{RA Warrior is having a Blog Carnival to promote awareness of Rheumatoid Disease – and Rheumatoid Awareness Day [February 2 each year]! This is my entry.}
I think one of the things I was unprepared for when I developed Rheumatoid Disease (Rheumatoid Arthritis) was the fact that so many of the people I encountered in life and online had totally different experiences with the disease. It took me a long time to learn and even longer to internalize and REALIZE – Rheumatoid Disease manifests itself differently in each person!
“Some people experience constant pain; some have a series of “flares” and periods of lower disease activity. Symptoms can vary greatly from day-to-day.
“Rheumatoid Disease is different in each person — and even in the same person over time.” [Kelly Young, http://rawarrior.com/ ]
A “mild” case of rheumatoid disease is just as valid as a “moderate” or “severe” case. It was interesting to me to look at ads and see people with related autoimmune conditions who were on Biologic “X” or Biologic “G” and were doing well. I thought I was being held back because we couldn’t afford the co-pays. But there was another factor I learned about:
Even if we could have afforded for me to be on one of the then-available Biologics, there was LESS than a 35% chance that it would have worked!
My RD is different. I am seronegative and do not have a lot of the so-called “typical” manifestations (gnarly hands) of RD. Because I am seronegative, I don’t qualify for Clinical Studies.
My over-riding symptom is massive fatigue and lack of “spoons.” I have a good bit of pain, but my pain doesn’t “stay” in place – it moves about. There are things I can no longer do because of “pain,” but I try to ignore the pain. It does work part of the time. The pain differs daily – even hourly – as do my disabilities. I see people who are totally worn down and not able to do so many things that I can do. I try to remain thankful and to pray for them.
“My” Rheumatoid Disease frequently looks like this:
This is my life – but with pain superimposed. Hands, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, hips, elbows, shoulders. neck, back. But many people have more pain than I; and many have more fatigue than I.
We are all different. We each experience Rheumatoid Disease in different ways. I can no longer cut my meat; at times (like today) I can’t even cut my fried eggs into bite-sized pieces! I had to ask Himself to do that for me. He said, “Certainly!” After 38 years of marriage, 37 of them with my gradually declining abilities, he still is cheerful about helping me – dress, undress (he likes that part! 🙂 ), brush my hair (now nearly waist length), cut my steak, and so on. He still says, “Certainly!” And I get to bask in the fact of his devotion and love!
I do at least try to cut my steak (and fried eggs), I do try to get dressed and undressed by myself, and I do try to take Warrior (great name! Appropriate!) out for his “constitutionals” 2 or 3 times a day. If I cannot, Himself does it for me.
My RD may be different from others, and it may change from day-to-day or hour to hour, but it’s still RD. Yes, like the rest of those of us with Rheumatoid Disease, I AM a Warrior!
{Dear Readers – please remember to Help Kelly and Roo!}
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