The sexier side of RA

I was talking to a friend today and I had to laugh at the stuff that we all talk about like its normal for everyone. That is the great thing about chat rooms that are specifically for Rheumatoid Arthritis or Autoimmune Arthritis, they're safe and everyone is automatic friends, just like being kids again. Remember how easy it was to make a new friend on the playground, you're both on the swings so you're instant friends. It's the same way in our chat rooms, we all know we have RA in common so we know that we are understood and safe. 

I just had to take a moment and laugh about how our chat rooms may sound to an outsider. I mean when you really think about it RA is down right sexy. Let me give you a taste of conversations that are a common occurrence in our "safe rooms"....

First remember we take chemos that in itself is just pure sexiness, the hair loss, the vomiting, bowel movements or the lack there of are not outside of our comfort zone of acceptable conversation, anything and everything goes in our rooms. Our conversations would make most people uncomfortable and would probably not be appropriate in normal conversations. 

Then the sexy joint damage that the disease itself causes. You aren't sexy until your toes or fingers cross without you trying, heck most of the time we barely notice when a new joint is pointing off in some wrong direction. My second toe crosses over my big toe now on both feet, it's rather funny when I paint my toe nails and find my toes stuck together as they caught in the drying paint. Rheumatoid nodules are not as common of an occurrence with RA but there are those lucky sexy warriors like me that get these ever so attractive lumps under our skin. Speaking of lumps, rashes and acne are very common from both our diseases and the medications to treat them. 

Infusions and injections are tossed around as if they are an everyday experience for everyone. How casually we toss medical terms around would lead some to believe we have a career in medicine, which we do, we're just on the other side of the stethoscope.  I have had Drs ask me if I am in the medical career field, my answer is no just a professional patient. Fighting and treating this disease is a full time job or a career, in a field I'm sure non of us would have chosen. I have met some of the greatest people in my un-chosen field though and have made some pretty amazing lifelong friends. Unfortunetly with a disease like this we sometimes lose those friends, it's a tough road. 

As you can see I find humor is helpful. I haven't been able to do much of anything lately as my RA is very active. I need to speak to my Dr about what we do from here, steady flare and a bunch of new nodules, which is another sign of disease activity. So I'm just sitting around getting sexier by the minute. 

I have to say the fact that we talk about chemos like its nothing just shows me what strong warriors we all are. Have you really stopped to think about what we do to keep going? Pat yourselves on the back because dammit we are strong, we are amazing! We are fighters! 

Please forgive me if this is sporadic and chaotic, my brain doesn't flow well on pain, it tends to jump all over the place....look a pretty bird, what was I saying...I think you know what I mean. Forgive me for my flaws, I am human, and as always thanks for taking the time to stop by, I know what a valuable commodity time is and I'm glad you chose to spend some of it with me.