RA AND THE FAMILY FIT

This is for all of the Rheumatoid Arthritis warriors. I know your plight and I know that each of you have felt all of these things and wish you could turn back the hands of time.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I wish I could turn back the hands of time
It’s painful, lonely and it totally occupies my mind

I never knew I would face such heartbreak and pain
Never knew people would look at me with such disdain

Having this disease has taken control of my life
Filling it with loneliness, sadness and unnecessary strife

I long to find my way back to the old me
But when I look in the mirror it’s the broken me that I see

I don’t want pity, I’m just saying what is true
Life with RA takes away so much from you

My smile, my joy , the shine in my eyes
Each time I hurt, it’s like a little bit of me dies

My emotions are spinning more and more out of control
But feeling better is my ultimate goal

Rheumatoid Arthritis is such a dreadful and harmful disease
But all I want is relief, can I have just a little bit please

As I fight my way along this uncertain path
I’m fighting with this enemy and its terrible wrath

I have RA , I wish I could turn back the hands of time
And if I could, I would not have this difficult and hard mountain to climb.

Be Blessed.

Having Rheumatoid Arthritis is a painful and chronic inflammatory condition that reeks havoc on ours bodies, organs and mental health and there is no cure. Dealing with pain each and every day makes life miserable so relief is all that we strive to obtain. Our journey begins with an effort to find the right medication to help us function to the best of our abilities. Going through the process of finding a medication that works for your specific needs can be a long and daunting challenge.

Getting diagnosed is just the beginning of a neverending battle but the struggle to find a medication that will work for you makes it even harder. Being diagnosed is traumatizing in itself but the road ahead can and will have lots of twists and turns. You’re dealing with your diagnosis trying to come to terms with it along with what is next in your journey including a search for medications. That process is one that many of us dread no matter how short or long that walk has been on the merry-go-round of “will it work”.

There is actually a process to this medication journey. One some of us chose to take and others decide they just won’t do it. The first line of meds usually is metrotrexate which seems to be the one for pretty much everyone but it doesn’t always work as we often learn on our long ride to finding relief from pain but most importantly, to stop the progression of this horrible disease. What are our choices:

Is it DMARDS-Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs : hydroxychloroquine, Metrotrexate, Actemra and Leflunomine
Janus Kinase Inhibitor: Xeljanz
Is it Biologics-Tumor Necrois Factor/TNF Inhibitors: Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel, Simponi and Remicade
B-Cell Inhibitors: Benlysta and Rituxan
Interleukin Inhibitors: Kineret, Tremfya, Taltz, Skyrizi, Kevzara, Cosentyx and Stelara
Selective Co-stimulation Modulator: Orencia

My goodness, so many medications to treat our disease and believe it or not most of us have or will go through the majority of them if not all of them. Some will have the unfortunate task of taking multiple medications at a time. This does not include any over the counter medicines we’re forced to take in dire times yet for some, none of these choices will work. It is and always will be a tedious struggle with this part of our journey and it does not stop here.

Now for the complications we may face with the side effects of taking these medicines. We’ve seen the commercials naming them which has scared us all to no end. You’re afraid because they can be harmful, though not always. Just hearing those words and reading about it sends your mind into a tailspin. You find yourself wondering is the risk worth it, yet you know your disease must be controlled because it has already changed your life in more ways than you can imagine. What should I do is the question you’re asking yourself over and over again. We all want relief from the pain but more than anything we want to be safe while doing it. Being Blessed enough to find something that works with no side effects and long lasting is a joy we all hope and pray for.

Getting it right isn’t easy nor fast. It will take our lifetime because we will forever be fighting this disease trying to find balance while living with it. Taking medication is only part of the struggles we face and it brings so much uncertainty along the way and it is a heavy weight we all bear. I myself am struggling to decide whether or not to start a biologic because of the side effects. My age is making my decision very difficult so I understand what each of you feel when trying to make your choice. It is scary, it can be lonely and emotional but I hope each you find what works for you and it treats you well. I can truly say “I Understand Your Struggle”.

Be Blessed.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a pretty dreadful disease. It is debilitating, can be deforming, painful and so misunderstood. No one understands those words more than a person who suffers with it. Not only is it a physical disease it is an emotional disease.

Many may think RA is the same as arthritis or osteoporosis, though they are all painful, it is not. RA affects the immune system which in turn can affect the organs causing traumatic damage. Physically it can be harsh to your joints leaving you with unsightly disfigurements. Something that wears on you physically and mentally causing you to spend countless days in bed.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is unpredictable. Though medication is prescribed to control it, there are no guarantees that any medication will work. The DMARDS or injections medication or infusions don’t always offer the outcome we hope for. We still often find ourselves in bed or curled up somewhere nursing our pain. There may be temporary relief at best if we are lucky. We have to take this journey in order to keep this disease at bay to hopefully prevent further organ and joint damage. Do we succeed! The journey is always ongoing.

There is the emotional toll that no one realizes comes with having RA. Not being able to function normally makes life sad, hard and have us overwhelmed with guilt. Though everyone may not have the physical disabilities we are all saddled with more painful times than we can count. Looking normal is just that for us but we are reeling with pain even in times when we don’t show it. Yet there are those days when we actually cannot carry on. We aren’t able to take care of ourselves let alone others. This you see is where the emotional guilt takes over. We can’t bear not being able to take care of those in our lives. It is one of the most important losses that we face.

What everyone needs to understand, this disease absorbs our days. We work around it from the moment we wake up until we go to bed. From the pain we endure, to taking medication, to trying to function, to hoping it’s a good day and finally hoping for a good night. All of this due to the fact that we have an autoimmune disease that many think can be easily treatable. In reality, Rheumatoid Arthritis is very serious physically, emotionally and can be deadly. This is no myth.

Be Blessed.