RA Fingers

Found here and directed there by Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior, who also wrote this about RA:

"RA is a chronic, systemic, progressive, destructive disease. None of that would matter much if there were a cure. However, since no cure is available, and treatments are only modestly successful in a significant percentage of patients, monitoring Rheumatoid Arthritis is required to preserve as much health and life as possible."

I can get back in denial with meds helping the symptoms to fade. I am glad the combination of three drugs is helping me for the moment, which I guess is why I will continue to see my rheumatologist every two months for monitoring. Even though my symptoms are less, the disease is still in my body. . .pain and fatigue still occur.

But things are better for me!

The trick of living always seems to be staying in the middle of paradox--BOTH AND, so as not to get stuck at either extreme. The golden mean!

Good Habits

It was only about five years ago that I had an "aha" moment about habits. Somehow I had always associated the word "habits" with BAD, as in bad habits. Until someone told me that there are good habits, too, I never acknowledged those beneficial actions I regularly did as "habits." Suddenly my eyes (and brain) were opened to a much wider field of actions as movements we engage in. All are choices, not necessarily reactions that move us along, which is really what a bad habit is.

I remember hearing that a habit is formed in three weeks of practicing it. I am not sure of the time table, but know that awareness paired with intentionality is necessary. . . .and patience!


Kat Elton in her book A Resilient Life: Learning to Thrive, not just survive, with rheumatoid arthritis has some good advice about creating good habits:

"Having intentions that you hold close is like planting seeds. Creating your seeds involves letting go of your ego and beginning to reach deeper inside. Paying attention to them every day will allow them to grow. Shouting loudly at them won't make them sprout any faster. You nurture your seeds of intention every day through belief, positive action, and detachment, or letting go of the outcome. As the Buddha said, 'The secret of health for both the mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present wisely and earnestly.'"

Elton, Kat. A Resilient Life: Learning to Thrive, not just survive, with rheumatoid arthritis. www.KatElton.com, 2010. (324)

What to Eat?

After posting three times yesterday, today I am wondering if anyone wants to know how my health is. . . .I am not sure if many of you ever look at my RA blog, which is mainly where I am questioning RA and sometimes complaining about it. (Sign up for that blog to be emailed to you, if you want regular updates.)

So I am going to copy the post I put there this morning here:
I am still wondering about diet and RA, while being flummoxed by various sites, books, and advertisements. Who to believe? Today I went to Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior's site, where she addresses "Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet: 3 Key Questions."

"She writes in this post:

As I wrote recently, there is no Rheumatoid Arthritis cure. That includes diet. But that is only the beginning of the discussion of RA and diet. We still want to know 3 things**:

1. Can I eat something to make my Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms worse?
2. Can I eat anything to make my Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms better?
3. Despite both of those answers, are there foods or supplements which can fight the effects of the disease?"

Those are definitely the questions I want answered! RA Warrior wrote about this two years ago, and she probably has much more info on her website than I know about yet. A post with lots of info: "Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet: Part 2: Ten Easy Tips."

Going along with these questions is tomorrow's appointment with a naturopath. (Consulting him does not mean I will stop seeing my rheumatologist.) Surprisingly, both my husband and I are having individual appointments. Although Chuck is a PhD. chemist, he has been influenced by an elderly friend whose RA was improved with diet, as described in this fluffy and not-too-scientific book How to Eat Away Arthritis by Lauri M. Aesoph, ND. (I liked The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica K. Black, ND much better.)

A healthier diet will improve both Chuck's and my health. He has painful knees due to osteoarthritis and we are both overweight. So there is a lot to learn; at least we are looking and asking!

Spoon Theory

This cutesy image goes along with a blog called But You Don't Look Sick.Com, which perfectly describes how I appear to most people these days, even myself when I'm under the influence of prednisone. More pointedly, the girl with the spoon is emphasizing The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino. I wrote about this on my RA blog, which I hope you will look at sometime.

I think the Spoon Theory applies to anyone who is under stress, ill, or depressed. The story narrator explains to a friend how fatigued she becomes, because she is given daily a certain number of spoons. If she uses the spoons for too many activities, she runs out of spoons and thus has no more energy.

It is a simple story, but illustrates how energy is easily used up when it is not replenished. (That reminds me of the 12 Step acronym HALT--Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired--If you are experiencing any of these, you should pay attention and take care of yourself!)

Go and read The Spoon Theory.

CHRONIC + New Blog!

After worrying about this post appearing too self-pitying, I decided to start another blog dedicated to what I learn and experience about rheumatoid arthritis: RA: Ready for Action which may only be read by me!

"Chronic refers to something that continues or persists over an extended period of time. A chronic condition is usually long-lasting and does not easily or quickly go away." (MedLine Plus)

Over the years, I slowly accepted the fact that I would always need to be treated for clinical depression. Until today, I never applied the word "chronic" to this illness. It seems to have gone away due to my daily medication. Better coping strategies and especially daily meditation also help.

I have not come to a full realization that my new diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease. Just as it took me several years to accept that I had an aspect of myself depressed, but NOT my entire being, so eventually I will come to know that I must live with rheumatoid arthritis, whether it is mostly under control or not. Like right now, the pain is predominantly eliminated with prednisone, but deeply interior fatigue suddenly plagues me at inopportune moments.

I found this blog called Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy who has a 60-second Guide to RA, which I have posted on RA: Ready for Action, because I will only copy the part about fatigue here.

	When rheumatoid arthritis is active, a person can easily become extremely tired. Actually – it surpasses mere tiredness and rises to the level of fatigue. This constant lack of energy can be one of the most limiting aspects of life with RA. Quite often, a person’s level of daily activity must be reduced and periods of sleep and rest must be increased.

RA is a chronic auto-immune disease. I have it. Will I have chronic symptoms? Especially the fatigue?