Tuesday, January 30, 2007
I have found that OA (as well as most other forms of arthritis for many people) can be a very discouraging and challenging disorder. At times, I am almost able to forget Osteoarthritis is invading my body. On other days, my friend Arthur (you know—arthritis), makes himself painfully present. I used to keep all of my thoughts and fears about my problems with OA to myself; however, much to my relief, I’ve discovered that I’m NOT terminally unique. It really does help me to talk to interested people about what is going on medically in my body with OA.
Recently, the Arthritis Foundation published a research update stating that “the results of a Glucosamine Chondroitin combination seemed to be no more effective as a pain reliever than a placebo.” I have been on this regimen for quite awhile, not as a pain reliever, but more for the possibilities of helping to build more cartilage. I’m definitely not a researcher, but, for me, I’ll continue to take this in the hope that it MIGHT help. My own criteria for taking or not taking a pill is that I have to be assured that it will do no harm, have little or no side effects, and might possibly help my condition.
As my OA progresses (remember—I’m not sure why it’s called progress), I know that I have changed in many ways. I’m gradually making the transition from wanting to impress others, to doing what I need to do for my own health, safety, and well-being. After having been somewhat of a prisoner in my own home for a few weeks pre-op and 3 months post-op due to pain and problems with mobility, I decided to venture back into my happy world of adventure and travel yesterday. I grabbed a camera to go on a “shoot”—photographing eagles along a river in Illinois. Well, actually, I was scheduled to do this a week ago, but with ice storms two days in a row, I rescheduled. Walking is enough of a challenge right now, and I really can’t afford to fall. So, although we were facing another dire forecast, I made arrangements for a friend to dog-sit, and hit the road.
In spite of my years of adventure, I was excited and nervous and spent the night before tossing and turning in bed like a kid before Christmas! Much to my pleasure, the weather forecast was wrong, and we had a balmy day (22 degrees) with grey skies, and lots of snow on the ground, but no ice. We had awesome presentations from state forest rangers about bald eagles and then ventured to viewing areas. In spite of the high water on the river, and the warm temperatures we’ve had recently, we were able to discover several eagles, chubby deer happily munching in the forest, and a few birds like great blue heron.
I was nervous about climbing the formidable stone steps to the viewing site, but figured I was there for a reason, so accepted the challenge. It never ceases to amaze me how a flight of 10 or so steps suddenly looms over me like it’s become about 100 steps! I was dragging up the stairs, with a mighty grip on the hand rail, when a woman behind me said “gee, I really admire you—that looks hard—did you hurt your leg in an accident?” I just gave her kind of a half-grin and kept going. (If she only knew!!). Yes, I AM frustrated!
Recently, the Arthritis Foundation published a research update stating that “the results of a Glucosamine Chondroitin combination seemed to be no more effective as a pain reliever than a placebo.” I have been on this regimen for quite awhile, not as a pain reliever, but more for the possibilities of helping to build more cartilage. I’m definitely not a researcher, but, for me, I’ll continue to take this in the hope that it MIGHT help. My own criteria for taking or not taking a pill is that I have to be assured that it will do no harm, have little or no side effects, and might possibly help my condition.
As my OA progresses (remember—I’m not sure why it’s called progress), I know that I have changed in many ways. I’m gradually making the transition from wanting to impress others, to doing what I need to do for my own health, safety, and well-being. After having been somewhat of a prisoner in my own home for a few weeks pre-op and 3 months post-op due to pain and problems with mobility, I decided to venture back into my happy world of adventure and travel yesterday. I grabbed a camera to go on a “shoot”—photographing eagles along a river in Illinois. Well, actually, I was scheduled to do this a week ago, but with ice storms two days in a row, I rescheduled. Walking is enough of a challenge right now, and I really can’t afford to fall. So, although we were facing another dire forecast, I made arrangements for a friend to dog-sit, and hit the road.
In spite of my years of adventure, I was excited and nervous and spent the night before tossing and turning in bed like a kid before Christmas! Much to my pleasure, the weather forecast was wrong, and we had a balmy day (22 degrees) with grey skies, and lots of snow on the ground, but no ice. We had awesome presentations from state forest rangers about bald eagles and then ventured to viewing areas. In spite of the high water on the river, and the warm temperatures we’ve had recently, we were able to discover several eagles, chubby deer happily munching in the forest, and a few birds like great blue heron.
I was nervous about climbing the formidable stone steps to the viewing site, but figured I was there for a reason, so accepted the challenge. It never ceases to amaze me how a flight of 10 or so steps suddenly looms over me like it’s become about 100 steps! I was dragging up the stairs, with a mighty grip on the hand rail, when a woman behind me said “gee, I really admire you—that looks hard—did you hurt your leg in an accident?” I just gave her kind of a half-grin and kept going. (If she only knew!!). Yes, I AM frustrated!
