To say that I am be pleased with the effects of new Wonder-Drug, Stelara would be an understatement.  Sure, like any drug, there are side-effects and concerns, but thus far (a month in) I am really pleased with the results.  Johnson & Johnson, you’re my new hero.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me try this for a year under your “starving rockstar” program, and thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to be a mouthpiece for psoriasis sufferers everywhere.

First, let’s start with the side-effects.  For those psoriasis sufferers out there, about an hour after my first injection I came down with a weird migraine-like headache and a feeling of near total exhaustion.  Reading the list of potential side-effects from the website, apparently, this is fairly normal.  Three extra-strength tylenol and a two-hour nap later, I actually felt pretty good.  I’ve had no residual negative side-effects since, that I can pinpoint, and this Friday I’ll be able to see if the drug has similar side-effects after my 2nd scheduled injection.

Now the results:  These photos below show before and after the Stelara Injection at 30 days (warning, my legs are those of a psoriasis-covered Greek God).  I should point out that posting these images actually takes some ‘extra-courage’ for me – you never see me in shorts.  My legs have been really bad for a while and a point of personal frustration and anguish, partially because my skin looks bad and partially because my skin feels bad (i.e. painful).  Hopefully by sharing these images it will help create more awareness about the disease and help other psoriasis sufferers who are struggling realize that they don’t need to be ashamed; that they can still live an incredible life and still pursue their wildest dreams… and, well, as you can see, thanks to Stelara I have little to be worried about.  Oh, and with this drug (and believe me I’ve tried virtually all of them) so far, no massive cases of strep throat or other weird issues as with other treatments.  Yes, thanks Stelara for my one month of amazing!

Questions?  Why not ask me on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/kburdick1

Check out these amazing photos from the March 31st concert in Arizona!  Big thanks to nationally renowned photographer and lifelong friend, Jared Platt, as these are some pretty impressive photos.

To read Jared’s Blog and hear his analysis of the concert, go to:  http://www.jaredplatt.com/?p=426

I am thrilled to announce the creation of a new pendant by innovative jewelry designer and manufacturer Kele & Co.  Kele & Company worked closely with my sister on the design and creation of the pendant.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this pendant will be donated to the Dempsey Burdick Memorial Foundation.

The pendant can be found and ordered from page 36 of the new 2009 Kele and Company Catalog, found here.

This month marks the 5 year anniversary of the passing of my daughter Dempsey.  Thanks to renowned photographer and lifelong friend Jared Platt (www.plattphotography.com), I will always be able to carry these incredible memories of her with me as he captured her 31-days of life in some of the most amazing and moving photos I’ve ever seen.  In honor of her memory and also as tribute to her this month, I’m posting many of these photos here on my blog to be seen by my friends and fans, many for the first time.

Note:  If you are moved by these photos, please take a minute to review the charity that we founded in her name.  We help to provide permanent grave markers for other struggling and financially needy families that have also lost a child.  If you are interested in supporting her cause, either financially or by sharing it with friends, please go to:  www.dempseyburdick.com

Yesterday’s photoshoot for “The Walking Wounded” album cover was an incredibly rewarding and exhausting full day of work.  A big thank you to my personal friend and photographer Jared Platt for shooting us, Steven Hansen (aka Filthy Duck) another personal friend and top Utah photographer for assisting and capturing the event via his lens, Cynthia Dean of Enizio for the gore makeup (along with her assistant Cassie), and Ken (my business manager) for helping to manage everything and for making us laugh.  We spent most of the cold day just outside the Utah Ghost Town of Thistle getting photos of me and my rag-tag group of 7 wounded warriors who will physically represent many of the inner wounds that we carry with us as people in this crazy place we call planet earth.  The conditions were kind of cramped with the 11 of us inside my tour bus, but I appreciated everyone’s willingness to have a good attitude in-spite of cramped quarters.

The most difficult part of the day (besides the temperature) was carrying my 300 pound Slam Grand Piano down into a marsh to be photographed with a house half buried by water behind it.  It took four of us to carry and took it’s toll on my poor friend Steven’s back.

A special thanks to all my sexy “trade-for-print” wounded models, who were (for the most part) extremely professional and fun to spend the day with:  Paris, Ariana, Kesia, Jenica, and Kimberly. 

Click below to see some random photos from the day, courtesy of Filthy Duck.

There’s something interesting about getting photos taken with a great photographer - a great photographer, and I’ve worked with some great ones in the past (see PlattPhotography.com), gets you to completely relax and is able to capture images of you completely being yourself.  Possibly your goofiest self, or your coolest self, or your most real self – but natural images of who you are.  In some cultures they believe that a photograph can actually capture one’s soul, and I think there is some truth to that with a great photographer.

My photoshoot with Filthy Duck yesterday was more about three guys goofing around then almost anything – in other words, it was a blasty-blast!!  We got some great photos and had a great time!  Steven Hansen (aka Filthy Duck) is so much fun to work with and and the end of the shoot we had all bonded like crazy photo brothers.  Thanks Steven!