Whose truth ?

Truth can be stated in a thousand different ways, yet each one can be true.
Swami Vivekananda
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_truth2.html#KQ6uQGtzwgqgYyKs.99

Have you ever noticed that the truth keeps changing ? Some things that were once true are  no longer and things that were once believed not to be true are now true. This happens across many different subjects. In some instances, a new researcher disputes the truth and his or her new research results in a new truth.

This happens  often in medicine.  At one time it was thought that more men than women get the disease ankylosing spondylitis. Recently published research has found that about the same number of men and women get the disease. The excerpts below bring this fact to light:

Women can get ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and related diseases. A goal of the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) is to educate the public and medical community that contrary to traditional belief, spondylitis is not just "a man’s disease."

In general, it takes longer for women to be diagnosed with spondylitis than it does for men. The following reasons for the difficulty in diagnosing spondylitis in women are generalizations and not to be used to judge spondylitis in ALL men vs. ALL women.

• Some women have a mild form of the disease that may not be as easily detected as it is in men.
• The disease may progress more slowly in women.
• Spondylitis can affect different parts of the body (neck, peripheral joints) in women than in men (low back, spine), yet the diagnostic criterion is based on men’s symptoms.
• Some women with spondylitis develop symptoms that resemble fibromyalgia or early rheumatoid arthritis.

The average age of onset does not differ significantly between the sexes, but spinal fusion (ankylosis) may progress more slowly in women than men. Women tend to be worse off than men are when it comes to pain and the need for drug therapy. The slower and relatively incomplete progression of spinal fusion in women can mean that it takes longer for pain to decrease as a result of spinal fusion.(from the SAA website).

Q: Are men and women affected at different rates between these diseases? Can you give us some details on how these rates were determined?

Similar numbers of men and women are affected with spondyloarthritis. In the past, it was thought that ankylosing spondylitis was more common in men than women . More recent studies suggest that ankylosing spondylitis occurs in similar numbers of men and women . Early estimates of the occurence of ankylosing spondylitis suggested that ankylosing spondylitis occurred 9-10 times more frequently in men than women . However, there were problems with how these early studies were done. More recent studies reported that men are 2 to 3 times more likely than women to have ankylosing spondylitis. These studies use relatively narrow definitions of ankylosing spondylitis that rely on classic manifestations of inflammatory back pain and damage on x-rays. Classic inflammatory back pain may be the initial symptom in men more frequently than in women , andwomen may have less x-ray damage than men. Despite these differences, the overall disease severity is similar in men and women .

When broader definitions are used to identify people with spondyloarthritis in the pelvis and/or spine (axial spondyloarthritis), the prevalence is similar in men and women.  (from Spring 2013 Issue of Spondylitis Plus)

Some things will always be true. 1+1 will always equal 2. But other things can be disproved by a new researcher with a different method of looking at the truth.

What is your truth ? Has it changed?

Until next time,

Think, Live and Be Pain-free--

Joy:)

Wanted BFF, continued

After high school I, like most high school graduates of my time, went away to college. After graduating from a high school class of 588, I was determined to be not just a number in college.  So I chose a small school-Macmurray College. There I made many friends most of whom I still keep in touch with.
First among them were my 2 roommates, BHM and SWB. Next would be my college sweetheart LRJ. Even though we broke up during the summer in between our junior and senior years, I still consider him a friend. These three people led me to befriend many more classmates. We used to do everything in groups-- eat together, play together, study together, attend Sunday church services together, cheer on our school sports teams together, etc. After graduation I had some part in most of their weddings.  Eventually we all ended up with jobs in different parts of the country- but we do still manage to keep in touch now and then.
After college I really never had a lifelong BFF. There were people that I worked with and neighbors that I hung out with for awhile, but no one today that I go shopping with, go to movies with or just simply hang out and chat with. I've always thought that was a missing piece of my life. Of course there is my hubby of almost 30 years who still makes me laugh and whom I share deepest feelings with but he's not a female BFF. Oh well maybe some of us are just meant. to be in the world with a mate and several acquaintances
or by ourselves.
Until next time,
Think, Live and Be painfree

JOY♡♥♡

by ourselves.

Continued' Wanted New BFF

After I finished 4th grade my Dad took a call to a church in inner city Baltimore Maryland.  We stayed there for two years. The coolest thing about that time was that we lived next door to the church and our school was across the street. I know I probably had several friends during this time but there are two that I especially remember. One was a classmate Brenda and tbe other was a neighborhood girl that my parents took in and helped. Brenda and I had just made plans to attend junior high together when I found out we were moving. Eventually we lost touch. The neighborhood girl I keep in touch with off and on.
After 2. years in Baltimore my Dad decided that he wanted to try his hand at freelance writing and move back to St Louis to do this.
For the first time we were on our own-no church housing. We moved to University City a suburb of St Louis and a community known as a melting pot.
My friends from this time reflected this. What a great opportunity it was for a teen to learn about other people and other cultures. My friends from this time period included a girl whose family had immigrated from Hong Kong and owned a Chinese restaurant, a girl who's family came to the us from Cuba, a girl whose parents were into puppets and puppeteering, several friends who shared my interest in music, and a neighbor girl who was much younger than me but are families were good friends and we were too. These were my bffs until I graduated from high school, went off to college and eventually lost touch with them but have reconnected thru Facebook-a benefit of this social network. Next I'll move on to my college years but until then--
Live, Think and Be Pain-free---
Joy♡♥♡

Wanted; New BFF

This is a tribute to past best friends and my longing to have a new one.
A post about best friends has to begin with my sister. Although we are complete opposites in personality (she's more outgoing and adventurous than I am), we are close enough in age that we could've been twins. We had a lot of the same teachers and/or the same classes. We shared a bedroom for many years and had games we would play (when we were supposed to be sleeping) a lot which were based on giving and guessing clues about mutual friends and classmates. Another incident I remember from that time is the day that we got fed up with each other's habits and used tape to make a line on the floor to mark our own space. Today we live a thousand miles apart but keep in touch by email and the occasional phone call and rare visit. Neighborhood playmates I remember are Maggie, Cathy and Harolyn and of course my siblings.

The next bff I remember I'll call RRR. We were classmates in grade school. We shared classtime as well as lunch and recess. My most endearing memory from this time is a day we decided to trade lunches. I don't remember what his lunch was but mine was a braunschweiger sandwich. RRR told me it smelled like dead fish. After that I didn't eat braunschweiger again until recently.  Eventually our families both moved and lost touch. Until a few years ago when I found RRR's sister on classmates. She has my dream job-a  librarian, lives in Baltimore and we keep
in touch thru facebook. ... to be continued.

Saying a Belated Goodbye to 2012

Well, 121212 has come and gone and the world didn't end !!
The Mayans didn't really believethat the world was going to end. For them it was the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one. Just like we send out the old year and ring in a new one. I didn't do this to well in 2012. My year ended with me catching  a cold about 2 weeks before Christmas.  That put a major wrench into the holidays.Usually I love all the decorating, card sending,singing, cooking and baking of the season, but in 2012 I did almost none of it.

Also, our best friend ended up in the hospital on December 23 for 9 days (she's home now and doing better).

The cold or whatever I had caused me to miss singing in our church choir for Christmas Eve. But my fellow choir members sounded beautiful from my seat in the congregation.

We did enjoy Christmas Buffet at River City Casino followed by a few hours spent with my brother Paul and family at their place.

Here we are at the middle of January and I've just finished putting Christmas things away- and then I noticed the stockings were still laying on the arm of t?he couch- I never did get around to hanging them!

January hasn't gotten off to such a great start either. Everyday I learn of someone who has died, gotten sick or had complications from a prior surgery.

Things have to get better eventually don't they ? I did have a nice day yesterday with my hubby. We both took a vacation day from work. The highlights of the day were me making him a favorite breakfastof Baked Eggs in Bacon Rings, my gift to him of tickets to hear favorite performers, Bela Fleck and Chick Corea and lunch at a favorite restaurant- Bixby's.

And so the year continues.

Until next time,

I continue to strive to Live, Think and Be pain-free.

JOY☆♡

How to Have a Pain-Free Christmas

Unplug the Christmas Machine by Jo Anderson
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Read one or both of the above titles for inspiration.

Then take a half hour or so to remember and forgive yourself for those holiday things you did in the past that you no longer can or want to do.
Make sure to stick as close as possible to your normal waking, sleeping, medicine taking, exercising and eating schedule.
Build in some extra rest time. Some ways I like to do this are:
Sit and look at the lit tree and admire and remember where we got each ornament.
Reread the (Biblical) Christmas story and other favorite stories or poems of the season.
Snuggle up with your hubby (or a pet) and watch your favorite Holiday specials. ( I am partial to How the Grinch Stole Christmas; my hubby is a big fan of Its A Wonderful Life).
Most of all Have a Merry Christmas
and until next time- Remember to Think, Live and Be pain-free.

Joy♡☆

Take Time to Give Thanks

Put aside your pain for a day. It's a proven fact that thinking happy thoughts or thinking about happy places does wonders for easing all kinds of pain and makes happier and healthier.
Here is my list:

1. Thanks to God who made me and cares for me.
2.Thanks for my family-immediate and extended.
3. Thanks for my church family.
4. Thanks for my family of co-workers.
5. Thanks for all my spondy friends who help me to realize that I do not suffer alone.
6.Thanks music which feeds my soul.
7. Thanks for water-rivers, lakes, oceans and drops.
8.Thanks for the written word which can inspire.
9. Thanks for dogs who excite me and warm my heart.
10. Thanks for trees and grass and flowers.
My list could go on and on....

What are you thankful for? What would you add to my list ?

Until next time,
Live, Think and Be Pain free.