From Tami Borcherding, as Sarah Ludwig Rausch was told
Ten years ago, the summer before my first grandson was born, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Before I went to my doctor, I knew something was wrong. For a couple of mornings I couldn’t move my hands because they were clenched and stiff. Fortunately, my doctor diagnosed my RA early on. Before I got to the point where it was really difficult, I was already on a treatment regimen.
I didn’t know much about RA at first, so I read a lot. The biggest thing that impressed me was something my doctor said, “How you deal with it determines how it goes from here. You need to determine the path you want to be on. “I decided that I could either sit around and be sad that I have RA or I could just say,” So I have RA. I still have to go on. There are many things in my life that are good. “I made this choice early on and it worked for me.
Living with the physical effects
With RA, every single case is different and also proceeds differently. Outwardly, you’d never know I had it, and for the most part, it doesn’t interfere with what I do. RA used to mainly affect my hands, but I don’t have it there that often anymore. I owe that to all the sewing that I do. (I have made 1,200 masks for our local hospitals in the past 10 months.) Now the joints in my feet are the most affected. For the past 2 years I have felt it in my shoulders too.
I’ve had a few torches over the years that make me wake up and not even get up for a while. Most of the time, I don’t have a lot of pain in the morning, but I’m stiff and sore from using a lot of joints during the day. I now know that I have to stop doing something when I can find that it is really worn out on that joint. But I also know that you’ll either use it or lose it – I have to move through a bit of pain because if I don’t, my joints get stiff and I lose mobility.
continuation
My RA doctor said that he noticed that my joints were wearing a lot more so I don’t sit for long because I know it will be difficult to get up. It is difficult to get off the floor. The pain in my feet is so bad that I know I can’t use it for balance as often as I used to. It’s a little different, but it didn’t really stop me from doing anything. I know this may come, but right now I’m going to take it and be positive about it.
I retired 2 years ago but I was a preschool teacher for 35 years and that was a blessing to me. I had to hug the children, fall on the floor with them and hold them, so I had to use my joints. I think that’s a big reason my RA wasn’t as painful as it could have been. Before the pandemic, I was helping school when they needed extra hands because I like to be busy.
I have a music degree and have sung for public events like weddings. I stop singing because doctors believe RA has settled in my vocal area. That was a tough question. But little kids don’t care if I sing well or not, so I can still sing with them and they think it’s wonderful.
Manage medication
I am currently on methotrexate and sulfasalazine and they have been working for a number of years. I had failed two medications before, which is no fun. First I had to be weaned from the current medication for 2 or 3 months. Then I started a new one and it took me a couple of months to know if it was working or not. You can also take medication and it may eventually stop helping. I’m grateful that what I’m working on is working, but if it fails my next will be an injection.
I do blood tests every 3 months to make sure my medication is working, and twice a year for a physical one. I also have a bone density test every 3 years because RA really affects the strength of your bones.
continuation
Make the most of life
My husband, Lynn, was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He says we take care of each other now. With COVID we are no longer on the road as we used to be, and I can tell whether I have done a few days without much. I wake up in the morning and think, “I don’t move very well. I better get busy! “
My doctor gave me hand and movement exercises, which I do quite religiously. I am also careful with my diet. When I have a lot of milk for a few days my joints are stiffer and more swollen, so I limit dairy products, chocolate, and red meat. Heat helps a lot. I’ve worn out two heating pads. We even invested in a hot tub about 7 years ago that really relieved the pain.
I think a good attitude helps. I know that I have to make the best of everything I do. When it hurts a little, I remember that there are many people in the world who hurt a lot more. I cannot live in fear that one day I will no longer be able to walk or sew. I can now, so let’s go!
WebMD function
swell
SOURCE:
Tami Borcherding, retired preschool teacher, Menomonie, WI.
© 2020 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
Comments are closed.