Lafayette :
Dorie Janise at 1-337-895-0676

We now have 128 members on our membership roster coming from our original group here in Slidell (NorthShore) and an affiliate in Lafayette LA and as of August a new group, North Louisiana Scleroderma Support Group, Shreveport LA. We invite everyone in nearby areas to join us!

When I first saw this cartoon in the Slidell Sentry-News in July of 1997, I was both amused and struck by the appropriateness of its message. We have all heard that "no one promised you a rose garden" and that "there is no free lunch" but this says it so much better.

Every human being must pay some life tolls but those of us with chronic diseases surely pay what we often feel is more than our share. And it would be easy to fall into a state of self-pity. When I am down, I look at Frank and Ernest and grin to myself. I feel better and regain my determination to meet the challenges of my life's highway.

My tolls may be different than yours but we are all here together striving to make the best life we can. This cartoon helps me to keep my perspective and press on, paying the tolls and making the best of things.

That's one reason I am part of the Scleroderma Support Group, North Shore. From the group I not only receive help that pays some of the tolls, but I give support to others that helps pay their tolls and, oddly enough, that is the best payment of all for me.

I hope you will join us and learn for yourself that this "highway of life" is so much more enjoyable when you have company — company like the people in our group — company like Frank and Ernest to make us laugh, and Bob Thaves, the creator of "Frank and Ernest" who has given us permission to use his cartoon strip in our newsletter.