1. The Third Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders is a novel about Zoe Kohler, a character who is a killer suffering from Addison's Disease. If any of you have read this one...I would like some feedback, seems interesting in a warped fashion since I have Addison's.
2. Addison's Disease is named for Dr. Thomas Addison, who only treated about six patients with Addison's Disease back in 1855. Mostly as a result of contracting TB.
3. The 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution - finally addresses issues with the succession of the Presidency during the Presidency of John F. Kennedy. The Amendment morphed from vague wording leaving great debate open regarding the Vice President assuming the Presidency in times of need - the main question would be whether the Vice President, in fulfilling the role of President would be an "Acting" President or actually sworn in as the actual President. The 25th Amendment (ratified in 1967) removed language interpretation barriers and made it clear that the Vice President is to assume the Office of the President, if the President is to be removed, resigned or dies. Supposedly, this change came about more forcefully due to President Kennedy's Addison's Disease threat.
4. President John F. Kennedy had Addison's Disease, but so did his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
5. Until the development of steroids in the late 1940's, the outcome of having Addison's Disease was invariably fatal.
6. I found it fascinating to watch "Medical Mysteries" one evening to see a case study about a woman with Addison's Disease. It was a classic situation of going from doctor to doctor and getting no answers. In the end, she gets an answer and everything seems great with her life on the ranch. But, suddenly before the credits start rolling at the end of the show, there is a splash of words on the screen about the woman dying. It wasn't a great moment, At the start of the show, I had found excitement about Addison's Awareness to only have the person with the disease die - with no true revealations as to her situation. Additional information would have been very welcomed. If it wasn't Addison's-related, please pass details onward because it's difficult to imagine her Addison's Disease not having an impact in her untimely death, and if her death was Addison's-related, please give valuable details so that we fellow-Addison's patients may possibly learn from her untimely death. In life and death; our Addison's Fellowship is important. We feel for the family and friends on a heightened level...it could be our family next, so please share. As Addisonian's, we're all at a higher risk of death by injury, sickness, dehydration, etc., and until you live with this disease, it's not very easy to comprehend.
7. Cute Video put together by teenagers about Addison's disease:
8. Another short video with a simple description of Addison's disease...
9. A very entertaining video used as a learning tool...enjoy.
10. Dogs Trained to Recognize Low Cortisol/Addisonian Crisis!
http://www.hypoalertdogs.co.uk/about.html
AND
http://www.londondogforum.co.uk/cancer-and-bio-detection-dogs-c503.html
which ran the following story...
Karen Ruddleston is the proud owner of the first ever dog used for the detection of low cortisol levels in a patient suffering Addison’s Disease.
Addison’s disease causes the adrenal glands to malfunction and therefore not enough steroid hormone (cortisol) is produced for the body to function normally. In Karen’s case, her condition was exacerbated when tumours were found on her adrenal glands and they had to be removed. As a result she has no cortisol reserves in her body at all and relies totally on medication.
When cortisol levels drop there is very little time between feeling unwell to being in a critical state, which meant that Karen was a virtual prisoner in her own home being fearful of having an attack when out. Understandably this condition caused Karen to suffer from an extreme lack of confidence.
Karen had heard about Cancer Bio detection Dogs and their work with Diabetics and wondered if a dog could be trained to help people with Addison’s disease. This would be a ground-breaking achievement but Claire Guest, director of training was only too pleased to take up the challenge.
Within a year Karen could depend totally on her chocolate Labrador, Coco who not only reliably and persistently alerts Karen to low hormone levels prior to crisis but has turned her life around completely.
The most remarkable part of this story is that Coco at ten months old was looking for a new home when his owners found they could not cope with his boisterous temperament and independent personality. Fortunately they had the insight to contact Cancer Bio detection dogs in the hope that Coco’s surplus energy could be put to good use. Since that time Coco has not looked back and was this year’s nominee for ‘Friends for Life’ at Crufts.
For more about this story click the highlighted title ‘Karen and Coco’s story’ in ‘Special Human Dog Relationships.’
