Oh Lyn, don't be lonely, especially as you are going through so much. I do think of you every day actually and wonder how things are going with you. From your last post, it looks like not so good and I am so very sorry. I cant believe all this has happened relatively quickly for you and it must be really difficult to deal with emotionally as well as physically. Hope your lovely family are around to keep your spirits up. I suspect that like me, you hide as much as you can from them, but they arent daft are they?!!

Are you having warm weather farther north? It has been actual summer here this week, but all set to change with thunderstorms forecast tonight. I like a bit of a storm over the sea, but wouldn't like to be on it though!

I dont know where everyone is, but would love to think they are all better Perhaps they are just soaking up the few rays and vitamin D while the going is good.

Looking forward to the Olympics opening ceremony tonight - who will the mystery firelighter be I wonder? I used to love sport at school - havent been able to run for about 50 years but in my head I still can

Hope you have a good weekend and let family look after you. Got little grandson coming over in a minute so better get the toy box out (for me and Grandad of course!)

Take good care Lyn and keep posting, I'm usually around even if I dont say a lot.
Love Lizxx

Hi Lynne and all, yes I think everyone must be out enjoying the weather or on hols.... my family seem to all be either, away on holiday or packing to go away!
We have been rather absorbed with our little dog this week. He started to limp on his left front paw last Friday. He obviously had some problem with it, licking it all the time, not putting any weight on it at all and cried if we tried to have a look. So off to the vets on Saturday morning, told her it was his paw even pointed out which toe it seemed to be and how hot it was. He was crying so much everytime she tried to touch his paw that she could not see anything. She decided to sedate him to have a proper look and exray it in case of a broken toe. Fine we went home, back later to pick him up and was handed a bottle of anti inflametry med for him and told it was a pulled muscle in his leg!!!
I couldn't believe it, had she been looking at the right dog!! Asked about his paw, no she couldn't see anything asked about a possible infection because his paw was so hot, no just said it must be a strain. She obviously did not like my questioning her diagnosis. So O.K. paid the £124.00 bill.
By monday toe was very inflamed and swollen, so this time my daughter rang the vet. Said could she bring him back, not happy with diagnosis, still the receptionist argued that his paw was fine and he had been examined very well. Eventually after saying that with respect we knew the dog better and he was licking and licking his paw they agreed to see him again.
Thankfully it was a diff vet much more ready to listen. He had to be sedated again exrayed from a diff angle and could see straight away that he had a sceptic subcutaneous cyst. So he is now at home recovering, poor boy. My daughter argued the toss about the new bill for re-examining him etc. and they eventually agreed to reduce it a bit..... Still feel very cross, but just glad that he is O.K.
He has been having his walks out on my lap on my scooter, enjoying the weather seems very happy with that, get a few strange looks and comments but hopefully will be back to normal soon.
Best wishes to you all, hope you are not struggling too much, Zena x.

Hi Lyn,

I`m here, but been a bit poorly sick for last few days - tummy bug, unfortunately. I`m looking forward to the Olympics too - especially the athletics, cycling & hockey. At school I used to play hockey every weekend, for school and club, then county, and I also threw the javelin at school and ran 8oom, though of course in those days it was the 880 yards! Those were the days, indeed!!

I won`t be around much next week as we have our little grandsons coming for a three-night sleepover - arrive Tues night & go home Fri night.

Take care,

Kathleen x

I'm here! Been putting up a small raised pond in the garden, I've got 3 golfish in and four snails---all running on solar power! (not the snails---the fountain)!

Hi Lynn,
I've logged on most days but like you the place seemed to be deserted, not many posts, I put it down to being holiday time!
Glad to see from some of your other answers that there are people about.
How are things going with you, I know you haven't been very good recently. Hope things have improved for you, even if it's just a little bit.
All the best
Mary

Great to see that there are still folk around!

As Jackie so rightly says we do need people posting their experiences and general chit chat on here. This is as excellent resource both for the newly diagnosed and those with long standing disease. The ability to be able to share experiences, good and bad, provides a wealth of information for everyone. At one time, and not that long ago, we had probably over a hundred active Forum members but for various reasons that number has dwindled significantly.

Unfortunately we were hard hit by the introduction of Health Unlocked which has detracted and, I believe, possibly deterred members from joining the Forum. This is a safe online environment for NRAS members to enjoy support and friendship and benefit from what that has to offer. There are close on 4000 NRAS members yet only a handful using the Forum. Wonder why? Do people find out what they want and then don't come back? Rhetoical questions really!

Would hate to lose the Forum as I feel it plays a very important supportive role in the lives of NRAS members. I think we normally have a bit of a 'lull' during the summer and the place is a little quieter, less activity etc. so fingers crossed people return to 'the fold' very soon

Lyn xx

Loved reading about what everyone's been up to A busy lot ... considering you've all got Rheumatoid!

Lyn

We have noticed that the forum seems to be used by fewer Members and numbers have continued to decline over the last few months. The average posts per day are 48, but I suspect most of these come from the same dedicated bunch of people! We do tell all new Members about the forum and always list it as a Member benefit whenever we talk about membership so I am not sure why more people don't utilise this resource. A much larger number of Members view the forum but don't post so I am guessing take comfort and support from just reading what others are saying and sharing.

Health Unlocked has doubtless played a part, as people will use this site instead of the forum, perhaps because they are happy to just blog or ask questions and do not want the supportive more personal role that the forum plays. We are working with Health Unlocked to more actively promote NRAS and drive people to the site so this will hopefully have a positive effect on forum visitors but it is a work in progress so may take a little time.

We would be more than happy to take on board any ideas forum users have for how we can invigorate the forum and try and 'activate' it again to encourage more people to post and be part of the NRAS community so thinking caps on everyone!

I do hope things are improving for you Lyn.

Tracey

Hi Jane

Thanks for your comments.

We do remind people about the forum and are including a short piece in the Autumn issue of the Magazine to remind people that it's here for them to use. Let's see if it sparks some activity, I hope so!

Tracey

I totally agree with Jeans first paragraph. Having read the HU site earlier
I was disappointed with the moaning and general despondancy that is there.
Perhaps NRAS members are more aware of their conditions and the chance
to get the help from "head office". I am glad to see the response today from
Tracey. With the weather we've had this year I wonder if we are all feeling
a bit low and haven't got out to comment as much as usual. I always look
at "a bit of fun" and "chin wag" but very little comment recently. Anne

Sorry distracted by the swimming

Second to last paragraph should have read "it was only by chance that I found out about NRAS on the internet"...............

So distracted by possible medals