Antiphospho.....WHAT?!?!
Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) Awareness Ribbon Enamel Pin
$15.00
Antiphospholipid Syndrome Awareness Charm Bracelet
$15.00
Burgundy Hope Leather Wristband
$16.00
** NEWSLETTER ALERT **

Please let us know if there are any topics that you'd like our Medical Advisers to cover in their articles. We try to request topics that people are emailing about or that are discussed on our forum. So if there's anything you'd like to see, please let us know and we'll pass it along to the medical advisers.

We are still in need of patient stories (esp about Men and Teens / Children), recipes, poems, related book reviews, and anything else you think would be of interest for upcoming newsletters. (book reviews, poems, recipes, articles written by family members, etc.) Please submit articles to the following email address: articles@apsfa.org .

Please follow our current guidelines when submitting an article:
· Send your story/article to  articles@apsfa.org
· Patient stories and most articles should be approximately 500-750 words long and contain a title
· Articles should be written at a 5th-8th grade reading level
· Please try to include a picture when submitting a patient story
· Patient stories should read like an autobiography-generally from diagnosis to the present time, but it doesn't have to

Please use previous patients' stories as your guideline. They can be found here: https://apsfa.org/newsletter/

If you have an idea and are unsure if it would fit, please feel free to contact us through our contact page on the website, or email us using the email address below. We are open to any suggestions. Without your help, we would not be able to include an APS patient's story in each of our newsletters.

We could also use articles written by medical professionals or medical students on APS & APS-related topics, like Lupus. Please get in touch with us if you are interested. This is a good opportunity for you to get your name out there.
This tree holds a special meaning for the members of the APS Foundation of America and the community it serves. Since the Giving Tree has been such a big success in the past, we have brought it back as an annual tradition and is our main end-of-the-year fundraiser.
 
How it works: Donations are made using the buttons on the Giving Tree page. There is an ornament or gift that corresponds with different donation amounts. The Giving Tree starts out bare but as the month progresses, the tree is decorated with generous donations.
 
At the end of the fundraiser, our tree is beautifully decorated with ornaments, and gifts are spilling from beneath it.
 
If you prefer to remain anonymous, please let us know.

All Giving Tree donations (as long as they are completed by 12/31/2023) are 100% tax deductible. Donations over $200 through PayPal will get an APS tote bag from our CafePress Store valued at $18.00 USD while supplies last.

This is the perfect time to send fresh flowers to your family and friends for the Holidays.

The APS Foundation of America, Inc. has its own flower store at: http://apsfa.flowerpetal.com

Now when you order flowers at: http://apsfa.flowerpetal.com, 12% of each purchase goes to the APS Foundation of America.

There are no additional fees for delivery - including same-day delivery. This means you can save up to $12.95 compared to other online florists. So every purchase puts a smile on many faces - including yours!

Now is a great time to start sending out your various season & and special arrangements. So check out our site & support the APSFA at the same time.

Tell everyone about http://apsfa.flowerpetal.com and help us make a difference.

Deceived from Within: Living with APS and Lupus

Ever wake up one day to see part of your body look out of the ordinary? Unusual swelling and discoloration? Followed by tremendous chest pain that makes sleep impossible. A pain that ranks as a number ten on the pain scale. You have both a Deep Vein Thrombosis and a Pulmonary Embolism. Two blood clots. My whole life changed. Welcome to my story. What once was a thriving life, changed in a matter of years. Lost two jobs, unable to find the right Doctors to treat me. The lack of interest to do more. To help find answers. The shame and the depression they caused. How close I was to giving up. To move forward while ignoring my body. I no longer cared. After five long years, life changed. All I needed was a push in the right direction. Finding the right person to trust and provide guidance to find the answers. Her guidance helped me with a change in Doctors. New Doctors who were looking out for my best interests. Providing the answers for what ails me. Answers that would help me understand my health issues and how to move forward. I was diagnosed with both Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Lupus. Autoimmune disease I had no clue what they were or meant. 90% who have both Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Lupus are usually women! I'm amongst the 10 percenters, men living with both APS and Lupus. My book details when my life was changing for the better and eventually the worst. The challenges I continue to live with and how I live with those. The outlets that guide me through the tough times. And appreciating what life has to offer instead of living in the past.
The APS Foundation of America Board of Directors would like to wish all of our volunteers, donors, friends, forum participants & those individuals who have contributed to the success of this Foundation
A Joyous Holiday Season!

Tina, Karyn, Kim & Tammy

The information in this newsletter is not intended to replace standard doctor-patient visits.  All information should be confirmed with your personal doctor.  Always seek the advice of a trained physician in person before seeking any new treatment regarding your medical diagnosis or condition.  Any information received from the APS Foundation of America, Inc. through this newsletter is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure and is for informational purposes only.

If you have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 911 immediately.

All of the information in this newsletter is the property of the APSFA and © of the authors.