Here I am again on the couch when I should be at work. I have been described as bull headed by people who really love and care about me, and that isn't necessarily a complimentary trait to have when you have PA.
We are in the process of reorganizing the lab I work in. It's been going on all week (I'm pretty sure it will NEVER be done). Anywho, this reorganization involves a lot of moving of heavy equipment, packing, moving and unpacking files and manuals, cleaning etc. I refuse to let my coworkers be stuck with all the heavy lifting while I sit back, sip my diet coke and watch. So I decide to take the lightest weight group, the files. Yes, I packed 25 boxes about the size of cases of paper, loaded them each on a rolly cart, and piled them in the new designated area. 5 years ago this would have been something I considered a decent workout, but by no means the end of the day. Just this process took me out for a whole day. Yesterday I sat on my couch, hopped up on vicodin. I really hate taking narcotics, but it's an unfortunate necessary evil for myself and many people with chronic pain conditions. This morning I was feeling pretty good and rested (thanks to 15 hours on the couch) I even got up early, made myself a pico and feta omelet, sipped on a strong chai tea, and shaved my legs while I took my shower! Today is going to be a good arthritis day!!
Once arriving at work I started in with the refiling of all those files. Box after box I lugged them onto my rolly cart, filed them, flattened the box for the recycle bin, and started the process all over again. About at box 5 I started noticing the familiar burn. When I was in the army that burn was a good thing. It meant you were pushing yourself to the max, building strength and endurance. Now that burn is the precursor to a bad day. I could feel my feet starting to swell, my shoulders and hips getting that deep in the joint pain and my lower back throbbing. Due to that old Army mentality that my drill sergeants so dutifully programmed into my head I pushed through. By box 10 my fingers were tingling, my toes were seizing up, and my feet had swollen enough that my flip flops were in danger of leaving permanent indentations in my feet. I was pretty sure railroad workers were pounding those ginormous railroad nails into my hips, and my back could have been the base beat at a rave. Yep over did it again so off to home we go.
On my way home I stopped at Tom Thumb since my day on the couch yesterday consumed all my bottled water. Any of you that have spent time in DFW during the summer know that the water stinks when the heat starts rising. I don't just mean the quality but it actually smells. Something to do with algae in the reservoirs. Now I'm not really a water snob. I've drank out of the tap all over the world and survived to tell the story, but my boyfriend is a plumber and has convinced us we really need to drink bottled water. All that is really neither here now there, but to say I needed water. I get a stocker to help me load it into my cart (impromptu walker) and waddle my way to the front of the store. On the way I find Ben & Jerry's on sale (score!) so my slow trip from water to check out felt a bit like a blessing and a curse. At the checkout the nice young man rings up my water and ice cream and of course asks if I'd like help out. It always amuses me the expression I get when I say "yes, yes I would". I probably should be insulted to some degree, but I am blessed with a dry, cynical, and sometimes cruel sense of humor. I tell him I need help and I can see the almost double take, the scan up and down to see what could possibly be wrong with me, and the thought process across the boy's face that says he thinks I'm just a high maintenance lazy house wife. There isn't anyone to help me right there so he announces my laziness over the intercom. At this point I'm ready for a full on show of just how screwed up I am. The poor kid who ended up helping me was either cursing the 20 minute walk to the 4th parking space from the door or thrilled that he got an extra break for the day.
And now here we are.. On the couch, vicodin consumed, Ben & Jerry's in the freezer missing yet another partial day at work. Someday I'll learn not to "push through the pain". Hopefully the Humira I started last week will kick in soon. My daughter said last night that my skin looks better than it has in months so I have hope!
Info on Humira.. One of the biological medications used for PA.
Keep it going heather...so little info out there about this. Forwarded the link to my GF in dulllawhere
ReplyDeleteWell, you do have Phil Mickelson advertising PA every hour or so on TV...the word is slowly getting out about the more than 104 RA type diseases...they're all the same in that the immune system is attacking the body...it sees the body as the enemy...just different parts of the body are effected by the different variations of this disease process. The doctors know so very little and there is so much more progress to be made in rheumatology...I've been told that about 45% of us affected by RA can't even get a specific diagnosis and get no relief from the current treatments...I've been diagnosed with everything from RA, PA, AS (ankylosing spondylitis), to Lupus...and, don't even get me started on the uselessness of medicare! Hang in there, Heather. I have more faith in Humira than any other biologic out there and I truly hope you start feeling better soon.
ReplyDeleteJeanie