Last evening I was introduced to a young man who has been diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. One of his relatives knew that I, too, have a form of juvenile arthritis (albeit an adult-onset form, that will in all likelihood become rheumatoid [some signs are already present]) and made sure to introduce him to me. He is now the second person I have met with juvenile arthritis.
As we spoke he asked what I did to help control the arthritis. I talked about the benefits I find from swimming and using a hot tub and naturally I spoke also of the benefits of Hawai'i. To explain what I meant I mentioned that here in Illinois, as soon as I open a door on a foggy morning my joints immediately feel pain.
Here, I fear fog and mist and cold rains. There, I can hike mountains in fog and mist and rain. The difference is unbelievable.
As I said this, he gave me a very knowing look with wide eyes, as if to be excited to finally find another who might know what he experienced. I must say that, on my end, it was also nice to see such a knowing look. Sometimes as I try to explain to people what the arthritis does and why one day I will have no symptoms at all and the next day be hardly able to move, I want to quote the fibromyalgia commercial: "If I looked as bad as I feel, then would you believe me?"
As the Bishop and I travelled to this particular parish last night for Confirmation, we drove through a storm that dropped the temperature nearly twenty degrees. When we emerged from the storm after about thirty minutes, the temperature increased that same twenty degrees, the effects of which I am still feeling this morning, despite the blue and sunny skies outside my window. As the day moves on, I will feel better and by the afternoon I expect to be fine.
While I am on this topic, let me mention the biggest irritation of the arthritis. It is when people - well meaning as they are - say to me, "You're too young to have arthritis." Apparently not. Please, never say something so lame and foolish.
Today I will offer the stiffness and pain in my joints for the people of Joplin, Missouri who have lost so much in recent hours. Please join me in praying for them.
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arthritis. Show all posts
23 May 2011
03 March 2009
A visit with the doctor
Yesterday I drove to St. Louis for an appointment with my rheumatologist. It was a routine appointment, which I had to reschedule four times for various reasons.
It was a good visit, all in all, and the doctor provided some good information for me.
I have noticed over the past couple of months that my middle fingers are beginning to turn to one direction or another, in what appears to be something like the crippling effects of rheumatoid arthritis. Naturally, this concerned me. Apparently this is caused when the muscles in the hands grow weak and can be corrected by squeezing a stress ball for five minutes or so each day. That was certainly good news.
As he checked the flexibility of my various joints, he noticed, as have I, that I have lost some range of motion in my right wrist, though not enough to cause any difficulties for me.
My blood pressure remains high (it was 169 over 97, though when I check it at home it is usually about 150 over 80-85; still not good, but not so bad, either). It might be a consequence of the arthritis medicine I am on; if it is, there is another medicine we can try.
Someone recently told me that she had stopped drinking any form of caffeine and her arthritis seems to have gone away. When I asked my doctor about it, he said that if 100 people with arthritis stopped taking caffeine 3 or them might have decreased symptoms, but it would probably help with my blood pressure. I've been down to one or two Dr Peppers each day; I'll try to cut back to one. In the winter, though, when I'm already generally tired from the effects of arthritis, that will be easier said than done.
I mentioned that when I was in Hawaii the exhaustion consequent of the arthritis was absent and asked if there was anything I could here to combat it or if was something I would just have to put up with in the midwest. It seems I'll just have to put up with it.
He asked if I was exercising and was pleased that I am now both running and lifting weights with some of the high school kids. He suggested that I especially work on my hams and quads, which will help take pressure off of my knees. That's good to know and I'm sure the kids will be happy to make sure I do so.
I am to have blood work done every four months and see him again in six. All in all, it was a good visit.
When I returned to Effingham I went to the weight room before going out to dinner with a couple of parishioners. If you go to TFIFriday's, I highly recommend the cedar seared salmon pasta.
It was a good visit, all in all, and the doctor provided some good information for me.
I have noticed over the past couple of months that my middle fingers are beginning to turn to one direction or another, in what appears to be something like the crippling effects of rheumatoid arthritis. Naturally, this concerned me. Apparently this is caused when the muscles in the hands grow weak and can be corrected by squeezing a stress ball for five minutes or so each day. That was certainly good news.
As he checked the flexibility of my various joints, he noticed, as have I, that I have lost some range of motion in my right wrist, though not enough to cause any difficulties for me.
My blood pressure remains high (it was 169 over 97, though when I check it at home it is usually about 150 over 80-85; still not good, but not so bad, either). It might be a consequence of the arthritis medicine I am on; if it is, there is another medicine we can try.
Someone recently told me that she had stopped drinking any form of caffeine and her arthritis seems to have gone away. When I asked my doctor about it, he said that if 100 people with arthritis stopped taking caffeine 3 or them might have decreased symptoms, but it would probably help with my blood pressure. I've been down to one or two Dr Peppers each day; I'll try to cut back to one. In the winter, though, when I'm already generally tired from the effects of arthritis, that will be easier said than done.
I mentioned that when I was in Hawaii the exhaustion consequent of the arthritis was absent and asked if there was anything I could here to combat it or if was something I would just have to put up with in the midwest. It seems I'll just have to put up with it.
He asked if I was exercising and was pleased that I am now both running and lifting weights with some of the high school kids. He suggested that I especially work on my hams and quads, which will help take pressure off of my knees. That's good to know and I'm sure the kids will be happy to make sure I do so.
I am to have blood work done every four months and see him again in six. All in all, it was a good visit.
When I returned to Effingham I went to the weight room before going out to dinner with a couple of parishioners. If you go to TFIFriday's, I highly recommend the cedar seared salmon pasta.
27 January 2009
Father Forecaster
Sunday afternoon I told our students at the soccer game that we would definitely have school on Monday, but that we would not have school on Tuesday; of this I was certain.
I'm happy to say that I read my arthritis accurately, even down to within the hour of when I thought the snow would begin to fall.
Word spread of my prediction and so all afternoon and evening yesterday I received messages from other students asking if we would have school today.
Given that I was right, this evening I've had several messages asking about tomorrow. I don't think we'll have school tomorrow, either.
It seems they've found a new use for me and I'm happy to fill it when I can.
I'm happy to say that I read my arthritis accurately, even down to within the hour of when I thought the snow would begin to fall.
Word spread of my prediction and so all afternoon and evening yesterday I received messages from other students asking if we would have school today.
Given that I was right, this evening I've had several messages asking about tomorrow. I don't think we'll have school tomorrow, either.
It seems they've found a new use for me and I'm happy to fill it when I can.
23 December 2007
Arthritis index
In an attempt to see how much snow to expect to fall today I went to http://www.accuweather.com/.Despite the fact that snow is currently falling - and has been for twenty minutes - and my arthritis seems to be telling me more is on the way, no snow seems to be in the forecast.
Maybe we won't get much snow and my arthritis is acting up because of a forecasted 48 degrees on Christmas Day.
Nevertheless, my visit to http://www.accuweather.com/ was not a complete waste of time. I discovered their new Arthritis Index.
Today's arthritis index is "extreme" (though I knew that as soon as I awoke). I'm not sure this index will be terribly helpful, but it is interesting.
The index includes the categories: Low, Moderate, High, Very High and Extreme.
Just out of curiosity I checked Honolulu's arthritis index: LOW... You can be sure I'll be checking this one every other day or so...
They have lots of indices (the plurual of index is not indexes, but indices) there (with today's rankings for Effingham):
- Air Quality: Good
- UV: Low
- Pollen: High (I didn't realize pollen was around in the winter)
- Barbeque: Poor (do we really need an index for this?)
- Mosquito: Low (always good to know)
- Dog Walking: Fair
- Running: Poor (it's too windy, though I don't know why that doesn't make dog walking poor, too)
As the snow falls I dream of sunny skies, warm breezes and the scent of the ocean...
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