Monday, January 25, 2016

Music Monday - The Dark Side of RA

Please forgive me for a bad wordplay on an album title, because it has been another hard week for the music industry, with the death of two more musicians, both dead at the age of 67.

One of those deaths, Glenn Frey, I want to talk about some more before I pay tribute to him.

Glenn Frey had rheumathoid arthritis, something that always draws my attention, because my mother also had RA.  She was diagnosed at a time when there was little medicine could do for it. It caused her tremendous suffering.  She died relatively young.

Now there are drugs for RA, but they can have nasty, very nasty, side effects because of the way they must work within the body.  Heart failure. Nervous system problems.  Infections. Susceptibility to tuberculosis.  Even cancer.

One of my neighbors died from a cancer that may have been a side effect of one of those drugs.  He was only in his early 60's. He told me he did not regret the drug he took because it made a positive difference in his life for about four years (until he was diagnosed with brain cancer.) Meanwhile, Frey died from pneumonia and colitis, in addition to the toll RA took on his body, according to his manager.

Those with RA will have to keep on fighting, every day. 

I will now remember Glenn Frey, co-founder of the Eagles?  There are so many songs to choose from.  I am picking three of my favorites.

My personal favorite, Hotel California.

You Belong to the City.

A Don Henley song, here performed by the Eagles - Dirty Laundry.

This week, we also lost Dale "Buffin" Griffin, drummer for the English rock band Mott the Hoople, dead from Alzheimer's.  While they did more than this one song, it's a song I love.  All the Young Dudes. It was ironically written by the late David Bowie, who died at 69 earlier this month.

I never thought my "Music Monday" feature would end up as an almost weekly RIP to artists of my youth and young adulthood that we have lost.  Next week, I will try to blog a tribute before that artist dies.  And after that?  We'll see.

18 comments:

  1. I had forgotten about "You belong in the City". I believe it highlights my favorite, David Sanborn, as well. It came out at the time I was clearly fed up with living in a very small town...
    thanks for reminding me!

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    1. There is so much music that brings back memories. "Dirty Laundry" is one of those songs (the Don Henley version) which is why I included the Eagles performance.

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  2. A big loss for the music lovers this month... and Alan Rickman too. Aah! RA can be pretty debilitating. One of my aunt has it and she really struggles with even the simplest of chores especially when the flares were intense. Hope we have better drugs which improve the QOL of patients with lesser side effects.

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    1. I work with someone whose sister has RA. I do hope for better drugs with fewer massive side effects, for your aunt and others. It is a terrible condition to have. I remember well how much my Mom struggled with it.

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  3. While it's too late for these poor guys, I will stay on my quest to get people still here and fighting diseases everyday to research alternative methods instead of toxic medications, something as simple as changing your diet and using essential oils can prevent and sometimes reverse some of these conditions. We have to stop believing as a nation that toxic drugs are the only answer and start being our own advocates for optimum health.

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    1. We do have to be our own advocates - especially when we do find ourselves in the medical system.

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  4. Yeah, the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016 has been tough with so many lost legends. I'm familiar with the Eagles and like their music, but not familiar with the other you mentioned.

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    1. Now, Abe Vigoda. This is going to be a hard winter for the entertainment industry.

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  5. I had no idea RA was so debilitating. Oh, and "Hotel California"... One of the few songs I can not listen to. When I was a kid it gave me nightmares.

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    1. RA is a terrible illness; your body turns on you. It took a great toll on my Mom and there is evidence the tendency to RA is hereditary. I wish for better treatments for its sufferers.

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  6. It's sad to lose those people who forever impacted others. At least they leave behind great memories and accomplishments.

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    1. Yes, we do have the memories, and the recordings of their greatness.

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  7. As a 60's, 70's and 80's music listener, the musicians mentioned are ones of my generation and age in years. No doubt their music has mingled with my memories through the years. Thanks for the video reminders...my favorites, too.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

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    1. As long as we have their recordings, they live on (in some ways).

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  8. Yes it is painfully sad to lose such musical greats, but what a legacy to leave behind!

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    1. Yes, what a legacy. If these deaths raise awareness of conditions such as RA and Alzheimer's, and help lead to better treatments, it will be even more of a legacy. I hope that happens.

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  9. Certainly a big loss for the music industry. RA is bad. Your post is the tribute to the artists. Thanks for sharing!

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