Things I have learned

[Guest guest]

RA is something that has no logical sequence in life.RA can skip generations and even siblings until it decides to strike.RA is not a death sentence or even a wheelchair sentence for all. It will get some people down farther than others.In a family of 8 children, 3 might be victims of RA though neither parent showed signs of it.There is no rhyme or reason as to when a person will have a flare, it might be at times of extreme stress or it might be at times when everything seems to be going smoothly. The best thing that can be done during a flare is to keep on going. If the pain is so extreme that you feel you can't handle it, ask your RA for some pain meds and grab either the ice pack or the heating pad, which ever works for you. Keep moving those joints. Stopping only makes it worse in the long run and that is not good. Find something to take your mind off the pain and learn to exercise those

joints to keep them moving.Most important to me though is to remember this, your Rheumatologist is not God and he (or she) isn't able to see into your mind, so tell them how you feel honestly, explain what causes pain. Keep a journal noting when you feel worse and the weather conditions and try to plan ahead during those weather conditions to avoid situations that might cause pain. If you feel worse after taking prescription medicine tell your Rheumatologist, you might be one of those people that can't handle some of the medicines out there. (I have tried a number of them over the years and have realized that I have a very unique body chemistry that makes it impossible for me to take commonly prescribed medications with out side effects.)My grandmother always said that anything that didn't kill us only made us stronger. Well, I must be up there on the level of Hercules. In the last 6 months, I have became a

grandmother for the first time, saw my daughter (the new mother) have emergency gall bladder surgery, lost a niece to a car wreck (the same day as the surgery), had a sister diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and attended the same sister's funeral. Knock on wood, I haven't had a extreme flare yet, though I am waiting for one. My sister's children told me something very important after the funeral. They told me that they aren't really sure when my sister first became aware of the cancer, but that she never gave up her joy in life and her belief that she was blessed in having it because she was able to show others that you could still go on no matter how bad you felt. I can only hope that I am able to be half as strong as she was and to be able to continue doing the things I have to do with a good attitude.

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