Happy RA Awareness day, a day late

Yesterday was RA Awareness Day, the first one, so we went out to dinner with my parents because my mother wanted to celebrate. She has had RA for over 20 years. We didn't know if we were supposed to wear a special color or not.

It was also Ground Hog Day and Punxatawney Phil did not see his shadow. This lead to some discussion. Does it mean that winter is over as we know it for the year? Or does it mean it will fade away? Or do we really care because he is not accurate anyway?

RA Awareness Day did make me aware that I need to learn more about my new ailments. There is a lot I don't understand. I was attempting to reading this announcement on an important new development in the diagnosis of RA and it reinforced the thought I really do not know that much about it. Its about antibodies in carbamylated proteins (which makes me think of caramelized onions) if you really need to know.

My goal now, or another one of my goals, is to learn more about my new ailments before the next Rheumatoid Awareness Day. I have a year. There is hope.

I 'get' another day

We all know about Pinktober for breast cancer awareness. Thyroid cancer awareness month is September. Now I 'get' another day. February 2, 2013 is the first annual (I love that term - 'first annual') Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day. There are more awareness days/weeks/months that I am sure I have other days I dont know about. Here is a list of all of them so you can find out your days.

"Rheumatoid Patient Foundation (RPF) announces the establishment of Rheumatoid Awareness Day to be held each year on February 2, giving people with the chronic illness known as rheumatoid arthritis, or rheumatoid disease, a day of recognition. Because the disease is commonly presumed to be a type of arthritis, awareness is lacking, causing problems with disability accommodations, clinical care, healthcare reimbursement and research funding."

Rheumatoid Awareness day has competition as it is also Groundhog Day. Maybe all of the RA people can crawl over to visit Punxatawney Phil.

"February 2 already boasts the observance of Groundhog Day, from which several analogies can be drawn to rheumatoid disease. "Compare disease onset to the moment the groundhog comes out of his hole to look for his shadow," says Kelly Young , founder of the RPF. "It's impossible to predict how aggressive the disease will be or whether treatments will be effective. The six weeks that the groundhog forecasts correspond to the short window of opportunity for people with rheumatoid disease to get early diagnosis and treatment, which has been shown to be a crucial component of positive outcome.""

Well I will put a note on my calendar and remember to wear a special outfit that day. Its a Saturday, maybe we will go out to dinner. Heck, maybe we could have a party.

Citation: Disabled World News (2013-01-23) - Establishment of Rheumatoid Awareness day of recognition to be held each year on February 2: http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/awareness/ra-day.php#ixzz2ItF25Q00