Feeling so nostalgic ....You guys are the best in the world

Guys, got my meds filled last night and to be honest I was really in a very bad space with the pain. I do really well now, but there are these moments that I can't take the pain and I get really down because I want no more limitations since I have had a little breathing room lately and done so well past few months.

Anyway, I took my pain meds and got to going back through the posts here to feel better, and I gotta tell you guys.......................You are all the salt of the earth and the best ever people I could call friend and family. I truly appreciate you all so much. You have greatly, greatly been a contributing factor to the feeling I CAN get through this! So much encouragement and so many nice wishes and hugs came to me.

I feel really sad I have missed a lot of time here, because I realize from being back here, this is one thing that was missing in my life during my road to healing....I could have been posting, but I chose other avenues online, because this is such a great feel good board that I really didn't want to bring people down and I was going through so many phases of the Autoimmune stuff.

I will limit this to what is new since I left some time back and that way we are all caught up! Also, interested in hearing about SWStraight and how he's doing....?

I have five total AI's and the worst is the Lupus. It's my highest marker on the AI scale. I have learned to deal with what is called flares...You can be fine one day and the next morning wake up with serious organ pain, or rashes, blinding migraines, kidney malfunctions, etc..Nasty disease...the Rheumatoid AI is in remission right now.

I have some hanger on's that they say is normal with these AI diseases, they like to group hug! Any of you know what Raynauds is? If you are diabetic you may have at least heard of it. You get less blood flow to your skin and your feet, hands, face and arms turn purplish/reddish/blue like you have no oxygen in your blood. Try hiding that lovely stuff..LOL It is not always painful, but it can sting like fireants some days. The part of it that I hate so much is the fact that it is actually killing some capillaries, and it causes me to look like someone just burnt me or beat me to a pulp.

The other one is Sjogrens and it causes severely dry eyes and mouth..I feel like the queen of cotton mouth, but it's not damaging and it won't kill me....The other new one is called Malasia...It causes a feeling of twisted muscles. Since I have always been somewhat active in either the gym or martial arts for so many years, I have a lot of muscle, so this is no picnic...It is sort of in remission too right now..

But my main purpose was to tell you all how much you mean to me and how much your encouragement and brotherly love has kept me strong and grateful to be UGLY...

GOD BLESS YOU GUYS!