It's a Struggle

Crafting, painting, building, gardening...  I love them all.  But they all have at least this one thing in common.  You have to have hands.  You have to have fingers, and you have to be able to use them.

It's a struggle for me. 

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.  The more appropriate name is Rheumatoid Disease.

Many people have a misunderstanding of what this disease is. It's not just sore knees, achy joints or old age.   RD is an auto-immune disorder.  The simple explanation is that your own body is attacking itself.

Pardon My French

Rheumatoid Disease is constant pain & constant fatigue.

There are different severity levels and different symptoms, but one thing remains the same.  A few ibuprofen doesn't solve the problem.  Many people with RD have very serious issues with their hearts, lungs and other internal organs as a result of this disease.  Many have severe sores and deformities.  

At this point in my life I am managing my pain with medication and by limiting the use of my hands and feet.  I've developed some larger knuckles.  I don't walk much anymore.  My crafting time is limited so my projects take much longer than they used to.  I'm often enlisting my talented daughter to help me with some of my projects.  I'm good for about 45 minutes of shopping at the most, and even that is not pain free.  The electronic shopping carts at Walmart have become my friend.  That was a serious pride pill for me to swallow.

The long and short of it is this...I'll be crafting and painting with my brain til the day I go home.  As long as I can bum a few fingers off of a friend or family member, what goes on in the head will become a reality.  

I'll also be visiting Disneyland as long as I can. 

So I ask my followers to be patient with my slow projects and postings.

Be considerate of those with "invisible" diseases, and remember not all "arthritis" is the same.

If you share my illness share it with me.  Support is important.

As my dear friend Eileen, who is 90 years old and has been struggling with RD for over 40 years said to me...