Good Afternoon Ladies hope that everyone is having a great sat well I did get my tree up so far and that is a accomplishment for me as I am still the old grinchLOL Charlotte sorry to hear that you are still having problems with your thumb I have heard that shingles can be nasty so please take care of yourself so it doesnt develope into any thing else!!!!!!!!!well sounds like the rest of you ladies are in the Xmas mood so I want to go thru some more decorations so have a good oneRita

Morning ladies. I had to check in on everybody. Charlotte-how's your thumb? I hope it heals soon.

Rita-Did you go through your decorations and get them up? I had to go buy some more last night. We got a really big tree this year and not enough ornaments to decorate with. oops!

Hi Joanna, how's the holiday season treating you. Hopefully well.

Anyhow, sorry so short. It's almost time to pick my little girl up from kindergarten. Talk to you soon.

~chris

I am doing great.I hope most of you are too. I should be finished with my shopping in another week!!!!
Then all I got to do is wrap and square away a few things in the house..That is a never ending job.. I won't be sad to get out of the stores. Too many grouchy people..They hire cashiers that are just not with it and not enough of help..No wonder people are upset..
It is in the 70's here in Florida..
Bye...Joanne

Barb, here is a great site to help you get started in PSP. It has pictures to le
ad you. I have always found that to be most beneficial http://azcowboy88.tripod.com/graphicsbyjames/id39.html

Joanne - there you are ! Haven't heard from you in a while. Glad you are almost finished shopping. I will be on the weekend, after my trip to Edmonton. You have 70 degress and we are at -28 or about 20 below. During the day it was around -16 or 0F. It was actually a really nice day out. The sun was shining and it still has some strength. Next month will be a whole different ball game

Charlotte - I hope you are feeling better and I hope you have FINALLY gotten that roof on. We would all die here if we had to live that way with the temperature we have in the winter.

Chris - I hope your hands are feeling better. Gosh it doesn't matter what hurts, none of it is very pleasant.

Hi to everyone else. Hope your day is going well.

Charlotte-I am so surprised you made it through with only a couple leaks. Sounds like it was quite a storm. God must be watching over you.

I'm with Happy Canuk...We'd never make it without a roof. The lowest we have gotten so far is 10 degrees. Not too bad for living in Montana.

Well ladies, I'm off to bed. I need my beauty rest. Night Joanne, Rita, Barb, Kim, etc. Get a good night sleep and dream a good dream.

~chris

Good afternoon ladies hope your day is going well for you thought I would pop in and say HI! havent been on for a couple of days because of working 12 hrs Chris I did get some decorations up will have to go back and look for my snowmen as hubby didnt set the box out always try and buy one new decoration a year but havent even done that yet you ladies sound so organizedwith your shopping about done and the gifts wrapped I havent even started yet usually shop up till xmas eve but thinking of giving money so really wont be to hard this year I know that a lot of the cashiers can be grouchy but I try and look at their side as their are a lot of grouchy customers also I try and give them a big smile and wish them a happy holiday I usually get a smile from them also sounds like everyone has been having some nasty weather with rain and the rain except for Joanne oh! how I envy youLOLCharlotte glad that your thumb is doing better and hopeing that your problems with the roof resolve soonso ladies hope all of you have a good one Rita

Hi everyone! Thought I'd pop in and let you know I haven't forgotten you wonderful ladies.
I'm doing so well on the Enbrel, I almost feel like a normal person. Suddenly, the holidays are joyful again.

Have a great, pain free day!

Hey Khewes...
So glad you're feeling great! That is just awesome. I'm hoping that after February when my insurance will pay for my treatment that I can get started on Enbrel or Remicade and feel better than I have. I'm not even near as bad as what I was before I started the Methotrexate but I'm still getting the occasional "nasty" flare days. Just enough to remind me that it's still here and things won't be the same again. It's like the RA flares up enough just disappoint me when I start feeling too goood. Darn stuff anyhow.

Well Merry Christmas! Post more often.

HI CHARLOTTE, BARB, RITA, ANNE, AND MY OTHER PAIN-SUFFERING FRIENDS.

~CHRIS

Hello Everybody...Just a fast hello... Eleni goes for her testing for the defib/pasemaker monday. Hopefully she will come home with it,otherwise she will have to wait till Jan. when the insurance rules change.
Have a great weekend...Joanne

Good Morning Ladies up early so thought I would pop in hope that you all had a great weekend and your Monday was good also well I did get a few things done over the weekend with shopping had a suprise birthday party for hubby he is the big 60 now back to reality being off work 4 days I think I am going to like being retiredLOLstill have 5 years to go!!!!!!!!!!we finally got some snow pretty to look at but hate to drive in it just glad the roads are clear so when I go to my part time job this morning so hopeing all of you have a great day Rita

Checking in with all of you.

Charlotte-Sorry to hear about your stepdad. And your mom. You must be very busy and very stressed. Why does all this hit around the holidays. My neighbor is in the hospital. I'm not sure what for. Her husband leaves early in the morning and comes back late at night. Hope its not too serious. Sorry your thumb isn't better. I hate that tingling burning feeling. That's what keeps me up when my wrist is having a flare. It goes all the way up to my shoulder and hurts so incredibly bad. Hopefully the meds will work for you. I'm not feeling to bad today.

Morning Rita, Kim, Canuk, Grasshopper, Barb...Hoping you are all feeling well and in the Christmas spirit. I'll be when I finally get to finish the shopping and can stay out of the stores. I started early this year too, but finances have kept me from finishing.

~chris

Hello all ~

Hope you all are doing ok. I haven't had a chance to join in much yet ~ have to wait for my days off from work ~ then they fly by so fast.

I wanted to ask a question. When the arthritis is flaring up and you have increased stiffness ~ what kind of excercise can you do that is vigorous enough to help with weight loss? I was doing walking for my exercise, but have recently hurt my knee ~ that along with increased stiffness from the arthritis ~ I have not been able to do my walking. For me, dieting with out the exercise is so frustrating ~ I can be good with my eating, but get no where fast with out the exercise.

Gayle-I'm struggling with the same thing. I'm not sure what you can do that is vigorous enough for weight loss. I know my doctor likes me to keep up with range-of-motion exercises to keep my joints from getting stiff and unusable. I'm just trying to keep up my weight loss with walking. It seems to be the safest and easiest for me to do and maintain, esp. if I have a flare. I've noticed to that when I exercise everyday instead of sitting around, my joints don't hurt as much and my flares are staying down a bit.

~chris