Show Us Your Hands!: A Story of Hope and Community

By Lene Andersen, Health Guide Wednesday, May 16, 2012
“I was always ashamed of my hands.” “I used to hide my hands.” “I never shared a photo of my hands before.”   Five months ago, RA Guy put out a call for submissions to a community collage showing the hands of people living with different kinds of inflammat...
5/17/12 8:03am
I was honored to be chosen to participate in the 'Show Me Your Hands' projects. Thank you for reaching out to all of us!!!
Lene Andersen, Health Guide
5/17/12 2:31pm

I loved your photo! Just got my book yesterday and it looks even better in person.

5/17/12 8:18am

The book is breathtaking and also brought tears to my eyes. It showed me that I am not alone in this fight, that we are out there...across the globe. It showed me that no matter the age, no matter the severity of our autoimmune arthritis....we are all fighters, we are all in this together and together we can and we will make a difference.

Lene Andersen, Health Guide
5/17/12 2:33pm

not only that, but we're also together in our reaction to it. I had to get a Kleenex. Wink

 

I love your page in the book - terrific photo, both of your hands and your face.

5/19/12 9:23am

WOW!!!!  The book is amazin!!! I had nothin to do with it, yet when I previewed it I cried. Not tears of sadness but of the feelin that was made real by seein ALL the other people like me, I'm not alone... GOD BLESS you all that had a part in the project. If it doesn't get us RA people noticed, then I don't know what will. 

Lene Andersen, Health Guide
5/25/12 1:30pm

so glad you liked it! And yeah... Pretty much everybody who's seen the book have cried. It packs much more of a punch that we realized it would have and I for one am very happy about it.

5/21/12 3:07am

I was down with viral flu and an accompanying flare. Today when I joined work I was still feeling very weak and depressed. But when I saw this amazing book and the effort you people have put in to make it, jolted me out from my blues. Hell,

what am I whining for? Just see all those who still do what they have to do battling with so much pain. Congratulations to all of you you have made this possible.

Thanks a lot.

Ratnapriya

Lene Andersen, Health Guide
5/25/12 1:32pm

a wonderful to hear that the book helped you get out of the doldrums! I've been looking through mine. Every couple of days and go there especially when I'm feeling a little down. Every single time, it lifts my spirits and makes me feel part of a community - we hear that same message from so many and are very happy about it.

5/26/12 11:06am

Lene! The book is beautiful! I just purchased it online after viewing the pages and can't wait to get my hands on it! (is there a play on words in there somewhere?) The photos and stories are so lovely - I should just stop here, I really don't have  the words for this. You and your friends have created a moving testament to the courage, strength, endurance and grace of each indivdual who lives with the challenges of autoimmune disease.

Lene Andersen, Health Guide
5/26/12 10:28pm

thank you so much for such a lovely comment. Let me know what you think when you get your hands (!) on the book?

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By Lene Andersen, Health Guide— Last Modified: 05/26/12, First Published: 05/16/12