My RAD Life

Alright, officially Invisible Illness Week was Sept 9-15th, but better late than never, right?

1. The illness I live with is: Rheumatoid Arthritis
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2012
3. But I had symptoms since: probably 2010
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: listening to my body and taking it easy when I’m in pain or fatigued.
5. Most people assume: they know what Rheumatoid Arthritis is, but they’re usually thinking of Osteoarthritis.
6. The hardest part about mornings are: I move a little slower than I used to. AND remembering to take my vitamins.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: Scrubs
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Oxo Good Grips kitchen tools and my grip jar opener
9. The hardest part about nights are: when fatigue equals a busy mind and insomnia, not sleep.
10. Each day I take 6 -14 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: will try anything. Personally, yoga, acupuncture and changing my diet (no gluten, less dairy and sugar, more veggies) help a lot. If I could afford it, I would get massages more often.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: I’m a private person, so probably invisible.
13. Regarding working and career: I’ve kept my career, but I’ve embraced (and have been blessed with an office that embraces) a flexible schedule. This lets me start my mornings slower or work from home when I need to.
14. People would be surprised to know: how bad my symptoms were before I went to the doctor. I was really good at the “grin and bear it” denial technique.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: that this disease is chronic. When I was diagnosed I thought I would be the exception to the rule and go into remission within the year. This hasn’t been the case.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: RUN a marathon.
17. The commercials about my illness: feature older people golfing and make me roll my eyes.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: going out for a night drinking with my friends. This is a double no for me because the drugs I take (methotrexate) are hard on your liver and I try to be kinder to my body these days.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: alcohol (see above) and high heels. I still indulge in both on occasion.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: blogging!
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: go-go-go ALL day long – run, climb, dance, party. I’d wear high heels. I’d stay up all night. I wouldn’t even give a passing thought to “paying for it” the next day or even week.
22. My illness has taught me: I’m stronger than I think and everyone is going through something, so be patient and kind with yourself and others.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: “But you’re too young to have arthritis!” If this were true, I wouldn’t have it and hearing this just makes me feel ashamed and misunderstood.
24. But I love it when people: ask me sincere questions and want to know more about RA.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: I have two I come back to: “Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill; and “So it goes.” – Kurt Vonnegut
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: It’s tough, it’s scary, it sucks. It will get better. You will feel better than you do today.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: the supportive community of people I’ve met (mainly through online support groups).
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: just let me cry and then ordered me Chinese food in bed and hung out all day, watching funny TV shows.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: I think awareness of invisible illnesses is important to funding research and finding cures.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: honored and vulnerable