Charlotte CFS/ME/FM Support Group Newsletter

for January  2, 2009
 
Hi Everyone!

First I want to report on our Christmas party - a good time was had by all. And.... Tracy Jenkins won the Christmas jewelry set donated by Nova Bouknight. Nan Talbot, of Illinois (a friend of mine) won the ME/CFS Awareness Bracelet donated by me. Dr. Lapp played the piano for our Christmas carol sing-a-long. Dr. Lapp is very talented on the piano (in his red Santa hat). It was a lovely evening with lots of goodies to eat, but we wish more of you could have attended.  I wish for all of you a year of better health in 2009.

 
The first support group meeting in 2009 is January 22nd as we kick off the year with Dr. Lapp's first in the ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Self-Help Series created by Bruce Campbell. As I mentioned in the last newsletter, the meeting on January 22nd is actually the 4th Thursday of the month but this change is just one time only due to a scheduling conflict.  If you have never read Campbell's book you can purchase them from his web site (newly updated) at www.cfidsselfhelp.org .  For more infromation read the Course Schedule in the attached file (one page) (Campbell Course.doc).
 
The Charlotte CFS/ME and Fibromyalgia Support Group Board will met Thursday, January 8th at 6:30 PM at Dr. Lapp's office at 103rr Park Rd., St. 300.  NOTE:  Anyone interested in volunteering to help with our group is welcome to attend this meeting. It can help to make that decision as you participate in the discussions on each issue.
- - - Becoming a voting member of the board requires that you have been a member of the support group for some time and have attended most meetings. The board members vote on each member who wishes to become a member of the board. However, you do not have to be a member of the board to volunteer. Given that we are all sick, the more we have volunteering... the less each of us has to do.
- - -  If you are interested in volunteering, call or email either Kebbie (704-843-1193/kebbie1@alltel.net or myself (nmhenson@aol.com/704-563-0657) for more information.
 
Some sites from Dr. Lapp for you -  and one for your doctor -  in helping to manage your CFS
For you:  http://www.cfstreatment.info/for_your_doctor.htm
For your doctor:  http://www.cfstreatment.info/for_your_doctor.htm
 
Also remember to check our support group web site for any e-newsletters you may have missed:  www.CharlotteCFS.org .
 
Upcoming Meetings:
* January 22 - Intro to the Self Help Course (this is the 4th Thursday of the month)
* February 19 thru June 19- Self Help Series will continue. I will let you know the subject of each meeting as Dr. Lapp notifies me.
 
 We will be studying Bruce Campbell's Self Help course for at least 6 sessions this coming year.  For more information see Campbell's web site at www.cfidsselfhelp.org.

PLEASE NOTE: Topics and speakers are subject to change so check with Kebbie or the CharlotteCFS.org web site if you want to be sure there have been no changes. You can contact Kebbie Cannon at kebbie1@alltel.net or call her at 704-843-1193.

Wellness Coach Christine O'Dell will be holding a Wellness and Peace Retreat on Saturday, January 31, at Myers Park Methodist Church, 1501 Queens Road, Room 108.  Time:  10:30AM to 3:30 PM.

There will be 20 minute informational presentations each hour, exhibitors on site, complimentary chair massages or acupuncture, and wellness literature.

This is a FREE event, but attendees must register in advance by calling 704 989 1830 or emailing christineodell@carolina.rr.com.

Note:  Christine is a member of our support group.

Chronic Pain NEWS AND VIEWS
http://www.healthcentral.com/utils/newsweb/chronic-pain/news.html
 
 

Infection as One Possible Cause of Fibromyalgia by Dr. Mark J Pellegrino, MD
December 16, 2008

Excerpted from Chapter 10 of Dr. Pellegrino’s very popular book, Fibromyalgia: Up Close and Personal.* Dr. Pellegrino has seen more than 20,000 FM patients in his practice at the Ohio Rehab Center, and has been a fibromyalgia patient himself since childhood.

All of us involved with Fibromyalgia, either by treating it or having it, have come to appreciate how complicated this condition is.

Fibromyalgia has different types and subsets.(1) More than one factor may be involved in causing it. Causes may be recognized, but the exact mechanism of how Fibromyalgia develops from this cause is not fully known. Most importantly, there is more than one way to get Fibromyalgia; it is an “end point” condition with multiple ways leading to it.

For more:  http://www.prohealth.com/fibromyalgia/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=14187&B1=EM121708F

ProHealth Fibromyalgia HealthWatch - December 17, http://www.prohealth.com/em/EM121708F/index.cfm

ME/CFS Calendar You May Download (Funny Cartoons)

http://www.investinme.org/Calendar%202009.htm

 

CFS,GWI is highlighted in the University of Miami Dept. of Medicine 2008 Annual Report

GOOD NEWS TO SHARE! I am in possession of the latest University of Miami Dept of Medicine Annual Report – Transforming Medicine. I am excited about the fact that after 4-5 years of communicating to their Business Development Office that every year I receive information about their research and science advances through their reports, no where I have ever saw any mention or a simple acknowledgement or blurb of the 20 + years of the scientific body of work that Dr. Nancy Klimas and her colleagues (Dr. Mary Fletcher) have accomplished on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, (CFS) and Gulf War illness/syndrome.

Well folks, “Time are a changing”…On Tuesday I picked up their 2008 Annual Report and there was…on pages 56,57 and 58, pictures of Drs. Klimas and Fletcher, and a very nice science graphics and pictures on their life time scientific body of work on CFS and Gulf War illness or syndrome.

My first reaction was to scream, then dance like no one is watching doing the samba thing, and later quickly share with friends and family these important news. We are finally validated! I am proud to say that PANDORA, our board of directors, our volunteers and our membership contributed towards this happening too. Over the years we have contributed with some funding toward the CFS Morton Gift Fund and we have sponsored events that have resulted in direct as well as PANDORA'S donations to the VA CFS clinic and to the Morton Gift Fund. It feels great to be part of a community that is uniting in all fronts.
 
 
 
New Web site for CFIDS/FM Self-Help Program

Date:    Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:16:39 -0800
From:    Bruce Campbell <bruce.campbell@FLASH.NET>
The CFIDS and Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program is pleased to announce the debut of
its newly redesigned web site: www.cfidsselfhelp.org . The site contains over 150
articles on managing CFS and fibromyalgia, including many patient success
stories. The site also offers information about our online self-help courses.
The program has conducted 250 self-help courses and groups since its founding in
1998.

As part of the celebration of the new site, we are offering a 25% discount on
the self-study audio version of our self-help course. Until Dec 31, the cost of
the three-CD set is $8.20. (Click on the link in the box on the home page titled
"Celebrate with Us!")

Bruce Campbell, Ph.D.
Executive Director
CFIDS & Fibromyalgia Self-Help Program
 
Dr. Lapp begins this series of classes based on Bruce Campbell's Program on January 22nd.
 
 
Obama and Sen. Daschle want you to have seat at the table
http://listserv.nodak.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0812c&L=co-cure&T=0&F=&S=&P=8104
 
 
Fibromyalgia Network E-News
http://www.fmnetnews.com/pages/enews/Decem2008.html
 
 
Nancy Henson