↓
 
Some posts contain affiliate links, marked with an asterisk *
Daily Journal with Mitochondrial Myopathy

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder

My Journey with a Mitochondrial Disease - "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 KJV

  • About Me – My MITO Story
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
Home→Tags i Million for RARE

Diagnosis in 2006 - Parkinson's Disease and Peripheral Neuropathy, then in 2007 - Essential Myoclonus. Finally in 2011, after a muscle biopsy, I was diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy as well as Peripheral Neuropathy.

Share my journey - coping with the testing, the medicines, nutrition, digestion problems, exercise, the emotions, uncertain diagnoses and no telling what else!

Tag Archives: i Million for RARE

WORLD RARE DISEASE DAY is TODAY!!

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on February 29, 2012 by DBOctober 9, 2019  

TODAY is World Rare Disease Day!

As I was recently diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy, I’ve been doing a lot of personal research trying to understand a disease I had never heard of until a few months ago. We have been told by the diagnosing Neuromuscular Specialist that there is currently no cure and no real treatment available.

The main symptoms that affect my Quality of Life are extreme muscle weakness and fatigue, but I also get Myoclonic jerks, I walk with an ataxic gait, and I have digestive problems, as well as memory issues. And I have Type II Diabetes that is under control with nutrition and weight control. Diabetes is another way that Mitochondrial Disease can manifest itself. In hindsight I suspect that my symptoms probably started showing up about 30 years ago.

One in 10 Americans is affected by a rare disease – that’s over 30 million people. That’s more than the total number of people living worldwide with cancer! There are more than 7,000 diseases classified as being rare, most of which affect children. I can’t even imagine how parents must react when they are told their precious little one has a rare disease – and learn that 30% of the children diagnosed with a rare disease will die by their 5th birthday.

Most of these rare diseases are genetic in origin. There are no cures for these diseases, and only about 5% of these diseases even have a treatment. Less than half of the Rare Diseases have any kind of foundation, advocacy group, or community support group, because many of these diseases affect fewer than 100 people.

My own disease falls under the scope of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, so  I do have knowledgeable people I can turn to for help. And online there is a the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, as well as MitoAction and several Facebook groups dealing with MITO diseases where I can go for information and support. You’ll find me on FB in the 250+ member Mito Adults group – just ask on the group to join, if it would be a good fit for you.

So what about all the families dealing with one of these 3,000 or so Rare Diseases who have no support group at all?

You can help them:

VISIT the R.A.R.E. Project site and learn more. DONATE to help with research if you can.

LIKE and share the Global Genes Project Facebook page with your FB friends and be one of the hoped for Million who show their support for families facing one of these rare diseases.

WEAR jeans today to increase awareness of the need for more research and funding for genetic diseases. Hopefully your workplace is involved in Jeans for Genes as a MitoAction fund-raising effort today. But if not, you can still donate to these causes.

 

Posted in MITO | Tagged diabetes, difficulty walking, digestion, fatigue, i Million for RARE, MDA, memory, MITO, MitoAction, Mitochondrial Myopathy, myoclonus, Rare Disease, UMDF, weakness, World Rare Disease Day | Leave a reply

World Rare Disease Day in 30 Days!

Day by Day with a Movement Disorder Posted on January 30, 2012 by DBOctober 9, 2019 4

Feb. 29, 2012 will be World Rare Disease Day, and I’m joining other bloggers to raise awareness about rare diseases.

As I was recently diagnosed with Mitochondrial Myopathy, I’ve been doing a lot of personal research trying to understand a disease I had never heard of until a few months ago. Different sites include certain types of Mitochondrial Myopathy on their list of Rare Diseases. I don’t know if my type has been classified or not, but that’s on my list to ask about when I see my Neurologist. We have been told by the diagnosing Neuromuscular Specialist that there is currently no cure and no real treatment available.

The main symptoms that affect my Quality of Life are extreme muscle weakness and fatigue, but I also get Myoclonic jerks, I walk with an ataxic gait, and I have digestive problems, as well as memory issues. And I have Type II Diabetes that is under control with nutrition and weight control. Diabetes is another way that Mitochondrial Disease can manifest itself. In hindsight I suspect that my symptoms probably started showing up about 30 years ago.

One in 10 Americans is affected by a rare disease – that’s over 30 million people. That’s more than the total number of people living worldwide with cancer! There are more than 7,000 diseases classified as being rare, most of which affect children. I can’t even imagine how parents must react when they are told their precious little one has a rare disease – and learn that 30% of the children diagnosed with a rare disease will die by their 5th birthday.

Most of these rare diseases are genetic in origin. There are no cures for these diseases, and only about 5% of these diseases even have a treatment. Less than half of the Rare Diseases have any kind of foundation, advocacy group, or community support group, because many of these diseases affect fewer than 100 people.

My own disease falls under the scope of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, so  I do have knowledgeable people I can turn to for help. And online there is a the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, as well as MitoAction and several Facebook groups dealing with MITO diseases where I can go for information and support. You’ll find me on FB in the 250+ member Mito Adults group – just ask on the group to join, if it would be a good fit for you.

So what about all the families dealing with one of these 3,000 or so Rare Diseases who have no support group at all?

You can help them:

VISIT the R.A.R.E. Project site and learn more. DONATE to help with research if you can.

LIKE and share the Global Genes Project Facebook page with your FB friends and be one of the hoped for Million who show their support for families facing one of these rare diseases.

WEAR jeans on Feb. 29th to increase awareness of the need for more research and funding for genetic diseases. Encourage your co-workers to get involved in Jeans for Genes as a MitoAction fund-raising effort on Feb. 29th.

READ some of these blogs supporting World RARE Disease Day, many sharing what life is like with a rare disease.


 

Posted in MITO | Tagged fatigue, genetic, i Million for RARE, MDA, MITO, MitoAction, Mitochondrial Myopathy, Quality of Life, Rare Disease, UMDF, weakness, World Rare Disease Day | 4 Replies

Recent Posts

  • Mitochondrial Disease Treatment in Phase 3 Trial October 21, 2019
  • God’s Healing Sunlight March 31, 2018
  • Immune System Issues, Slowly Recuperating January 25, 2018
  • Flu Shot? Yes or No? December 20, 2017
  • Nutrition Information Sources December 14, 2017

Archives

Tags

balance blood glucose brain fog care giving depression diabetes diagnosis diet difficulty walking elimination difficulties Essential Myoclonus exercise exhaustion Friday Date Day gait gas Gastroenterologist GERD God insomnia MITO Mitochondrial Myopathy Movement Disorder muscle spasms nausea Neurologist nutrition pain Parkinson's peripheral neuropathy Physical Therapy prayer prescriptions Primidone PWP Quality of Life Requip Sinemet Sleep Apnea stomach stress symptoms tremors weakness Zelepar

Our Websites

  • Dirty Butter – Cherished Memories Dirty Butter – Cherished Memories
  • Dirty Butter Plush Animal Shoppe Dirty Butter Plush Animal Shoppe
  • Plush Memories Lost Toy Search Service Plush Memories Lost Toy Search Service
  • Yesterday's Memories Yesterday's Memories

Blog Friends

  • A Catholic Life – A Family Dealing with MITO
  • Anuket's Crusade
  • Baby Food Steps
  • Gilbert Guide Blog
  • Gimp Parade
  • GodsPlans
  • Leafing
  • Life According to Liz
  • Life with Shaky
  • Living in the Slow Lane
  • Mito Families!
  • Mozart Movement
  • My Father's Hand
  • My Life as a Mighty Mito Mama
  • My Own Arcadia – Spanish Language Blog with Parkinson's Information
  • Parkinson's Straight from the Horse's Mouth
  • Parkinsonism – Road to Diagnosis
  • Patients Like Me (All Kinds of Diseases)
  • PD Plus Me
  • Princess Leah Diaries
  • Shake, Rattle, and Roll
  • Taking Baby(food) Steps
  • Today with Pokie Too and PD
  • Wheelie Catholic
  • YOPD

Mitochondrial Myopathy Resources

  • Correcting Human Mitochondrial Mutations
  • mitoACTION
  • Mitochondria Research Society
  • Mitochondrial Bottleneck Cracked
  • Mitochondrial Cytopathy in Adults
  • Mitochondrial Myopathy Disease Foundation
  • Mitochondrial Vitamin Cocktail – A Guide for Patients
  • Muscular Dystrophy Association
  • NIH – Monkey DNA Swap May Block Mitochondrial Disease
  • Overview of MELAS
  • Research Match
  • Scientific American Article about Using Glutathione as a Marker
  • UAB Researchers Explore the Mystery of Mitochondria
  • When Cells Face an Energy Crisis

Nutrition Resources

  • Keto Calculator
  • Ketogenic Diet Resources
  • Maria Mind Body Health
  • Treating Constipation without Destroying Your Gut

Products I Use

  • RubyLux NIR-A Infrared Bulb
  • Satori Qigong Flow Form
  • The Energy Blueprint

Parkinson's Disease Resources

  • Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center
  • The Brain from Top to Bottom

Peripheral Neuropathy Resources

  • About.com Guide to Peripheral Neuropathy
  • An Algorithm for the Evaluation of Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Brain Tumor Dictionary
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association CMTA
  • How to Choose and Use a Walker
  • Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Peripheral Neuropathy Fact Sheet

Radial Neuropathy Resources

  • The Wrist Drop of Saturday Night

Subcribe to Our Feed

©2022 - Day by Day with a Movement Disorder - Weaver Xtreme Theme Privacy Policy
↑
Translate »