Introduction & Early Stages

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November 2007

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

I’m headed to ACR (American College of Rheumatology) tomorrow to submerse myself in the world of arthritis – from the doctor’s point of view. It’s the largest gathering of rheumatologists in the world – thousands and thousands – for a week-long conference about the new treatments available for arthritis, diagnosis techniques and loads of other good information that cross borders and languages for this fun event. One year we met a doctor from Lebanon, Indiana followed by another doctor from Baghdad, Iraq – in the same hour! It doesn’t get more amazing than that. Nor does it get more ironic.

So “my bags are packed” and I’ll have reports from the road. This year we’ll be in Boston – a place I know oh too well – for the conference, which is good and bad. Good because it’s close to home. Bad because in years past the conference has taken us to places like San Diego.

More to come…

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Back, fresh off the heels of the American College of Rheumatology, I have good news to report to the world of arthritis. Things are looking bright! Aside from taping a few funny podcasts (if I may say so myself), there were really interesting presentations about treatment updates and research breakthroughs (especially in the field of Lupus and RA). A lot of it (who am I kidding? Most of it) went over my head, but what I couldn’t help but notice as I wandered the exhibit hall floor and the back of the presentation rooms, was the kinetic energy and good spirits of the attending physicians. The senior doctors who have attended dozens of these meetings for decades seemed to be somewhat energized. The newly anointed doctors (residents) had a fun dazed look on their face, for the first timers it was a lot to take in at once. All in all the feeling was very positive – because there has never been a better time to study rheumatology and treat us arthritic patients than today. Read more information about it here: http://rheumatology.org/

And for the record, Boston is home to a lot of great things, and their convention center – brand new, shiny and spiffy clean – is definitely on that list. It was nice to go to a meeting and eat a healthy lunch for once, get free wireless in the building, and be right in the center of town.

Next year is San Francisco! Yea baby!