What Does It Feel Like to Live with RA?
What Does It Feel Like to Live with Rheumatoid arthritis?
The best description I’ve heard is “living with RA is like running a marathon while you have the flu” and are also experiencing an existential crisis.
Symptoms Are Not Just Joint Pain
Pain, swelling, fatigue, malaise, fever, cognitive dysfunction, memory issues, weight loss, and depression are common non-joint symptoms or side effects of having rheumatoid arthritis.
This world means adjusting to medication after medication. It involves figuring out if what you feel is a side effect of your treatment versus a symptom of your disease or a comorbidity that comes with it. It includes hours in waiting rooms and appointments with health care professionals and specialists I’d never heard of before. It means not knowing how to explain RA to people who don’t have it and know nothing about it.
The goal in all of this, of course, is to try to find some relief and regain a normal life somehow. But I’ve now realized that there is no such thing as normal.
I am happy I can do a lot with the help of my lifestyle, with great food, training, recovery, massage and coldtherapy I feel so great the most of the days. But sometimes it really feels like shit. To be honest. What I learned through the years is to be thankful. To be happy and grateful of life. I live. You live. All we have right now is this moment. So stop and stop worrying about things that does not matter, start focusing on what really matters. This moment, your family and friends, your health and dreams. Enjoy little things. Smile more. Be kind and follow your heart.
