The best year for living with Rheumatoid Arthritis..EVER!

Thanks for your wonderful input. While taking meds and triying to live a close to normal life. Yesterday, I went over board doing errands that could have waited and today I wish I had stuck to my new resolution to take it easy on myself. I forgave myself and I have notice that by doing so I stick to doing what I can without hurting myself. Again, keep up the posts that some of need very much.

Thanks for the reminder of what I should have learned and been dsoing by now.  Sometimes I forget the most important things about surviving with this disease.  After 8 years of being diagnosed and many years living without a diagnosis you would think I would already know this stuff but nevertheless, sometimes I forget.  Thanks for the positive reinforcement.  Look out 2009, here we come!

Peri

That's a great post with much food for thought. Thanks for the reminder!

Holly and all, I've been reading this column for awhile now and it's been a great placeto find comfort, support and clarity. This is my first post and I'm a little technology challenged so hopefully someone will get this. I give you my email in case I can reach out individually as well.  dlhamaker@sbcglobal.net. I welcome any advise, support, humor, etc.

My history: I am a 50 year old female with two boys living in Carmel, IN. I was officially been diagnosed three years ago after numerous visits to all kinds of doctor's and unfortunately, the diagnosis came to late at the extent to where it was, you have RA and your hips are bone on bone and you need dual hip replacements. Boom! No time to digest the disease, whisked right into surgery in Summer of 2007.  Once done, finding out that both knees and shoulders need replaced ASAP.  Oh as a side note I have scoliosis with my back which is how we discovered RA.  I was put on feldene, plaquinel, MTX, oxyicodone, oxycontin, and now humara, to name a few.  They have nowscheduled me for both knees this Monday, Jan. 19th. Wish me luck!

In the mean time my husband (who has crohn's disease) just found out he has kidney and liver failure and possibly lupus (more surprises!).  All of these bombs were dropped in a very short time. Yet he needsto help me get thru knee surgery.

Oh, we have no family. My parents both passed away in the last 5 years and my husbands parents are out of town.  We have 2 teenagers, one who isa freshman at Indiana University and one a Freshman in High School.

So to make a long story longer, I have always been optimistic.  But I think I have finally reached the point, like Holly says, I need to reach out for help.  If anyone can send me some advice, I would welcome it.

Deb

Hey there, Just wanted to write a little note to tell you that the New Year's Resolutions sound great! I really enjoy reading your posts and look forward to reading more! I'm finding I can't do this alone and with little people who actually understand this pain it is so comforting to share with people who DO understand and who don't think it's my head.

Heather in Eugene Oregon

Thanks for the reminders of what we should be doing.  It's important to keep reminding ourselves to live....make the needed adjustments so that we can live...and do it well!

Thank you for your inspiring comments about RA and New Year's resolutions. It reminds me that on some of my bad days I find nothing humorous and nothing to smile about but you have pointed out that does no good and does not help the situation at all.

What I did sort of in this regard was take a month off from all of my doctors' appointments, dentist, physical therapy, etc. I was in no real danger and if I did feel I was I would have called a doctor. I have to say that that was the most relaxing month of my life. My pain was gone and I could sit and watch movies and laugh and smile at our beautiful Christmas tree. It became a very spiritual time for me and I have decided to not pile doctor appointments one on top of the other and my life and my disease are doing much better. Thank you for the reminders, they are all really good ones.

Galen Gilchrist