Chronic Bits 

New projects from the Kaiser Family Foundation bring us a wealth of new information on HIV/AIDS. Check out GlobalHealthFacts.org, with new stats on people living with the disease. Or visit GlobalHealthReporting.org, with "facts at a glance" and other facts.

Is it just us, or are the only publications writing about reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD) [also known as complex regional pain syndrome] based in New York? First The New Yorker published an excellent article on RSD (here's a chat with the author), and now The New York Times has a great piece on the condition. Thanks, New York publishing world, for enlightening us!

New Grand Rounds! This week it's hosted by KidneyNotes, who does a smashing job. Check it out, or if you're a newbie, learn more about the Grand Rounds project.

A new study says that music can help ease chronic pain, according to the BBC. Appearing the The Journal of Advanced Nursing, the study showed that people who listened to music reported decreases in pain and the feeling of being disabled by pain. To the ipods!

VSA Arts, with support from Volkswagon of America, is sponsoring "destination anywhere" - a national juried art exhibit for young artists with disabilities, according to a tip from Babe Shannon. If you're 16 to 25 and looking to show off your creative skills, get the scoop here. The grand prize is $20,000, and submission deadline is July 14, 2006. Go for it!

New Grand Rounds! This week it's hosted by Emeritus, the blog of Dr. Emer in Manila. Talk about exotic! Check it out, or if you're a newbie, learn more about the Grand Rounds project.

Babe Brenda pointed us to this story about a crafty group of women who are using knitting, crocheting and other needlework to help alleviate stress of chronic illness. Read all about the crafters at the Cancer Wellness Center in Northbrook, Ill. - and start your own crafty group! Girl, even if it means grabbing some crayons and construction paper and going to town, it's gonna help - trust us!

Womens' eNews columnist Paula J. Kaplan offers up a controversial viewpoint regarding women and psychiatric labels: "The social and political sources of much of women's emotional pain are obscured by the application of psychiatric diagnoses, which locate the problem within the woman herself. Thus, diagnosis deflects energies that could be used for social and political change," says Kaplan. She examines the trend of women being more likely than men to be diagnosed with mental illness, and the ramifications of that trend. Wow. This piece is a must-read piece for every woman.

Sometimes we meet a ChronicDude who we just have to introduce. Colin Sullivan had three back surgeries that left him disabled, and he's created a blog to talk about his experiences, "in which I'll post around 100 activities that I've added to my life, like emailing total strangers, to rebuild what was a rich and rewarding life." We love Colin's spirit! Check out his site, and be inspired.

Genentech is sponsoring three clinical trials at more than 200 U.S. medical facilities, examing an investigational drug for rheumatoid arthritis, rituximab. StudyRA.com provides information about each of the three individual trials, as well as inclusion and exclusion criteria used to help identify appropriate participants. If you have RA and are interested in participating, take this online survey to assess your eligibility for the trials or call 1-888-82-STUDY (78839) to talk to a representative.

Via MedPageToday, we learn that Paxil (manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline) will now carry modified labels warning of an increased risk for suicide for patients 18 to 30. Read more from the manufacturer.

Check out this week's Grand Rounds, hosted by Doc Around the Clock. Our recent "Ask the Babe" piece on job interviews and diclosure is featured, as are a ton of other excellent entries. Check it out, and learn more about the Grand Rounds project.

Via The Daily Headache, check out the creepiest pain scale ever. The Editrix knows it's designed for kids, but thinking back to when she was a kid in pain, she guesses she would have been freaked out at the sight of it. There has to be a better way.

May 14-20 is National Women's Health Week, a time to examine our own health, and that of women in our community. WomensHealth.gov offers state-by-state data, as well as locations where you can get free check-ups throughout the week.

Check out this week's Grand Rounds, hosted by Aetilogy. Isobel's feature on Celexa and sex is featured, as are dozens of other excellent entries. Check it out, and learn more about the Grand Rounds project.

Babe Brenda points us to this great story on the stress-busting quality of crafting, appearing in the Republican American. In this case, it's all about knitting to reduce the stress of cancer - but we Babes know that crafting can soothe the soul no matter what Chronic you have. So get out there and make something!

And it features one of our favorite ChronicBabes, Paula Kamen, author of All in My Head. It's new, and it's rockin'. Check out the WIMN's Voices Blog, created by the Women in Media & News project. Or go right to Paula's entries.

Reuters says: New research suggests that women with rheumatoid arthritis may be choosing to create smaller families. This is in contradiction to the idea that women with RA may have more infertility issues. The study appears in the new issue of the Journal of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Via Kerrie at The Daily Headache, check out the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) Questionnaire and the Headache Impact Test (HIT), two tools to help assess the impact of headache in your life. Like Kerrie, you may be surprised at the impact your illness has on your day-to-day activities. Over here at ChronicBabe HQ, we're wondering if there are similar tests for other chronics? If you know of any, let us know!

David Williams over at the Health Business Blog adds some commentary to Isobel's piece on Celexa, reminding all ChronicBabes (and Dudes) that pharmacists often have the most up-to-date info on medications. Thanks David!

Grand Rounds is fresh over at Polite Dissent, and our Babe Laurie is featured. Check it out! Learn more about Grand Rounds, the best of the medical blogosphere. We love it!