The emotional gamut of RA

[Guest guest]

I generally lurk on the posts,but I had to chime in.  I have had RA for five

years. At first I was totally freaked out about it.  I continued to work full

time nights and went to school full time and earned my masters in nursing.  I

had some terrible times with flare ups.  In the last year and a half I moved

with my very supportive husband for a new job and now work 10 hour days five

days a week.  It has not been a picnic.  I have had a flare that I could not

walk from the bed to the bathroom without assistance. I invisioned I would be in

a wheelchair at that point.  I have had quite a time finding meds that work and

am at the end of the road.  I am sustained on Remicade 600 mg every six weeks

and methotrexate. When I am at the infusion center I do work and my awesome boss

does not charge me sick time to get infusions becuase I get so much work done

(uninterrupted you know).  I have a wonderful job and work for a wonderful

health care organization.  I wish everyone here could have this fortune.  I have

rarely missed work due to RA and for that I am grateful.  I have found a

biofeedback device called emWave from Heartmath Institute which has greatly

assisted me in reducing pain and improved function of my hands and after each

use I am virtually pain free.  I sew all the time.  I am lucky, I know. I have

quit feeling sorry for myself or ask " why me " .  If I hurt I just say I can't do

that right now because I hurt but I will get to it later. I am fortunate as I

sit in the infusion center and listen to two women talking about how they are

going to stop their chemo because the sickness is not worth prolonging their

life.  I am at that time grateful I am only dealing with RA.  I know it is going

to get much worse over time, but I can't let that stop me from living my life. 

I know RA is different for each and everyone of us.  I pray that stem cell

research or some miracle comes along before I die so I have the comfort of

knowing the next generations will not deal with this.

sorry to rant on, just wanted to give another perspective of someone living with

RA.

Dale Ellen

[Guest guest]

Dale,

Thank you for your uplifting post. As a very good friend of mine once said,

" Attitude is Altitude " . It is so true. Never give up, flares are temporary, do

everything you can to help yourself (we do have the power to do it!), keep a

positive attitude. Good for you! Wishing you the very best for continued

success!

Lenae

>

> I generally lurk on the posts,but I had to chime in.  I have had RA for five

> years. At first I was totally freaked out about it.  I continued to work full

> time nights and went to school full time and earned my masters in nursing.  I

> had some terrible times with flare ups.  In the last year and a half I moved

> with my very supportive husband for a new job and now work 10 hour days five

> days a week.  It has not been a picnic.  I have had a flare that I could not

> walk from the bed to the bathroom without assistance. I invisioned I would be

in

> a wheelchair at that point.  I have had quite a time finding meds that work

and

> am at the end of the road.  I am sustained on Remicade 600 mg every six weeks

> and methotrexate. When I am at the infusion center I do work and my awesome

boss

> does not charge me sick time to get infusions becuase I get so much work done

> (uninterrupted you know).  I have a wonderful job and work for a wonderful

> health care organization.  I wish everyone here could have this fortune.  I

have

> rarely missed work due to RA and for that I am grateful.  I have found a

> biofeedback device called emWave from Heartmath Institute which has greatly

> assisted me in reducing pain and improved function of my hands and after each

> use I am virtually pain free.  I sew all the time.  I am lucky, I know. I have

> quit feeling sorry for myself or ask " why me " .  If I hurt I just say I can't

do

> that right now because I hurt but I will get to it later. I am fortunate as I

> sit in the infusion center and listen to two women talking about how they are

> going to stop their chemo because the sickness is not worth prolonging their

> life.  I am at that time grateful I am only dealing with RA.  I know it is

going

> to get much worse over time, but I can't let that stop me from living my

life. 

> I know RA is different for each and everyone of us.  I pray that stem cell

> research or some miracle comes along before I die so I have the comfort of

> knowing the next generations will not deal with this.

> sorry to rant on, just wanted to give another perspective of someone living

with

> RA.

>

> Dale Ellen

>

>