1.  You worked all week, why can't you go to the Pet Lovers convention with us this weekend?  My response is because I worked all week, don't feel like going out. 

2. If you have the energy to clean house, why do you not get out and go someplace with us? My response was and is, I have priorities and I delegate how I choose to use my energy and cleaning house is a priority.

3. From a co-worker who is about as sensitive as a snake, "What's your problem, why are you using a cane?  That's ridiculous, you can't be that bad."  My response, well, I didn't have one.

4. Last but not least, "You really shouldn't be taking all of those drugs, they can't possibly be good for you.  Try the natural approach, exercise, drink lots of water, eat right and you will feel better." 

Schnauzer Cloud & 1 Thunderhead

Gotta love it!

Always,

Lulu

I may have RA but RA does not have ME!!!

An older friend just wrote to me and asked at the end of her note "if I still had RA."  And then she recommended the gin raisins (AGAIN!)  If I were allowed to drink, I think I'd just hit the gin and forget about the raisins.

Another time it was not a comment, but dirty looks when I waited to use the handicapped restroom stall.  I could see what was going through their heads "But you don't look sick."

And my SIL continually sends me newspaper clippings about the latest cures for Arthritis.  She tells me she knows how painful it is, and then she shows me her knobby OA finger.

Gramma Ellie

I went to my doctor for migraines.  He gave me naproxen. I told him it wouldn't work, I've taken similar things.  They didn't work, he said WELL THEN YOU MUST NOT HAVE MIGRAINES.

while my now ex-husband was in Iraq, and I had a one and three year old all by myself (well i didn't have them by myself, I was taking care of them by myself LOL), I told him on the phone one day I may need a higher dose of anti-depressant, and I was very tired all the time.  He said CAN'T YOU JUST...TRY TO FEEL BETTER?

I've always heard and got the looks of SHE'S LAZY, JUST GET SOME REST, IT CAN'T BE THAT BAD, QUIT COMPLAINING, IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD...

Since I've been having this latest flare of ...whatever...I've heard GET SOME MORE REST...OH YOU'RE TOO YOUNG...IT'S PROBABLY THE FLU!!!...

One time, my hands were hurting.  I am sensitive (very sensitive) to cold, and I mentioned to my &*(&^y co-worker that they hurt, and she said OKAY I GET YOU MIGHT BE CHILLY, BUT COLD TO THE BONE, I DOUBT IT.

And the advise from my two bosses who apparently think they're doctors, is getting on my nerves.

Ah well, at least once I get a diagnosis I'll tell everyone to shut up

Months later I showed him how bad RA had affected my elbows - so bad that I could not come close to straigtening out my arm.  He grab my hand and yanked my arm and said YOU JUST NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE PAIN.  He also used the old standby excuse of IT'S ALL JUST IN YOUR HEAD and IF YOU KEEP GOING TO THE DOCTOR AND PAYING THEM MONEY WHY AREN'T YOU CURED YET?  I THINK YOU NEED TO FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR.  Never mind he had never been with me to a doctor's appointment and never even researched RA.

Then his family would always see me at a family function and ask me how I was doing.  If I said anything negative or try to tell them about RA they would reply OH I HAVE THAT TOO. 

On a positive note though I did speak to a co-worker this week and she told me her friend's daughter was just diagnosed with RA.  We discussed her treatment and how long it takes for the medication to take effect and how we RA patients have to be careful about infections.  I said RA is so much more complicated than people realize and she said "I never realized how bad it is.  I apoligize that I wasn't there for you when you were diagnosed.  I was just ignorant about it."  Kinda nice to see the other side too.

Take care,

Shu-Shu

Then there was a woman I hadnt seen in years (old boyfriend's mother) - I told her I had RA. She asked what the floors at my workplace were made of. I couldnt figure out why? THey are carpeted floors. She told me that "YOU PROBABLY GOT RA FROM STANDING ON CONCRETE FLOORS ALL DAY". Wow - I started to correct her  - then decided that it just wouldn't be worth it - she wouldnt get it.

Age: 33  Female - Diagnosed RA 4/07, Lupus 6/08

Meds: .7cc's MX injectable, 400mg plaquenil daily, folic acid

1. The doctor who couldn't diagnose me, while standing outside of the patient room I was in, waiting for him to come in told his 4th year medical student "I can't find anything wrong, honestly I think it's psychological, maybe you can take a crack at her...."

Yeah, if I wasn't in soo much pain, I would have gotten out of the office a lot faster.

2. My twin sister who walks on water (in her world), after I told her I was diagnosed with RA "I hurt every morning that I get up, you just have to suck it up and keep moving"

3. My dad's comment when my family was all together again for a "reunion", he looked at my twin sister (who has always been overweight) and commented about her gaining more weight. I kind of chuckled, then he turned and looked at me and said "what are laughing at, your catching up to her." I simply stated "Not because I want too or out of laziness,,, mines called RA and drugs, her's is called hand to mouth disease." Ouch.. I know that's why I have the t-shirt that says "I'm the evil twin"

And last but not least.....I went with my SIL, her two children and my daughter who is 8, (7 at the time) to a farmstead / petting zoo. All the kids wanted to hold my hand and do the Wizard of Oz dance like we always do, when my daughter at the top of her lungs screams "No, you can't grab or pull on my mom's hands, she is sick with an old ladies disease, you will break her." Sadly, I laughed at her and told her it was okay. Later that day as I was sitting from too much walking, a lady came over to join me and said she overheard the comment and asked "RA too? huh?"

When I first went to see a Dr. for my symptoms, the primary care Dr. immediately suspected RA.  She did a blood test and RA factor came back mildly positive, so she took another blood test.  Second time it came back in the negative range.  Her response to me was, "you don't have RA, you just have good 'ole osteoarthritis.  The good news is 'you'll live' ".   I think she must have overslept the day the professor taught the chapter about bedside manners in med school.   Needless to say I never stepped foot in her practice again. 

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." From the Disney Film Mulan

You're TOOOOOOO young...

And...You'll have to LEARN to deal with the pain!

You bet I'm tooooooo young and YES...I've learned A LOT about dealing with the pain and everything else that comes with RA and Fibro!!!!

God Bless all my RA Friends!