Thursday, February 16, 2012
annicam
  • annicam
  • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Gender: Female
  • Birthday: November 01, 1959
  • Bio: busy woman, teacher, friend, mom, sister, mentor, daughter
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HEALTH INTERESTS:

Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Management PNI Connection Fibromyalgia Biologics Medications

DRUGS I AM TAKING:

orencia,  methotrexate,  plaquenil,  folic acid,  B12,  mobicox,  duragesic,  rituxin,  prednisone

ABOUT ME:

I was diagnosed with RA at 29 years old in 1990, when I went into a massive flare. About 5 years later, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia too. I am grateful I was able to get through university and begin my career as a teacher before I got sick. I continued to teach full time for about 10 years after diagnosis but had a major flare in 2000 and went back to teach half-time. I had to abandon my life's work as a teacher-of-the-deaf b/c I could no longer stand and sign all day long. I became a Reading Recovery teacher so I could sit down and deal with only one child at a time. In 2008, I had another huge flare (55 joints active) and so now I am on LTD. Although my Rheumatologist discouraged me from becoming a mom, I had a son in 1993 and a daughter in 1995. I was one of the 25% of women who do not get the pleasure of a remission during pregnancy! It took me from 1990 until 1999 to stabilize my very active RA and to understand its triggers. I am proud of the fact that I was able to mentally rise above the pain through the practice of meditation and to also realize that other people will not be able to relate to how much this illness has altered my life and how it controls my choices. Feeling well is my first priority at all times. I used to be very fun-loving and spontaneous before RA; now I am much more empathetic towards the myriad of ways we human beings are all suffering. Everyone has their own 'rheumatoid arthritis'. I am proud of my children and live a very fortunate life. I am frustrated every single day by pain and physical limitations and the side effects of the drugs. I discovered how great dogs are quite late in the game and don't think I could live without one now! I feel young for 50 but I don't like the thought of saying I am a 50 year old person. As my kids get older, I am getting a huge urge to metaphorically bear down to push them out of the nest and inspire them to fly towards their own life path. I truly think its in our hormones or DNA as women. Not quite sure what I want for myself in the next stage of my life so I'm in a slightly altered state as I ponder this.

PHOTOS:

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ROLES:

Living With It in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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