I AM HOPEFUL.........

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone:

I wanted to write something positive to our wonderful group. I have

been feeling so good for the past month, my RA is quiet, and my feet and

ankles are happy. I have been on Pred. for 5 1/2 years, tried before to

get off of it, but wasn't successful. I went from 10mg. a day, to 5 mg.

a day, and stayed at this does for 2 months. I have been on 2.5 mg. a

day for the past 2 weeks. I have never taken this lower dose before. I

have had no pain or swelling anywhere, since I started this decreasing

of Pred. I just can't believe it!!!!! I have not taken any pain

meds., except for an occasional Tylenol. I start taking the 2.5 mg.

every other day this Saturday, for 2 weeks, then every third day, for 2

weeks, and that's it!!!! I am so HOPEFUL everyone. I am taking .8 of

MTX injection 1x a week, 2 Sulfasalazine 500 each, 3x a day =3,000 mg. a

day, 2 Placquenal a day, and 2 Lecovorin a week. My MRI's of both

feet, both hands and wrists, showed no damage anywhere, nor were any

bones compromised. It was wonderful news!! I am still tired, resting

often, and trying to pace myself, etc. I haven't picked up my

paintbrushes yet, but I will do that this week. I have slight stiffness

in the a.m., but that goes away shortly. I still can't sit too long,

but that's o.k. I get up, do some things around the house, then rest

for awhile. I just do the best I can each day. I am going home to Cape

Cod Aug. 2 for a month. How I will be then, who knows...... that will

be the true test!!! We moved here to S.W. Florida 4 years ago, because

I couldn't take the weather there anymore. This group has been my

salvation. This RA scared the ---- out of me, as I had never heard of

it before. I looked it up on the Internet, read a few things, never

looked it up again. None of my family or friends knew anything about it

either. They just didn't get it, " why, you look so healthy, beautiful,

how can you be so tired " ? Try to explain that! " We are going shopping,

etc. " , just come with us, you can rest later " . Great, but I can't walk

too good, and I need to stop and rest!! All of us shopped until we

dropped, now I can't do it!!! You all know what we have given up in our

lives, so now I just focus on the things I can do, and I am very happy

that I can do anything. I stopped saying " I'm sorry, I'm too tired or

hurting, etc., and I can't go today " . I felt so guilty, they looked at

me like I was a baby, and I was just getting lazy about things. Great

for your moral. Then I found all of you caring, wonderful, people, who

were going through so much of what I was going through, pain, suffering,

tiredness, life changes due to these diseases, etc. I thank God

everyday for all of you, just knowing how you all care, all the info.

you have, the research gives us, your support system, and mostly,

the compassion and true understanding of what we deal with 24/7 each and

everyday of our lives. I am very lucky to be part of this group, and I

count you all as " my friends " . Wishing everyone pain free days, and

thanks again, for always being here, so understanding, and so helpful.

You all have helped me so much, and you are so much a part of my life,

truly.

Hugs,

Barbara