Anyone hear any good jokes lately?

no.

OMG BRAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 :woohoo:

Whoaaaaaaaaaaa long time no talk dude party:

*GASP* It's you! What was your name again? .... Oh yeah! Braaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!!! :wave:

Didn't think we'd see you here again.

Who the hell is this guy??

AKA...hmmm....AKA...*scratches chin*...AKA...rings a vague bell, can't quite place the name...AKA...*bangs head against computer screen*...hmmm...it's coming back a little...give me a minute...Oh....AKA!


Kidding. Great to have you back Brad! Now get to the politics board so we can start fighting. ;)

Welcome back Brad! :wave:

Hi Brad! :wave:

And in the category of Biggest Shock of 2005, the award goes to...

Welcome back, AKA. :thumbsup:

Thanks, everyone. I'm not sure if I'm "back" back. I really just wanted to make sure the air was clear betwen myself and everyone here. Things got really ugly there for awhile, and poo was being flung back and forth between a few of us. Anyway, I've been communicating via e-mail with a few people I wasn't on good terms with back in December and they've been demanding for the last few months that I return to SO.

So here I am. Not sure yet if this is a permanent thing, or if I'm just checking in. Things have been kind of hectic with me lately, what with this brand new disease I'm getting used to dealing with and a great new full-time job, so I'm not online much anymore, anyway. I do have a blog, though, so if you want to see what I've been up to lately, just click on over to http://profiles.myspace.com/users/16565901.

That's about it. Now I must resume work on these DVD reviews I owe. Take care.

Welcome back Brad :wave:

you're late.


...go find a seat near the back and try to catch up to the other psychopaths in the class.

:wave:

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111111111 :bighug: ahhhhh :biglove:

:wave: Brad, glad to see you posting here again.

I'm sorry sorry you're fighting a disease, my prayers and my heart go out to you :(

Glad you stopped by :)

Thanks, everyone. I'm not sure if I'm "back" back. I really just wanted to make sure the air was clear betwen myself and everyone here. Things got really ugly there for awhile, and poo was being flung back and forth between a few of us. Anyway, I've been communicating via e-mail with a few people I wasn't on good terms with back in December and they've been demanding for the last few months that I return to SO.

So here I am. Not sure yet if this is a permanent thing, or if I'm just checking in. Things have been kind of hectic with me lately, what with this brand new disease I'm getting used to dealing with and a great new full-time job, so I'm not online much anymore, anyway. I do have a blog, though, so if you want to see what I've been up to lately, just click on over to http://profiles.myspace.com/users/16565901.

That's about it. Now I must resume work on these DVD reviews I owe. Take care.
Disease? :(

Disease? :(

Rheumatoid Arthritis (http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/ra/default.asp). Diagnosed in February.

Good to see you posting again! :wave:

Long time no see, dude. Welcome back. :wave:

Rheumatoid Arthritis (http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/ra/default.asp). Diagnosed in February.
Eh. Sorry to hear that :(

Rheumatoid Arthritis (http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/ra/default.asp). Diagnosed in February.

Sorry to hear about this. I've known people with this disease and I would never wish it on anyone! Though we've never seen eye to eye or gotten along at all I hope you can deal with it. See ya around the boards I'm sure!! :D

yo yo yo

Welcome back Brad, I hope you stick around for awhile. Good luck in your battle with RA.

WELCOME BACK :wave:

glad you're back :)

Thanks, everyone, for your comments and well-wishes.

As for the RA, I can honestly say I have my good days and bad days with this thing. Mornings are always hell - I usually feel like the tin man, pre-oil can, when I wake up. But I've learned to cope with what I have, and in a weird way, it's brought me closer to the Lord.

But man, it's a challenge sometimes to walk. My knees have been hit the worst. Thank God for the support of my family and friends. I don't know where I'd be without them.

My symptoms started out as random pain in different parts of my body about a year and a half ago. I'd get aches and stiffness in different joints in my body everyday - it could be my shoulders, my elbows, my knees. Even my throat and jaw were sometimes affected. But since I was/am a chicken when it comes to seeking medical attention, I ignored the symptoms and they got even worse. By September, my knees were really hard to walk on.

In mid-February, I started experiencing fatigue and dizzy spells. I was rushed to the hospital one Sunday night (February 20) and after six hours of tests, found out it was Rheumatoid Arthritis. In a way, I was relieved. I thought I had something much worse.

So please, let this be a lesson to you. If you start to have symptoms like this, and they persist longer than a week or so, don't hesitate to get them checked out.

RA is definitely life-changing, and there is no cure. But the good news is that it's treatable. I'm on medication for it right now, and in June, I will begin physical therapy.

I'm happy as hell to be working full-time again. I have a respectable position with a reputable corporation, and am making a generous paycheck. They're very accomodating with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. My cubicle is very RA-friendly.

On top of that, the facility has an onsite nurse practitioner, and employees can see her whenever they want - free of charge and on company time.

Thanks again, everyone. My real reason for starting this thread is to let everyone know that there aren't any hard feelings. That goes for everyone. One thing I've learned from all this is that "Life's too short to be pissed off all the time." That's a quote I lifted from one of my favorite movies, American History X, but it really rings true. If you hold any grudges, take some time and try and mend those fences. You'll be glad you did, and your nervous system will thank you.

Anyway, It's good to hear from everyone again and to know that I've been missed.

Until next time, God bless.

-Brad

Welcome back Brad...and you are in my prayers... :wave:

Wow, I just saw this thread!!

Welcome back, Brad. I'm glad they were able to find what was wrong with you, even if there's no cure. At least now, you'll feel a little better.

Welcome back!

Nice to see you again Brad, sorry about your illness.. :hug: