RA & Depression

I just read the share post from Hollybgroovin'.....yes tears came rolling down. I think we all have the time frames of feeling depressed. What we need to remember is this very true statement. WE ARE NOT ALONE!!! When we are having that kind of day where we don't want to do anything or see anyone that is when you need to hop onto this site & read. You don't have to get dressed or put your makeup on or even try to smile to try and hide your inner unrest.

We all will have days when we just get tired of being tired, of being in pain, of having side affects from our meds, of not feeling joy in our hearts. I just went through a two & a half week timeframe of being sad. I am newly married this last June. My husband gave me a beautiful engagemnt ring & my wedding band matches perfectly around it. When I get feeling down I look at my wedding band, when my husband is at work, & I think of how blessed I am to have him in my life. Ever since I've had the RA all my finger joints have been swollen except for my wedding finger...... until a couple weeks ago. My rings got so tight that I had to take them off. It broke my heart. My husband being as sweet as he is gave me a gold longer chain so that I could wear my rings around my neck. Then, because he knows all different kinds of these "where did this tradition or saying come from type of facts" he cheered me up, I only allowed myself for a moment. Still later that day the sadness filled my heart. Then my husband who gets very concerned when I'm not my normal joyful personality tells me this very sound advice. "For every moment that you are sad or depressed that is another moment of joy that you are denying yourself. Don't let this RA steal your JOY".

We have our day/days of depression & pain, but we also have family & friends who love us. When we don't take control of ourselves we don't only let this RA steal our JOY we are also allowing it to take their JOY too. This past Monday my wedding ring finger flare settled down enough so that I could put my rings back on;) The lesson I learned in this last "flare-up" is this... when we allow ourselves to get stressed over something that we have "no" control over it just messes up the things that we "Do" have control of.... not that everything in life has to be in our control,(like we can't control tears, God truly is in control of all things), but we can hug & smile at our children, our grandchildren, our Mom's or Dad's,(if we are blessed to have them), our spouse & our friends. God is good....we woke up this morning, we are breathing, we have feelings, we have family & friends AND we have myRAcentral to share our trying times together & our hopes & dreams & knowledge;) My prayer today is that we all may have a day filled with "JOY".....God Bless!