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Good Morning (ha! I can barely say it with a straight face) Well I hope for all of you it has been a good and pain free morning, my lungs are still acting up and I'm in a bit of pain when I breath (which is unfortunate because I kind of need to breath, as does everyone else, but I'm not complaining...) And it has been quite a morning so far...I woke up stiff and achy on our big (recliner like) chair, where I slept for the night because laying down was too uncomfortable) I went into the kitchen, put on my coffee (obviously!) and proceeded to open the fridge, get my greek yogurt out, and then knock over an entire shelf of the fridge in all of my clumbsiness... yes that's right...And you know it had to be the shelf with all the glass jars of jams and jellies on it (of course!) So it has been quite an eventful Sunday morning over here, and I hope each of your mornings has gone a bit smoother than mine. So, I too, am in need of some good laughs this morning and I'm feeling my creative juices flowing (or maybe that's just my second 20 oz cup-O-Joe hitting me, but nonetheless...) so we are going to take a trip on The Magic School Bus! That's right! One of my all time favorite childhood book-turn TV series, is now back and better than ever, and The Magic School Bus has geared up for a trip inside the Human body...To learn all about Autoimmune Diseases... So hold on to your seats and get prepared for a journey through the immune system with The Frizz!
Come on The Magic School Bus!
Good Morning Class!
Good Morning Mz. Frizzle!
Ah and what a lovely day it is! Oh look a letter from one of our friends! Lizz would you mind getting the letter for us, so we can read it!
"Dear Mz. Frizzle's Class,
I was wondering what Autoimmune Diseases are, and what causes them?
What happens in the body that makes Autoimmune diseases different from just being sick?"
Does anyone know what an Autoimmune Disease is? Dorothy Anne? Well, According to my research, an autoimmune disease is an inflammatory disease where the immune system is over active! What does that mean Mz. Frizzle? Ah... I sense a Field Trip! Come on Class! To the Bus! I knew I should have stayed home today! OH ARNOLD!
Everyone be sure to buckle up, we are going on quite an adventure! Through an Overactive immune system to explore Autoimmune Diseases! Let's go bus, do your thing! Class we are now entering the body of a chronically ill person! That means they have a disease that cannot be cured, and are repeatedly sick, but that does not mean they do not feel well all of the time, sometimes doctors can control the disease enough and the person can lead a normal life with minor (sometimes major) adjustments! Oh Look Class! We have entered the Immune System! Look! Mz. Frizzle! What are all those things attacking the body's tissue and organs?! Ah! Good question Ralphie! In Autoimmune diseases the immune system attacks its own body tissue as if it were a foreign invader and mounts an attack on its own body! This system them becomes confused over what should be in our body and what should not be, and over does its job! Is that why its called an overactive immune system? Yes very good Arnold! It causes the body to always be on high alert, when it should only be on high alert when the body is injured or when we are sick! Look class! The antibodies are attacking the body tissue! Mz. Frizzle! What should we do! Why are those antibodies attacking! Well like we just explained, the immune system mistakes its own parts for foreign invaders and attacks, it then produces these antibodies against its own body tissues! Now, the immune system gets confused and cannot recognize what is the heart, liver, cartilage tissue etc... And it attacks with these antibodies, this is what creates and causes an Autoimmune disease! But Mz. Frizzle? Why did you say autoimmune diseases are inflammatory diseases? Good Question! When the immune system attacks it causes inflammation in these organs, joints and body tissue, this inflammation is what causes the pain and swelling associated with Autoimmune Diseases! Come class! We're going to stop those antibodies and inflammation! UH OH! I don't like the sound of that! OH ARNOLD! Come on it will be fun!
Be careful where you step class! We don't want to upset the body anymore than it already is! Here everyone take one of these! What is this Mz. Frizzle! Some of you have immunosuppressive drugs while others of you have been given steriods. These are two types of medications commonly used to treat autoimmune diseases! If you see those antibodies coming around, zap them with these! Sounds Dangerous! Arnold, you'll be fine, just stay close to the bus! Oh wow! Look Mz. Frizzle! Those antibodies are attacking the lungs (sound familiar?) we need to stop them! Alright class, everyone on the bus! Bus do your thing! Mz. Frizzle what is the bus doing to the antibodies! UH OH mz. Frizzle the bus is getting attacked, what are we going to do! Don't worry class, just buckle your seatbelts and hold on!
WOW! The bus beat all of those antibodies and destroyed them and stopped them from
attacking! How did it do that Mz. Frizzle? Well class, the bus sent a wave of steriods at the immune system's invaders and these steroids stop/slow down the process that attacks the body's tissue! Way to go bus! Alright everyone make sure your holding on to your seat, where busting out of this joint! WOOHOO!
Thanks bus for another great adventure! Alright class
back to the classroom to discuss what we learned today! I'm sure we all have lots of questions about our trip! Yes, Arnold? Mz. Frizzle if all of that is going wrong in someone's body, doesn't it hurt the person?
Good question Arnold! Well, yes! With autoimmune diseases a lot of people feel fatigued, achy all over, have a fever, and have pain in their joins and some even have trouble with some of the organs. Mz. Frizzle... If all of these things are going wrong why don't they just take a medicine that cures it? Well Keesha, there is currently no cure for autoimmune diseases because scientists and researchers are not really sure what causes them to occur in some people and not others. So these diseases are treated with medications that limit the symptoms and hopefully ease the pain for those that are chronically ill! RING! RING! Ahh! The bell! It's been a wonderful day class, I hope you all have a lovely evening, and I cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds in store for us! I CAN!... OH ARNOLD!
I hope you all enjoyed our adventure with the magic school bus! My, that Mz. Frizzle is always up to something! And now of course I will leave you with our usual partings, first, the page of hope, Nothing is Kimpossible, where you can stop by, sign the guest book, and if you'd like make a contribution to lupus research and towards the Butterfly Gala (All proceeds to the LFA!) So check it out! I will also leave the Gala link directly, where there is more information and an area where you can buy tickets or tables for the event, under my name (under the committee member pull down tab, select Kimberly Lehanka!) If you have any questions you may contact me via email (emails are on the right side of the blog!) and of course I would not dare leave you without our daily Jolt-of-Java (which is one of my all time favorite excerpts)!
Jolt-of-Java: "...Grant me the Serenity, To accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can... And the wisdom to know the difference"
Sources: Id like to thank our friends at www.aboutinflammation.com for the research and information provided in this post!
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