We often go through the motions of life each and every day. Most of us enjoy our health. Some of us are less fortunate. When I watch the news and see teenagers using drugs, “I think why would they gamble with their health?” I went through those invincible stages as a kid. I think many of these bad decisions can be avoided if they only knew others have to fight for their health. Maybe they need to read stories like the one I’m about to share with you.
Layla is a bright young seven year old girl. She enjoyed most of her life growing up and going to school. Her life seemed pretty normal until she was diagnosed with psoriasis and eczema. Her smile and attitude was enduring. She enjoyed dance, her school work, and friends. Like any other seven year old girl life was exciting and fun.

Today Layla is fighting for her life. Her psoriasis turned into a severe form of pustular psoriasis. She is covered from head to toe. She also has a severe form of Eczema and is now suffering from congestive heart failure. The inflammation of psoriasis interrupts all the functions of the body.
Psoriasis affects 2% of the population. Some 7.5 million Americans. One in every 50 people, which makes it the most prevalent autoimmune disease. Because psoriasis is visible it is often misunderstood. Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are not contagious and it’s not just a skin disease. Psoriasis affects the organs and joints as well. Psoriasis is a life threatening disease as you can see here.

Seven year old Layla is in critical condition and is currently in ICU. Like most of us, Layla didn’t sign up for this disease. Could you imagine being Layla’s parents? I’ve been praying for this young girl. I pray that the doctors figure out the best treatment for her.

So here is what I’m requesting you do for Layla and her family. First and foremost I’m asking you to be part of our prayer chain. We need devine intervention. Next, we need you to share this blog, this way someone with the resources will be able to help in various ways. Lastly, if you can afford to, please donate whatever you can to help this family.
I first learned of Layla when her mom reached out to me in our support group Overcoming Psoriasis . Our group was already able to provide airfare for the family. I told her I was a volunteer patient advocate with the National Psoriasis Foundation . This Foundation is the largest in the world pertaining to this disease. Many of the new treatments today have been funded by this organization. There is no substitute for their knowledge and professionalism.
Layla’s mom set up a Gofundme page. Some of the more graphic photographs can be seen there. I pray this article is delivered to the right person. I pray you see the urgency of this blog. I’m hoping Layla and her family feels the love and compassion us humans are able to show for one another.
The links are highlighted in the article. Just click them to visit the pages. I wish you, the reader and your family, health and happiness, peace and prosperity. May the spirit of the Holiday season start here by your generous gift. Giving is devine! Love is the most powerful energy on Earth. God Bless!

#devine #psoriasis #skin #health #spoonie #npf #skincare #beauty #chronicpain #chronicillness #chroniclife #awesome #creekyjoints #clearskin #eczema #children #giving #donation #philanthropist #overcomingpsoriasis #love #human #God #amen

Step Therapy is in the News!  Many Patients have been prescribed medications by their doctor only to have the prescription denied by their respective insurance company.  Perhaps we should just make an appointment with our insurance company.  Why see our doctor?  Apparently cost is more important then our health. 
Insurance companies would rather prescribe older less effective treatments.  So they make you jump through hoops to get you the medication originally prescribed.

California just implemented laws banning Step Therapy.   Leah Howard with the National Psoriasis Foundation has put together a website for us to share our stories.  Www.steptherapyinfo.com
Here are some examples from the site.

Step therapy is supposed to save insurers money. Does it?

In a study comparing spending on schizophrenia medications in Georgia’s Medicaid program, step therapy saved the state $19.62 per member per month. Cheaper drugs – savings all around. Right?

Wrong. The same study found that after the introduction of step therapy, the Medicaid program had to spend more money on outpatient services – $31.59 per member per month. That’s because less-effective meds often led to higher health costs later. 3

Step therapy can be bad for your health

Step therapy can keep people from getting any effective treatment at all. 1, 5-7

Step therapy generates miles of red tape

It takes up to two hours per patient of precious staff time in doctors’ offices to manage requests and appeals – taking critical time away from patient care. 8

Please leave your email and like this article so I can present this to our local officials.   I need to gather as many emails in order to show our support to change the law. 

#psoriasis #skin #health #spoonie #npf #skincare #beauty #chronicpain #chronicillness #chroniclife #awesome #creekyjoints #clearskin #scalppsoriasis #scalp #overcomingpsoriasis #findacure #psoriatic #psa #arthritis #psoriaticarthritis #psoriasisawareness #psoriasisproblems #cure #hair #pain #rash #happiness #wpd15

I often get emotional when I talk to others about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.  I remember being depressed and alone.  Confining myself indoors, to embarrassed to be seen in public.  Nonsense you say, well not to the person who suffers with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.  I get emotional because I know the difference.  Today I want to show you the difference.

This is a story about a girl I met a few years ago on my page Overcoming Psoriasis .  Helen told me about her psoriasis but never showed me until today.  For a guy, psoriasis has taken its toll on my self esteem.  I would imagine for a gal it’s ten times worse.  Here is a before picture of Helen’s leg. 

Helen has a form of psoriasis known as Gutate.  The onset of gutate is usually after a bout of strep throat.  Unlike plaque psoriasis, gutate shows up as many small spots all over the body.  They are for some very itchy, painful, and embarrassing.  What most people don’t understand us that this is just the visible surface symptoms.  The real problem lies well beneath the skin where the damage being done is unseen.  Often psoriatic’s feel tired and pain throughout the body. This is due to the wide range of inflammation affecting the organs an joints.  It wasn’t until recent that scientist’s discovered that psoriasis was actually a autoimmune disease.   Over the years Helen and I discussed treatments.   Because she is from the UK, our options here might not be the same there. 

Luckily for Helen, the medication I’m on became available for her in her country.  We shared a few words this morning about her progress. We also shared a few tears. Tears of happiness.  This is Helen’s leg today. 

She mentioned how happy she was and that she wanted to show off her gorgeous new skin.  The best part is that this is only after two weeks on the medication.   Let me quote her so you can understand her happiness.  ”

Yeahhh im hoping in a few more weeks it will be completely clear so I can get my legs out for the Christmas parties hahaha”
I assured her that she will be clear.  You see the Difference, not just in appearance but her attitude is one hundred times better.  We psoriasis patients hide… I seen this on Helen’s instagram which sums up how people feel suffering from this insidious disease.

This photo really says it all.  Now because of these new treatments I can show you Helen in a whole new light. 

Helen is an active member of our support group Overcoming Psoriasis click the highlighted words to enter our support group. 

#psoriasis #skin #health #spoonie #npf #skincare #beauty #chronicpain #chronicillness #chroniclife #awesome #psobloggers #psoriasissucks #psoriasisproblems #cure #wegohealth #wpd15

The P maybe silent in psoriasis, but the p in Patient is loud and clear just like our message, Psoriasis is NOT contagious and it’s NOT just a skin disease.  It’s a serious autoimmune disease that affects the organs and the joints causing irreversible damage and can be life threatening if left untreated.  There is no cure and treatments are temporary at best.  New treatments, that are considered safe and effective, are so ridiculously priced you need to be a multimillionaire to afford them.  My mission is clear.  To help research discover new safer and more effective treatments and perhaps a cure.  And to change the publics misconception.  Psoriasis is genetic and you need to be predisposed and when triggered becomes chronic.  The off switch is yet to be discovered.
It affects 7.5 million Americans.  That’s roughly 2% of the population.   That’s one person in a room of fifty.  This makes it the most prevalent autoimmune disease. People with this disease often feel alone and isolate themselves from society. Research has shown that a patient with 3% visible plaques can seriously effect their quality of life.  How is it the most prevalent and the most underfunded?
#psoriasis #skin #health #spoonie #npf #skincare #beauty #chronicpain #chronicillness #chroniclife #WPD15 #wpd15