Still time to make plans to attend 2010 Vasculitis Patient Symposium

http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/2010vasculitis-symposium

First Time in Western USA, Leading Vasculitis Experts and Patients to Assemble for Vasculitis Foundation Symposium   All Star Vasculitis Symposium, in Long Beach, California   July 30 - August 1, 2010   Register Today!    Excellent Opportunity to Learn About the Latest Research Findings and Treatment Recommendations for Over 15 Forms of Vasculitis   I attended vasculitis symposiums in Cleveland and Baltimore. I found them both to be very organized, educational, and informative. Seeing so many volunteers and doctors give so much of their time, made it very gratifying for me. I understood that a lot of people care and I am not alone in my vasculitis journey. -- Mercy LaVilla, diagnosed with PAN in 1999, remission in 2005

Wealth of Knowledge in One Place   The All Star Vasculitis Symposium will be held July 30 - August 1, 2010 at the beautiful Westin Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, California. This is the first Vasculitis Foundation symposium held in the western USA.    Five Reasons to Attend   1. Benefit from the knowledge and experiences of attendees at the world's largest meeting of vasculitis patients, family members and medical experts 2. Expand your disease knowledge by learning about treatment advances, research, quality-of-life issues, and integrative medicine    3. Connect with other vasculitis patients and families for fun and fellowship 4. More than 35 sessions covering all 15 forms of vasculitis, presented by world-renowned experts 5. Network opportunities bring hope, encouragement, and empowerment Still Not Convinced?  See the list below of presentations and speakers scheduled to date.   General Sessions  Vasculitis 101 - Overview of Vasculitis and the Individual Diseases Introduction:  Vasculitis, a family of diseases, how do they relate to each other? Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH, Director, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine Churg Strauss Syndrome, Microscopic Polyangiitis, Wegener's granulomatosis Luis Felipe Flores-Suárez, MD, Head, Primary Systemic Vasculitides Clinic Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias Giant cell (Temporal) Arteritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Takayasu's Arteritis, Central nervous System Vasculitis Cornelia Weyand, MD, PhD, Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University Cryoglobulinemia, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Polyarteritis nodosa, Secondary VasculitidesPhilip Seo, MD, Co-Director, The Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center Ask the Experts Q&A Panel Drs. Merkel, Flores-Suárez, Weyand and Seo   Vasculitis and Our Pediatric Patients and Their Parents  Join parents and young patients as our pediatric vasculitis experts discuss the management and most current treatment options for younger patients. Attendees will be able to ask questions, meet other parents/patients, share experiences, concerns, and what works for them. Andreas Reiff, MD, Head, Division of Rheumatology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles David Balfe, MD, Medical Director, Pulmonary Stepdown Unit, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center  New and Emerging Therapies in Vasculitis Welcome and Introductions Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH, Director, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine Understanding Immunology for the Patient with Vasculitis Paul A. Monach, MD, PhD, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine What's Happening Now in Vasculitis Clinical Research:  The Vasculitis Research Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC), the European Vasculitis Study Group (EUVAS) and other Vasculitis Research Programs Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH, Director, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine  Recently Completed Clinical Trials in Vasculitis and Implications for all Patients:  Rituximab (RAVE Trial results) Ulrich Specks, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic   Other Therapeutic Advances Carol A. Langford, MD, MHS, Director, Cleveland Clinic Center for Vasculitis Care and Research   Ask the Experts Q & A Panel Drs. Langford, Merkel, Monach and Specks Small Vessel Vasculitis For attendees interested in Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, Churg Strauss syndrome, relapsing polychondritis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, polyarteritis nodosa, cryoglobulinemia, vasculitis associated with connective tissue diseases), central nervous vasculitis, Behcet's disease, and other small vessel diseases. Standard of Care Therapy for Small Vessel Vasculitides Paul A. Monach, MD, PhD, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine  Dealing with the Chronic Medical Effects of Small Vessel Vasculitides Philip Seo, MD, Co-Director, The Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center  Ask the Experts Q & A Panel Drs. Seo and Monach Large Vessel Vasculitis For attendees interested in Takayasu's arteritis and Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis) Standard of Care Therapy for Large Vessel Vasculitides Cornelia Weyand, MD, PhD, Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University  Dealing with the Chronic Medical Effects of Large Vessel Vasculitides Curry Koening, MD, MS, Division of Rheumatology, University of Utah Ask the Experts Q & A Panel Drs. Weyand and Koening Breakout Sessions Ear/Nose/Throat in Vasculitis  Robert S. Lebovics, MD, F.A.C.S., Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, New York City, New York Matthew L. Finerman, MD, Otosurgical Group, Medical Clinic, UCLA   Family, Friends and Caregivers Support Meeting (please, no patients) Donna Benton and Claudia Ellano-Ota, LCSW Orange Caregiver Resource Center, California, St. Jude Brain Injury Network Gastrointestinal Issues in Vasculitis Kenneth Warrington, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota  Kidneys in Vasculitis Patrick Nachman, MD, University of North Carolina Kidney Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Ramnath Dukkipati, MD, Medical Director, Interventional Nephrology, Harbor-UCLA  Pharmacology Christine Vu, Pharm.D, Department of Pharmacy Services, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center  Assembling Your Medical Records/Seeking a Second Opinion Megan E. Clowse, MD, MPH, Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University Carol Langford, MD, MHS, Director, Cleveland Clinic Center for Vasculitis Care and Research Lung Issues for the Vasculitis Patient (asthma, chronic breathlessness, respiratory infections) Ulrich Specks, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic Vasculitis Spanish Language Session Luis Felipe Flores-Suárez, MD, Head, Primary Systemic Vasculitides Clinic, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias  Building a Team:  Patient and Physician Communication Sharon Chung, MD, Division of Rheumatology, University of California - San Francisco Grace Eisen, RN, Lake City, Michigan, VF Board of Directors Eyes in Vasculitis (inflammatory eye disease, low vision, cataracts, glaucoma, eye health)James A. Garrity, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic  Lung Issues for the Vasculitis Patient (asthma, chronic breathlessness, respiratory infections) Ulrich Specks, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic  Stress Management: Coping Skills and Strategies Lisa Graziano, MA, Executive Director, Prader-Willi California Foundation Understanding Lab Tests for Patients with Vasculitis Patrick Nachman, MD, UNC Kidney Center, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill  Reproductive Health Issues for Women and Men with Vasculitis: Fertility and Pregnancy Megan Clowse, MD, MPH, Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University Getting Involved in Vasculitis Patient Advocacy Jane Dion, Founder and President, Churg Strauss Syndrome Association Cassie Keane, President, Vasculitis Foundation Board of Directors Cindy Webber, Co-Chair, Education and Awareness Council   Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with VasculitisAnnabel Wang, MD, Neurology, Neuromuscular Disorders, University of California - Irvine  Vasculitis Medication Review (dosing/toxicities)Kenneth Warrington, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic Vasculitis: Possible mechanisms. Role of autoimmunityNabih I. Abdou, MD, PhD, FACP, Center for Rheumatic Disease and Allergy Disability and Workplace Issues for Vasculitis PatientsTaMiko Crockett, Public Affairs Specialist, Tri Counties Area, Social Security Administration Essie Landry, Public Affairs Specialist, Tri Counties Area, Social Security Administration   Group Discussions With Faculty  Behcet's Disease, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, Kawasaki Disease  Curry Koening, MD, MS, Division of Rheumatology, University of Utah Philip Seo,MD, Co-Director, The Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center   Churg Strauss syndrome Carol Langford, MD, MHS, Director, Cleveland Clinic Center for Vasculitis Care and Research Ulrich Specks, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Mayo Clinic     Giant cell arteritis (Temporal arteritis)/Takayasu's Arteritis Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH, Director, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine Cornelia Weyand, MD, Ph.D, Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University  Microscopic polyangiitis Sharon Chung, MD, Division of Rheumatology, University of California - San Francisco Megan E. Clowse, MD, MPH, Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University Patrick Nachman, MD, UNC Kidney Center, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill  Pediatrics Andreas Reiff, MD, Head, Division of Rheumatology, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles David Balfe, MD, Medical Director, Pulmonary Stepdown Unit, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center  Polyarteritis nodosa/Cryoglobulinemia Eric Hoy, Ph.D, MS, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Ramnath Dukkipati, MD, Medical Director, Interventional Nephrology, Harbor-UCLA  Wegener's granulomatosis Nabih I. Abdou, MD, PhD, FACP, Center for Rheumatic Disease and AllergyJames A. Garrity, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Mayo Clinic Robert S. Lebovics, MD, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, St. Roosevelt Hospital Paul A. Monach, MD, PhD, Vasculitis Center, Boston University School of Medicine      And That's Not All! Keynote Address: Vasculitis - Where We've Been, Where We're Headed Gary S. Hoffman, MD, MS, Director of Senior Staff Matters, Professional Staff Affairs Office, Cleveland Clinic    Disease-Specific Round Table Discussion Sessions  Moderators: VF Education and Awareness Council    Young Adults Icebreaker (ages 16-25, patients only)  Moderator:  Kim Golbuff, MBA Motivational Presentation: Don't Stop Short of YOUR Miracle Julie Garton-Good, DREI, C-CREC, Port Saint Lucie, Florida   Disease Group Dinners To be announced      Have Some Fun!    All Star Recognition, Celebration Banquet and Hollywood Walk of Fame! Tonight we're putting on sequins, tiaras, glitter and glitz and celebrating! Join us on the VF red carpet for an evening of food, fun and entertainment. Participate in the costume contest and win a prize. Experience the paparazzi and adoring fans. Come as your favorite movie or TV star or TV doctor!  (Participation is completely voluntary! Come to have fun.)   Long Beach and Southern California Attractions Over 100 area restaurants. Attractions include the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Queen Mary, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and Los Angeles. Plan some vacation fun while you are here.     Learn More and Register    Please go to http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/2010vasculitis-symposium for detailed information and to register. Seating is limited, please register as soon as possible. Registration fee includes Saturday and Sunday continental breakfast and lunch, Friday night dessert reception, Saturday night banquet, and daily refreshment breaks.

NMVasculitis Meeting for June 2010 will be at The Range Cafe on Menaul

Our May meeting at the Hilton Cantina was great, because I got to meet with Dennis Wiita. We shared some stories and some "patient secrets" and talked about the upcoming 2010 Vasculitis Patient Symposium, among other things. Dennis is a really great guy and takes his condition in stride. When we met, he had been enjoying a stretch of pretty good days, so we wish that to continue. It is always a pleasure to spend time with Dennis.

The Cantina was okay, but not the cozy corner I am really looking for. So those present decided together that in June we are moving the meeting to The Range Cafe, located on Menaul just about a half block East of University.

Also, I will bring plenty of brochures. I hope lots of you will come and stock up for the summer. Take them to your doctors, to your hospital appointments, and share them with your friends and family. Many times, people only take one copy. Feel free to take a dozen, or more if you think you can share them to spread the word. I have plenty right now, and one of my goals is to get rid of them so they can be out there, doing their work of spreading awareness. Will you please help me? I look forward to seeing as many of you as can come to the June Meeting.

(Those of you who are out of town, let me know you are willing to help and I will mail some brochures to you.)

The Range cafe is a long time favorite place of mine, and I have held successful meetings there for other non-profit groups. So, I know it will be good. If it works out for NMVasculitis, then I would like to settle down here for a while and focus on encouraging more people to attend the meetings. If you do not want dinner, then just come have a drink and maybe a slice if pie. The pies at the Range Cafe are fresh and very good.

As always, the event starts at 6PM and lasts at least one hour, but can go longer if we are having a good time.

Range Cafe - 2200 Menaul Blvd. NE
The Range Café
2200 Menaul NE, Albuquerque, NM
(505) 888-1660

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week, The Range serves ordinary food, made extraordinarily well. New Mexico favorites such as blue corn enchiladas, burritos and award winning huevos rancheros are offered along side classic American favorites like Tom's Meatloaf and Chicken Fried Steak. Our in-house bakery serves up some of the best desserts in town in an eclectic, family atmosphere. See our menu section for our complete listing of The Range family favorites.

Menus

MAP

NMVasculitis Google Groups will be open to a wider public

I seem to get more feedback about the NMVasculitis website from people in other parts of the country than I do from anyone living in New Mexico.

HOW ARE YOU GUYS?
I rarely hear from any of you about how you are doing, so I guess I could make more of an effort to reach out to you people. I would like to know. I would like to see you contacting each other more often for support as well. Maybe we should stop going to restaurants and start going to each others houses. I may pass the hosting chore on to you as a baton we can share. Do you think this would encourage more people to participate?

MAILING LIST CHANGES
In the meantime, what was intended to be a sort of "private corner" sits unused unless I send something out. I think one other person has posted besides myself.

So, I am going to make it easier for people to sign up in hopes that a wider audience will come into the circle and contribute their ideas and experiences for the benefit of all. The mailing list will still be moderated, and I will still approve registrations, but I am allowing more people to participate here.

Be aware that with the mailing list changes the online membership will grow, and it may not remain exclusively a New Mexico mailing list. I do not know how many might choose to sign up, but NM Patients will remain the primary focus, so any local articles about our doctors, our hospitals, and how our climate affects you and your vasculitis... are certainly welcome. Please share what you know.

MORE CONTENT PLEASE
I originally hoped the patient members would be more active, and help contribute content to this website by sharing articles they read in the papers, magazines, etc. and relating significant facts they learn from their doctors. It seems people are either shy, or selfish, with this information, and do not feel compelled to share with the group as I thought they might.

I will try to do better myself by reposting the best of what I see in other news groups to keep this venue more interesting.

Last, but by no means least... Please let us know how you are doing!


Joseph Carpenter
Parent, daughter with CSS (DX March '08)

Email, Fax, Phone and Postal mail: http://www.nmvasculitis.org/Home/about-cnmvf/contact
Central NM Vasculitis Foundation Chapter - http://www.nmvasculitis.org
Vasculitis Foundation - http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org
Churg-Strauss Syndrome Association - http://www.cssassociation.org/

Mark Your Calendars for the 2010 All Star Vasculitis Patient Symposium - July 30-August 1, 2010
http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/2010vasculitis-symposium

May Meeting of NMVasculitis at the Hilton Cantina on University

Our next meeting will be held at 6PM this Thursday, May 20 at the Cantina Lounge in the Hilton Hotel. I believe they have some indoor and outdoor seating, which may work well with the summer months coming up. This venue is centrally located, and also close to the freeway so locals and out of towners alike should find it easy to get off at Menaul and get in there easily.

Cantina Lounge
Have a favorite beverage while enjoying a light snack under the blue skies of New Mexico. Lounge offers food specials and refreshing drinks in a tree-lined courtyard overlooking our pool. Local favorite.


La Cantina Menu

Location: Midtown/University
1901 University Blvd. N.E.

Albuquerque, NM 87102

MAP

Phone: (505) 884-2500
Toll Free: (800) 274-6835
Fax: (505) 880-1196

Days Open: Daily Monday - Sunday 2PM-11PM

Attire: Casual

Complimentary Wireless Internet
Website

This should be a welcome change as we had exhausted the menu at McAllisters after several months of staying in one place. I welcome you all to join us this coming Thursday!


Joseph Carpenter
Parent, daughter with CSS (DX March '08)

Email, Fax, Phone and Postal mail: http://www.nmvasculitis.org/Home/about-cnmvf/contact
Central NM Vasculitis Foundation Chapter - http://www.nmvasculitis.org
Vasculitis Foundation - http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org
Churg-Strauss Syndrome Association - http://www.cssassociation.org/

Mark Your Calendars for the 2010 All Star Vasculitis Patient Symposium - July 30-August 1, 2010
http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/2010vasculitis-symposium

Rituximab - Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Lowers Flu Shot Effectiveness

Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Lowers Flu Shot Effectiveness - Drugs.com MedNews

Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Lowers Flu Shot Effectiveness

MONDAY, Jan. 11 -- New research offers a caution to rheumatoid arthritis patients who take the drug rituximab (Rituxan): The flu vaccine is safe, but it's ineffective during the first six months following treatment with Rituxan.

The researchers also found that previous flu vaccination does help provide some protection against the flu, and the vaccine won't make the arthritis symptoms worse.

The study findings are published in the January issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

NMVasculitis April Meeting at McAllisters

Looks like we will keep the monthly meeting at McAllisters in Uptown this month.

Thursday, April 14th at 6PM.

I will be there. I hope to see you there as well. Come by and I will treat you to some sweet tea.

We can also discuss what this chapter will be able to accomplish for awareness week.

Come one come all to the Jellicle Ball... or something like that.

Details to the location on the Meetings page of the website.

: Joseph

Cases of H1N1 Have Dwindled, Seasonal Flu Has Been a No-Show

The Flu Season That Fizzled - WSJ.com
http://tinyurl.com/yhkeuwb

The Flu Season That Fizzled
Cases of H1N1 Have Dwindled, Seasonal Flu Has Been a No-Show and Doctors Wonder Why

By BETSY MCKAY
[flu]

This has been a flu season like few others.

Normally at this time of year, influenza is rampant in the U.S., prompting hundreds of thousands of people to stay home in the dead of winter with fever, aches and pains.

Now, after raging through college campuses and communities last summer and fall, cases of the new H1N1 swine flu virus have dwindled to a trickle, and run-of-the-mill seasonal flu has barely made an appearance. Not one state reported widespread flu illness to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the week ended Feb. 20, the latest data available. The percentage of all doctors' visits by patients with influenza-like symptoms has dropped from a high of 7.8% in late October—the largest peak since the agency began surveillance in 1997—to 1.8% in late February, well below the norm for flu season."

To read more, read the full article at the Wall Street Journal website.

The Flu Season That Fizzled - WSJ.com
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703429304575095743102260012.html?mod=rss_Today%27s_Most_Popular#printMode