for immediate changes in treatment.

The last matter of business for my new doctor visit is the establishment of clear guidelines regarding medical management and communication procedures.

Understanding medical management means clarifying what things I will see this doctor for and what conditions will predicate a visit to a different member of my “medical team.” I also work with my practitioner to determine who will be the “chief navigator of my ship.” This may sound simple as I imagine it is widely understood that a rheumatologist would always function as a Sjögren’s patient’s main physician. However, depending on a number of factors, including insurance coverage, appointment availability, geography and perhaps even a practitioner’s interest in managing a patient with Sjögren’s, that  question can have a myriad of answers. I also discuss how various physicians communicate my care to one another, so that my main physician will have a complete picture of my health. Furthermore, understanding the new physician’s office procedures for sick or same-day visits, medication refills and how often I should be seen for follow-up care are good questions to have answered on your first visit.

Establishing a successful relationship with a physician is like establishing a relationship with a friend. It requires understanding, patience, effective communication and a sense of humor.

By Sara Sise, Sjögren’s patient and past Board of Directors Member

I Want TWO GOATS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!

Every Christmas for the past five years or so, we have asked our kids not to give us Christmas presents. We ask them to take the money that they would have spent on those gifts, and make a donation for that amount to a charity -- any charity that they felt was worthwhile. So the kids have faithfully been abiding by our wishes and it always tickles me to see to what charity they donate in our names. 

Because the donations ARE in our names, John and I get follow up emails at Christmastime every year, hoping that another donation will be made. I enjoy reading them because they remind me of all the good that my kids are doing in the world.

So. Yesterday I was reading my list of emails, and one of those charity sites send one that MUST have been written by someone who knows me really well. Or they were prompted by someone who knows me well because I found it almost irresistible. Here's what it said:

Julia, TWO GOATS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE!

Who would want two goats for the price of one? ME! ME! MEEEEEEEEEE! *jumping up and down and waving arms wildly*

The charity is Heifer International, and here's their fine print for the goat deal:

Julia, right now you can make double the impact and cross some early gift shopping off your list.  

All Heifer catalog gifts through this email are MATCHED up to $322,000—but the match funds won't last forever, so shop now! 

For a limited time:
$20 = 2 flocks of chicks
$60 = 6 rabbits
$120 = 2 goats
$500 = 2 heifers 

It's not just those animals, Julia—this match applies to the entire catalog. No matter what you buy, you'll help two families instead of one.  

Plus, thanks to Passing on the Gift, your impact will continue to ripple outward from those two gifts for generations to come, transforming the lives of even more families. 

Don't miss out. Shop the catalog now, before it's too late to see your impact DOUBLED:
http://action.heifer.org/all-gifts-matched

If goats aren't your thing, (but honestly. WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?) then perhaps one of these adorbs alpacas. A close second to goats in the cuteness scale, It think.

Wouldn't it be great if other charities follow Heifer International's lead this Christmas?

I wasn't smiling on Sunday.

This post will appear Monday; but I am writing this on Sunday morning and I am hacked off. Frustrated. Angry. Embarrassed. Because once again, midway through Mass, I have had to nudge John, gather my things and beat an embarrassed retreat from the church.

I knew that today would be a low energy day. Y'all know the feeling -- you throw the covers back and stick one leg out of bed and instinctually understand that you will be worth crap that day. Which is exactly the way my morning started on Sunday but I dressed and slapped on some makeup all the while resolving that I WOULD stay through the service. No matter what. No matter how I felt. We headed out, and I walked into the church with determination.

It didn't take long for some nasty symptoms to appear and then as the service went on, in spite of my resolve, my face and back were soaked in sweat, my entire body felt heavy as lead, and I experienced that familiar bizarre sensation which felt as though my face was freezing cold.

I gritted my teeth, took some deep breaths, gulped from my water bottle, and sat down. Not going to give in not going to give in not going to give in... When the skin on my back felt ice cold, (Well. THAT was new.) I knew that if I continued to completely ignore my symptoms I would need to lie down right there on the pew. Or on the floor. Because I would have zero stamina for basic things like standing up. Which would be problematic.

It was time to give in and go home. So I wobbled my way back to the car.

Which brought me back to my recliner with my laptop pounding out my frustrations on the keyboard.

I've missed so much church over the past two months, and dang. I really miss it. I love going to church. It meets a major spiritual need for me and when I'm unable to stay for the duration of Mass, I feel as though I have missed a very very good thing.

I'm going to problem solve this after I cool off -- and I'm still pretty hot under the collar so it won't be any time soon.

Grrrr.

Sunday Smiles

2 Minute Medicine: A link between childhood cancers and adult autoimmune disease?

Image found on Wikimedia Commons, here. 

This article from 2 Minute Medicine, Risk of developing autoimmune diseases increased after childhood cancer by Michael Milligan and Ravi Shah, MD, found here, caught my attention yesterday. Here's a snippet from the brief article, but head over to read it all:

.....This study followed childhood cancer survivors in Scandinavia to analyze changes in the lifetime risk of autoimmune diseases. Among patients diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20, there was a significant increase in the rate of hospitalization for autoimmune diseases. The risk of acquiring a variety of autoimmune diseases was increased, including those with systemic involvement (e.g. Sjogren’s syndrome), with organ involvement (e.g. Addison disease and type-1 diabetes mellitus), and without detectable autoantibodies (e.g. sarcoidosis).....Continue reading here. 

The study referred to in the article is Autoimmune diseases in Adult Life after Childhood Cancer in Scandinavia by Anna Sällfors Holmqvist et al and was published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases November 10th, 2015. You can read this study's abstract here.

Are you a survivor of a childhood cancer?

As promised.....

Here's the down-low on Julia's Sleep Study experience:

I presented myself at 8pm as requested at the Sleep Clinic, and was whisked away to be settled in to my room, which was far nicer than I had expected. I had a recliner, a sink, and big flatscreen TV.

After a discussion with my technician and changing into my jammies, he spent an hour attaching all these wires to somewhere on ME.

Plus a few more not seen in the above photo. The ones that were attached to my head (seemed like a dozen or so. Seriously.) were attached with blobs of what was described as a water soluble adhesive. The removal of which proved to be the biggest challenge of the whole test.

I slugged down my normal night time medications plus a prescription sleeping pill, and gingerly made my way into bed.

Awkward.

Took me two hours to get to sleep even with the pill, but once I was out, I was sure I slept soundly. The tech informed me that actually I didn't. Instead my sleep was consistently interrupted with periods of apnea -- enough times that I now officially had a sleep apnea diagnosis. He told me this at 2 AM, after which the testing of various types of sleep apnea machines and masks began. At 6 AM after making a feeble attempt to wash off all that goo on my head, I stuffed my pillow and travel bag into Goldie and headed home.

Having never had a sleeping pill before, I'm not certain if the grogginess that lasted for the entire day after taking it was an expected side effect, but dang. I felt as though I had quite the hangover.

The final summary and report of the test along with treatment recommendations will be along in a few weeks.

So there you have it. I'm happy to report that all those kind folks to wrote to me sharing their very supportive experiences with sleep studies were absolutely right. It WAS a piece of cake. A very weird cake, but interesting and informative nonetheless.

Yawn. I think I need an uninterrupted night of sleep tonight. See y'all tomorrow.

Studying My Sleep

At my last physical check up with my new internal medicine doctor, she told me that she wanted to explore other potential causes for my ongoing fatigue.

"I completely agree that autoimmune diseases cause constitutional fatigue -- I just want to be certain that other conditions are not contributing to your fatigue as well," she said.

Made sense to me. So she ordered a few tests, one being a sleep study to find out if I have sleep apnea, or periodic limb movements during sleep, among other sleep related disorders. My sleep study is tonight; and I'm feeling....well....a bit anxious and dubious.

Lulu told me she thinks I won't be able to sleep a wink without her. She may be right.

Aside from not having my snuggly Schnauzer next to me, I'm wondering how in heaven's name am I possibly going to be able to get to sleep with all the paraphernalia required for the study attached to me............

........along with the knowledge that someone is actually monitoring my every breath if I miraculously am able to head off to dreamland.

I'll keep y'all posted, as usual.

Nighty-night.

Two Good Things

Thing number one:

Woo hoo! Ben & Jerry's ice cream has announced that they are working on a new product. As a fairly new member of the not-dairy-foods-tolerant club, this is exciting news:

We know; you’re hungry for some non-dairy ice cream, and have been for a while now. Maybe that’s why we couldn’t keep a lid on the now not-so-secret secret that yes, finally, we are going to be launching dairy-free flavors! Why is it taking so long, you wonder? Simply because we want our ice cream to be the best ever, and when you’re doing something new, that means a lot of, ahem, testing. If you read this far, you probably knew all this already. 

But don’t worry, we’re not coming to you empty-handed— the newest news is that our new non-dairy line will also be 100% vegan! Certified by the folks at Vegan Action, no less. This means that it will include no animal products of any kind, including eggs, dairy or honey. Vegans, rejoice!

You can read more on the Ben & Jerry's website here.

Good thing number two:

Yankee Candles and the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation have partnered in a timely fundraising effort. When you buy Yankee Candles products from their fundraising page found here, SSF will receive 40% of the profit.

On behalf of SJOGREN SYNDROME FOUNDATION Group we would like to thank you for your support. Our group will receive 40% profit for each item you purchase. 

We hope you enjoy your shopping experience. Please share our group information with friends and family. 

Thank you again for your support

Buy Yankee Candle products and support the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation. You can read more about this fundraising opportunity here.

Not so smart

My pain pills from my dentist do a whizz bang job. I assumed they would work well for oral surgery, but duh. I caught myself thinking that my knee felt so much better as well. And, "Gee. I wonder why?!" But not applying the obvious reason -- I'm taking PAIN PILLS. Which probably also proves how well this particular medication wipes out my brain cells as well as my pain. /face palm/

So now I am taking very few pills, and well golly. Suddenly my knees hurt like heck. Funny how that works.

See y'all tomorrow. Hopefully my brain cells show up too.

If Only I Could Have Used These Products

I spent the weekend putting ice packs on my face, taking pain medicine, and swishing salt water around in my mouth after oral surgery on Friday. BUT. Today I realized that if only I had used the correct oral hygiene products, perhaps I would not have had to have an implant! So I searched around the internets and found these um....interesting.....products. What do you think? 

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

Sunday Smile

I love Simon's cat. Look like he's got a new buddy today.

The results are in.

Like John and my new shoes? We almost match. I think they fit in with the decor of my surgeon's waiting room quite nicely. All rustic and everything. 

I think modern dentistry is amazing. Crazy good. Like wow, man. Mind. BLOWN.

(Can you tell I'm writing this while under the effects of some very effective pain medication?)

.....and antibiotics and prescription mouthwash.

My implant surgery was today, and with the help of expertly placed local anesthetic and several tankfuls of nitrous oxide, the procedure was relatively pain free. I think the temp crowns look pretty darned good.

While the bone in my jaw solidifies around the titanium implant, a couple of temporary fake teeth have been placed. I've been instructed that I can't use my front teeth to bite into any foods until approximately March, when the bone tissue has healed. Until it does, I will need to cut all my food into very small pieces and fork them into the side of my mouth.

After hearing this, I said, SAY WHAT? As in no chomping my way through Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years?!

Ah, well. Perhaps this will be a great way to control portion sizes this holiday season.

An Oral Fixation

Well people, by the time most of you read this, I will probably be blissfully inhaling nitrous oxide as my oral surgeon inserts a big ol' titanium screw up into my jawbone. Like this:

Found here. 

If you're one of those weird people that likes to watch YouTube videos of surgeries, you can see a video of an implant oral surgery here. Although I can't imagine why you would. 

So. I'm a bit preoccupied eating crunchy things that I won't be able to indulge in after surgery as I'm typing this. See ya'll tomorrow.

Pass the popcorn, John. *crunch crunch crunch*

New York Times Well: An Empathy Contest

Found on emilymcdowell.com

A big thank you to Anne for sending the link to this NYT Well article my way in which Emily McDowell, creator of The Empathy Cards, announces a contest to help her design a new card for her series that focuses on chronic illness. How cool is that?

The Empathy Cards line, described as “support for serious illness and loss,” includes cards that are insightful, relatable and, surprisingly, often funny. There’s a card that lists the five stage of grief, including “crying when you’re a little drunk.” Another quips, “If this is God’s plan, God is a terrible planner.” 

This week, Ms. McDowell is adding seven new cards to her empathy series. But instead of focusing on cancer, the new series focuses on people who have a chronic, potentially life-changing illness or are dealing with grief and loss. She wants help in deciding a new card, and is hosting a card contest with Well readers.  

“What cards do is hit on the emotional connections between people,” said Ms. McDowell. “There’s nothing more needed when someone has a chronic illness.”Continue reading here. 

The contest is facilitated by the Well blog. Here's the rules:

Submit your idea in the comments. Think about what you would want people to say to you during a tough illness, or think about comments from friends that touched your heart or made you laugh.  

The Well team will select our favorite submissions, and Ms. McDowell will create a new card with the best turn of phrase. Help us decide by recommending your favorites. You may choose more than one entry but you can’t vote for the same entry more than once.

You can read the contest's fine print here. So fire up those brain cells and get your creative juices flowing. I can't wait to see the voting choices.

The Buns and Me

I have absolutely NOTHING to say today about Sjogren's syndrome; because I spent the day yesterday hanging out at a bunny conference. Oh, yeah. It was the softest, furriest, cutest afternoon I have ever had.

This huge place was full of rabbits. Awesome.

There were rabbits everywhere. This is just a few of them.

I think bunny buns are very cute.

My favorite was this little guy who got my attention by trying to chomp my watch.

Oh my goodness.

I wanted to bring home an entire carful of bunnies, but John wouldn't let me.

Pffft.