I’ve been thinking over the last year (it has been almost a year now since I’ve had my wonderful diagnosis of RA) and what I’ve learned. I think the biggest thing I have learned is that it is exactly what no one wants to have.
There was the girl in Yoga class that has all kinds of problems caused by the years that she has been a dancer. She has had dozens of surgeries and goes to Physical Therapy three days a week to help with her back/knees/ankles/feet/arm/wrist/elbow pain… but thank GOD it isn’t RA.
Ouch… thanks.
The lady down the street has pain and lumps and bumps and has been tested. Thank GOD the tests came back negative for RA.
I guess if I had to pick something to have, RA wouldn’t actually be at the TOP of my list. Maybe… hang-nails… maybe… recurrent inner ear infections… or maybe continuously chapped lips… but this happens to be what I have to deal with… for me at least and for now.
And while I hate the flares and I hate the aches and puffy joints… it really could be worse. It appears that a lot of people don’t think <OH MY GOD> anything could be worse (and the RA commercials might have something to do with that). I can think of things that I would way rather have RA rather than having… but you know… a lot of those things are things that other people have to deal with and I don’t think my being melodramatic over the idea would make them feel any better about what they are going through or any less of a human being or any less of a PERSON because of it.
I don’t LIKE having RA… but it is mine.
A Figment Of Fitness 