Special ACES ONLY Contest Page

At different times during the year we hold ACES ONLY contests. Sometimes they're during holidays or they maybe just to cheer up our memebers. If you'd like to join us in these contests, join our e-mail group. There's a link on the front page!

Well I found this list while browsing through the yahoo groups listings. I am on another Yahoo group that changed host and went to yahoo. So I drifted around one night and found you all. At first I wasn't sure if I would fit in or feel accepted. No prob. Am and do. Nearly got scared out when discussions wre going on about yogurt treatments (good thing I don't like yogut any way) LOL. I skimmed those. The group rapidly became a source of support both compassionate and empathetic. while I we may not fuuly understand the full implications of each others particular disease we do fully understand a sudden and completely changed life. It is the knowledge that i know when "roid rage" Bob emerges I'm not judged as peculiar. I'm accepted as who I have become = somebody who at times struggles with the person I have become. It may be good that we never knew each other before here. We may not have ever taken the time to know and care about each other. Laughing at our foibles and crying at our losses and our ever present pains. The group has read me through ramblings and rages and always always encouraged in some way. Perhaps more in a response to someone else than myself. I appreciate this group of people much more than I can express. It has given to me more than my illness group because that is focused mostly on ongoing treatments and differing meds. For the good or bad thats the way it is. I learn from them other things I need to know about my particular disease as I think you all or most do. But this group is has a specialty of its own in that while it is open to more than only one auto-immune illness.We have the common touch point of each having a body for various reasons that has turned against ourselves. We struggle and strive to continue our lives and become richer individuals by carrying each other even one little step. I am not an internet addict but find that I do miss this group when out of touch eager to read whats been happening. In this we gain a sense of familial relationship. Even though most are ot connected by the standard family bond. We are bonded to a degree by our coomon ground. I hope It is understood what I'm trying to say. I've been wanting to say thanks for what you all mean to me. I do love you all in a special way. We have an understanding that our spouses though they love us do not fully grasp. Its at this time I must say thanks for everything.

After searching the web for sites that had information on what I have, (an extremely rare autoimmune condition called Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis) and feeling very low and depressed I found ACES.. (website http://ACES_Autoimmune.tripod.com or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/autoimmune-ills/ ) It was a very low part in my life and I found a group of very loving, and caring people. My life turned around for the most part. I still was depressed but when I felt upset, or like I couldn't take my illness I could turn to them. It was a support group of people just like me that have an Autoimmune illness. It may be rare, or theirs may be a bit more common but we all have our health issues in common here.

As we support and lean on one another...It's great because we talk to each other and when things happen in our lives we send each other emails and we can just talk. Sometimes I feel that its better then talking to my husband about these things or even my closest friend, because they don't understand what I'm going through, but everyone on this list dose. It doesn't matter if your not on for a week or two... or even a day... When you come back they are there.... No matter if you were sick, just went on vacation.... or your computer conked out on you....

We have different personalities, different ages, different races... It doesn't matter... What matters is that we all care for one another and because of that, the age and gender and race gap is gone.... It doesn't matter... That is what I feel is the most important about this group. I may be one of the youngest but they don't care. They treat me like I'm exactly one of them. And that's because we are all the same in the eyes of autoimmune illness.. they effect everyone... and so to that... we all are the same... and we share, care.... and support one another...

The contest is a great idea, but I'm glad it gave me the chance to say the following, no matter what!

I found the ACES group after being diagnosed with a rare, auto-immune disease in December of 2001. After the diagnosis, I felt scared, alone, very depressed and had very little information about what this new disease would mean for my life.

I spent a great deal of time just reading others' posts in the beginning. Even though others had different diagnoses, much of what they shared I could relate to, or learn from. I was in a mode that made me want as much information as I could get, even though there wasn't much available concerning my condition, Relapsing Polychondritis.

Then, the emotional impact caught up with me and I found myself turning to the ACES community for support on a daily basis. This support came through simply reading from the other community members and keeping up on their lives and supporting them, as well as through posting messages myself and receiving incredibly supportive responses from people brought together in cyberspace, into my new community.

There were some days that this was the only thing that kept me going, because I felt "not so alone". I have appreciated the welcoming environment of this community, from the beginning. No matter what the other members' background, current situation, or belief systems, I have always been treated with respect and care in a way that is unheard of in most of society today. In addition, no matter what any of us is going through, there is always plenty of support, laughter, shared tears and care to go around!

Thank you to all the community members of ACES. You have become a very important part of my life!

I found the ACES group through Christy. I am on another email list that she's on and I've "known" her for years from the other list. When I was diagnosed I wrote a short note about it on the winners list and right away Christy replied with a helping hand. I don't know how long I've been on the list, but I do know that I couldn't do without all of you now! You've all been such a Blessing to me, always there when I need to whine, vent or just chat. I've gotten more useful information about my medical problems from this list than I think I have anywhere. I love you guys and I hope we're all here together for a long long time!!