RA awareness

The Other Side of Invisibility

Generally speaking, I’m not big into selfies. I prefer to take pics of my son and my dogs. That said, friends on social media will likely be familiar with the “progression of mediocre selfies” series; multiple attempts at family self-portraits taken during our adventures. Our crappy selfie skills have become a family punch line. But truth be told, I adore their candid silliness. 😊

For the last 18 months, I’ve been sick enough that I’ve largely disengaged from my previous everyday life. I don’t have to tell you all that, of course, because I’ve been absent here. Pain and fatigue are quite a tag team, as many of you know. They’ve largely limited my ability to write in complete sentences. But I’m slowly writing a post on my continuing pharmaceutical roulette, and I hope to feel well enough to get back to a more regular rhythm soon. I cannot thank you enough for sticking it out with me. 

At this point, you may be thinking “Girl, you weren’t kidding about not writing coherently. I mean, how do those two paragraphs even relate to each other?” But bear with me, because I took a mediocre selfie for this post. 

My selfie skills haven’t improved, but the caption says it all. When you’re chronically sick and mostly homebound, you can feel invisible. When everyone around you is racing to work, you can feel invisible. When your daily accomplishments include “got out of bed”, “slept for more than 3 hours straight”, or “made it to the doctor”, you can feel invisible. 

Much has been written about the frustration of the invisible chronic illness. But less is said about the invisibility we feel.  We are so often forced to the sidelines, as the world spins around us. So, this selfie proves, to me and to you, that I’m still here. Even without a job. Even without makeup. And it’s no accident that I’m holding a crochet project. If I take it slow and use the right tools, crochet is good exercise for my joints. It’s also a calming influence on my mind. I feel accomplished when I complete projects — in crochet, in the kitchen, or with my writing. And that’s crucial for my type-A personality. 

Is the feeling the same as closing a big deal or leading a strategy session with a business partner? As crossing a half-marathon finish line? As singing a solo in front of a crowd? Nope. But like my selfie, these hobbies remind me of where I am on life’s journey. They help me remember that I am here. And no matter what, I’m grateful for that. ✌️

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Heart To Heart Thoughts From Inside My Chronic Life

  • bedvsout-selfie

    The look changes. The diseases do not. On the left, in my natural habitat. On the right, after spending energy to “clean up”. Oh, and sunglasses hide a lot. 😉

    Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of 100+ types of arthritis.

  • But it’s also not “arthritis”, as I knew it pre-diagnosis.
  • Yes, it’s joint inflammation, immobility, and deformity.
  • But it is not cartilage degeneration, like osteoarthritis.
  • Which is common starting in middle age.
  • RA is an autoimmune disease.
  • This means my body is attacking itself.
  • Specifically, the lining of my joints.
  • RA can be systemic, which means it shows itself well beyond the joints.
  • My eyes, lungs, heart, and autonomic functions are all impacted.
  • And RA affects people in every age group.
  • Including over 300,000 kids in the US.
  • I’m always in pain. Like, 24/7.
  • But the fatigue, both from RA and fibromyalgia, is sometimes just as hard to handle.
  • My outward appearance generally doesn’t match how I feel.
  • I evaluate every task, every day, to determine whether to perform as normal, perform with modifications, or skip.
  • Yes, this includes showers, which zap my energy.
  • Some days, I can manage a short one in the evening before bed.
  • Some days, I can’t.
  • I contemplate my toothbrush twice a day.
  • Sometimes, I can’t manage the back and forth motion required for my manual brush.
  • Other times, the vibration of my electric toothbrush is unbearable.
  • This constant evaluation is mentally exhausting.
  • Fatigue does not mean “in need of a nap”.
  • It’s limb heaviness.
  • It’s brain fog.
  • It’s like having a bad flu, constantly.
  • At least once a day, I break down in tears because of the pain.
  • Pain keeps me from sleep 3-5 nights a week.
  • Opioids do not take it away.
  • Most days, they dull the pain.
  • And are necessary for me to function at all.
  • I use them in combination with other therapies and treatments.
  • So don’t be surprised if I smell like menthol.
  • It’s just the Bio-Freeze.
  • Medical marijuana is not legal where I live.
  • But it’s on the ballot again.
  • I’m scared that millions of chronic pain patients like me are getting lost.
  • While we debate the serious and separate issue of opioid addiction.
  • I have a permanent disabled parking permit.
  • Which I only use when I need it.
  • I have received angry stares and comments because I don’t “look” sick enough to have one.
  • If you have heard about a treatment, I have tried it.
  • Yes, this includes medications, alternative therapies, diets, protein shakes, vitamins, balms, and yoga.
  • Even if it worked for your mother/sister/uncle/grandpa/spouse/roommate, autoimmune disease affects everyone differently.
  • And though I use some of them, my diseases continue to be mostly unresponsive to treatment.
  • Save the unconditional love and support of my wife and son, a treatment that work wonders.
  • Despite all of these challenges, I try to stay positive, especially online.
  • I share photos of wonderful vacations I take with my wife and son.
  • But I don’t share the activities I skip to rest in bed.
  • Or the number of days I cannot even bear to get out of my pajamas.
  • The same goes for work, entertaining, date nights, soccer matches, and well, everything.
  • Many days, my bed is both my office and my dinner table.
  • And my computer and TV are my views to the outside world.
  • So I often feel apart and alone.
  • If I cancel plans we’ve made, it’s because I’m in really bad shape.
  • It is never because you are not important to me.
  • And it breaks my heart that you might think otherwise.
  • That you might stop inviting, stop calling, stop writing…
  • I want to do everything I could do before I was diagnosed.
  • But I can’t.
  • And resetting my own expectations is the hardest task of all.
  • I often feel guilty saying “no”.
  • I often feel like a failure when I can’t do what others can do.
  • Seven years in, I’m starting to accept that I need a different balance.
  • “No” allows me to be better in control of my chronic life.
  • So my disease no longer controls me.
  • It’s hard, and I’m far from perfect.
  • But no matter what comes, I plan on enjoying the hell out of this crazy, beautiful life.
  • As it is, not as I wish it was.
  • For as long as possible.

Thank you for listening. Namaste.

To Family, Friends and Caregivers of the Chronically Ill

My soul mate (and biggest supporter) chillaxing with me at my last Rituxan infusion.

My soul mate (and biggest supporter) chillaxing with me at my last Rituxan infusion.

I read a great piece today on The Mighty that I wanted to share with you all. It discusses the best ways loved ones can help the chronically ill people in their lives. You can find the article here.

Thanks to Danielle Myers, co-author of the CrossRoad Trippers blog, for a well-articulated, thoughtful post. So often, the people we love struggle to understand how to help us. I especially related to “don’t make assumptions” and “I still want to feel useful”. I have said those exact words more than once. 🙂 What resonates most with you? Anything else you wish people understood about your chronic life?

P.S. If you’re not reading The Mighty, a site devoted to stories of disease and disability, I definitely recommend checking it out. Lots of goodness there!

What Am I Worth?

Recently, I had an informal dinner with a member of my new leadership team, who we’ll call Victoria*. The subject of layoffs came up. It’s no surprise that the tech company I work for is cutting back its workforce, so we were discussing it and the potential impact on our business. I immediately thought of my own experience in July 2013, when my role was eliminated as part of a broad reorganization.

Since I just started in my current role 2.5 months ago, I thought I’d share my story with her….part of the “getting to know you” process. Back in 2013, I felt fortunate to be offered two alternate positions immediately, a rare luxury among the 17 affected people on my team. I knew I’d be taking one of those two roles, versus looking for a possible better fit. You see, I had returned to work from disability in late 2012. While I was out, my role was backfilled. When I got my doctor’s approval to return, I was “on the clock”. I had only 30 days to find a new gig. Needless to say, I was not anxious to repeat the uncertainty of that experience less than a year later, even with the offered 60 days of search time. After I explained this — my story with a happy ending — she paused thoughtfully for a moment. Her response left me speechless.

“I’m surprised they would offer you a choice like that, since you were just out on disability.”

Stunned, I immediately launched into my complete company resume, ticking off each accomplishment. Presumably, Victoria knew about my career successes, and brought me onto the team because of them. Her comment made me feel that I had to defend myself. That regardless of my achievements, my disability leave downgraded my stock as an employee.

I’m proud that in that moment, I defended myself. But I reacted from my back foot, extracting every bit of evidence of my professional worth. Here’s what I wish I had said:

Victoria, I have spent most of the last decade dedicated to our company. I take great pride in the work I do, and in what I have accomplished here. For more than half of my 8.5 years, I have also battled Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have won awards, received promotions, and regularly earned the highest review marks possible, both pre and post diagnosis. I am an asset, and my work earned me the choices I was given. My disability status was not, and should not be, a factor. Your comment suggests that I should have been given fewer options simply because I took company-offered leave when I was too sick to work. That is horribly insulting, both to me and to our company.

I realize that people make mistakes, that they say things without thinking. This did not feel like that. My view of Victoria, and of my place on the team, immediately changed. I am having a hard time believing that my experience won’t be affected by her view that “disabled = less deserving”. It seems assumed that I cannot produce the same level of results as my peers, because I have physical limitations. I wrote awhile back about my typical “Brains versus Brawn” response at work. Until now, it’s been largely effective, and has allowed people to get more comfortable with my disability. But for the first time, I’m concerned that I am viewed as an anchor, not as an asset.

* Pseudonym to protect her anonymity

Brains Versus Brawn

I love this article by Christine Miserandino. It’s amazing to me how differently we spoonies are treated at times. I relate completely to Christine’s story in this article.

First, a disclaimer: I am blessed to work for a great company with fantastic people. I am grateful every day for what I have. Flexibility and modifications allow me to continue working at the same career I enjoyed for 15 years prior to my diagnosis. I am now officially a “home office” employee, so I can work with my feet up or from bed when I must. I can often flex my hours, taking breaks as my eyes or joints require. I have set limits on my travel, which every manager I have had has respected. I am fully aware that at some point, all of this may not be enough, but for the last 5 years, I have mostly made it work. Pun intended. Duh.

That said, people have changed with me. When I first “came out” with my disease at work, things were suddenly, and subtly, different. Colleagues hesitated to include me on meeting invitations and virtual teams, concerned that they were “putting too much on me”. Managers tiptoed around me, offering a placating “How are you DOING?”, complete with the pitying look and the ever-present, but unspoken “Are you still going to be able to do your job?”

This is by no means a universal reaction, just one I never witnessed until I was “out” with my chronic illness. When it occurs, I know those who do it have the best of intentions. They just aren’t sure how to handle the new, sick me. They aren’t sure what to do when they see me attending events, shuffling gingerly to my seat, juggling my food at the buffet along with my cane, or sitting my wheelchair. To help them understand, I started offering up a smirk and this one-liner:

“The company hired me for my brains, not my brawn, and my brain hasn’t changed.”

As a self-declared nerd and as someone who, ahem, is not known for lifting heavy objects, I usually get a laugh. More often than not, it helps my colleagues feel more comfortable with my illness. I know I’m lucky to work in a career where this response can be both funny and true. If brawn was a big part of my job, as it is with many, I would be unable to perform in my former capacity. Though I most often utter it at work, this line is also effective with my doctor, with friends, and with family.

It’s not a perfect response, but when faced with others’ trepidation about my illness, it does the trick for me. Do you experience these moments? If so, what techniques work for you?

Invisible Illness Week: 30 Things You May Not Know…

Reposting in honor of Invisible Illness Week, 2014. It’s interesting to re-read my thoughts from 2012, to see how things have changed, or not. Happiness and peace are a daily work in progress, but I remain as committed as ever to living in the moment, and being grateful for what I have. I am using Eastern medicine regularly now, and my diet remains a big part of my journey toward health. I am back to work, working too hard, and trying to listen to my body and find balance. And “House” is still my favorite medical drama! 🙂

************************************************

In support of Invisible Illness Week, I answered their “30 things” meme, to raise awareness.  Hopefully, it answers questions some of you have about my journey with chronic illness — especially since I’ve been too sick to do much writing on my RA autobiography lately.  I’d love to hear your thoughts, and if you (or someone you love) is living with an invisible illness, I’d love to have you join the conversation with your own answers!  There are a number of fantastic speakers at the virtual conference this week, which you can reach from the link above.  If you have time, I encourage you to check it out.  Hope to see you there!

30 Things You May Not Know About My Invisible Illness

1. The illness I live with is: Rheumatoid Arthritis (plus Fibromyalgia, Sjogren’s Syndrome and Celiac Disease)
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2010
3. But I had symptoms since: RA symptoms since 2009, autoimmune issues since alopecia in childhood.
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: I no longer know how I’ll feel hour to hour, day to day.  I may wake up unable to move, or I may be okay.  As a planner, it’s hard to reconcile that.
5. Most people assume: Whatever happens, I’ll handle it.
6. The hardest part about mornings is: Moving. I’m like the tin man.
7. My favorite medical TV show is: House!!!
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My rollator, my wheelchair, my cane, my heating pads, my knee wedge pillow, and my jar opener. (Sorry, I’ve collected quite a few over time.)
9. The hardest part about nights is: Unrelenting pain.
10. Each day I take 22 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: Use some creams, drink some teas, and eat natural foods.  I have not yet tried others, but am open to them.
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: As hard as it is sometimes, I’d choose invisible.  There are days when I “look” normal, which gives me the opportunity to keep my illnesses to myself.  When I’m in a wheelchair or using my rollator, people look a bit too long, and often ask what’s wrong.  It helps me to understand the strength of those that must deal with that every day.
13. Regarding working and career: I’m in transition.  I spent the first two years after diagnosis trying to move forward in my career as if nothing had changed.  Finally, I got so sick that I could no longer work at all, and I’ve been on disability for 8 months.  Now, I just want to be well enough to work again in some capacity.  Whatever that looks like, I am certain the career I build now will look quite different.
14. People would be surprised to know: I am in pain 100% of the time, but my fatigue is as debilitating as the pain – some days more so. And I feel like a definition is needed here.  Fatigue = flu-like symptoms every day, not simply being sleepy.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: That my body is often incapable of doing what my heart and mind want to accomplish.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Talk about it so openly.  I even started a blog on the topic!
17. The commercials about my illness: Are infuriating. Most actors in them are 50+, though women in their 30s, like me, are the most likely RA sufferers.  Commercials also imply greater remission rates than patients actually realize.
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: Having the energy to fully enjoy life with my partner and son.  I cherish every second I have with them.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: Knowing how I’d feel tomorrow.  Oh, and bread.  🙂
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: Meditation.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: See #18.
22. My illness has taught me: To be happy with today, no matter what it looks like.  I no longer wait for some event in the future to make me happy. I look at my many blessings today, and focus my on those. I am happy and at peace every day.
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: When people equate their grandmother’s osteoarthritis in her wrist to my autoimmune disease.
24. But I love it when people: Ask about my illness, and genuinely want to learn more about the disease, or about me.
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is:  “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” – Wayne W. Dyer
26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: That they’re not alone.  There are fantastic bloggers out there, amazing resource sites full of information, and great communities where you can learn and connect with wonderful people who will help you through the shock of the initial diagnosis.  You’ll find your own strength as you go, and this virtual community can help in so many ways. I lean on and learn a ton from them.
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: As they’ve made me weaker physically, my illnesses have made me stronger mentally.  As a result of dealing with serious chronic illness, I have far more courage of my convictions in all aspects of my life.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Seeing me, and not just my illnesses.  Despite my wheelchair/rollator/cane/limp, I am the same person, and it can be easy to forget that.  Those closest to me have not.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Awareness is necessary.  So many suffer with invisible illnesses, and many are misunderstood, underfunded, and in need of both for research and new therapies.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: So grateful.  Thank you for taking the time, and for your support of Invisible Illness Week!

3 Things The Chronically Ill Wish Their Loved Ones Knew

Wanted to share this post from the amazing Toni Bernhard, author of the Turning Straw Into Gold column at Psychology Today and author of the brilliant How to Be Sick. If you are chronically ill, or love someone who is, please read her work. She’s amazing, as evidenced here:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/turning-straw-gold/201405/3-things-the-chronically-ill-wish-their-loved-ones-knew

Just wow. As Lora can certainly tell you, I continue to struggle with all three of these, and as usual, Toni absolutely nails the discussion of every single one of them.  When I have these feelings, I try to acknowledge and accept them, then let them go, and focus on what I have today, versus what I have lost. The support and love of family, friends, and the RA/AI/chronically ill community helps tremendously as well.

I hope the wisdom in Toni’s post helps you know you’re not alone, and her writings guide you toward finding your own inner peace.

 

 

 

The Continuing Adventures of Life with RA (2014 Edition)

Much has changed since I last posted, so here’s a quick attempt to catch you up:

  • Xeljanz is officially out. After a few months of testing, my rheumatologist and I came to the conclusion late last year that it was, in fact, the source of my rapid weight gain, so I had to stop taking it. This was a bittersweet day, as you can imagine. I was happy to finally know the source of the weight gain, but sad to say goodbye to the biologic that was finally working to slow the damage from RA.
  • Rituxan is in. In late December/early January, I had my first set of Rituxan infusions. Mostly, they went fine, and took me back to a manageable disease level from approaching near constant use of my walker and breaking out the wheelchair for longer excursions. I experienced some tachycardia, a wicked headache, and a few other symptoms sporadically for 48 hours after the first infusion. For those of you who have taken Rituxan, or researched it, you know that the 6-8 hour, then 3-4 hour infusion processes are time-consuming. Of course, it’s worth it to get some relief. I’m hoping it’s really working, because after this, I’m officially out of biologic options.
  • I’ve added Eastern medicine to the mix. In February, I started seeing a Doctor of Chinese Medicine/Homeopath/Kineseologist/Acupuncturist. Yes, she has lots of degrees and lots of expertise in Eastern medicine. It’s a whole different approach than what I’ve used before, and I love it. She’s helped me with my continuing digestion problems by finding another food intolerance, this time to dairy. She’s helped me work through the chronic fatigue, both resulting from my autoimmune issues and from the side effects of my Western medicines. I have acupuncture sessions every other week, and even while I continue to struggle with RA, I notice my general physical and mental health improving. I am even losing some of the Xeljanz weight, despite my continued use of Medrol.
  • My RA is more active than ever. Despite the positive effects of Rituxan and my progress with Eastern medicine, my disease is extremely active. My most recent blood work
    Waiting for Rituxan....3 weeks to go!

    Waiting for Rituxan….3 weeks to go!

    showed high CRP and SED rates, even 2.5 months after Rituxan. Of course, I don’t need blood work to tell me that my disease is active. My joints tell me every day when I can barely move them. My body tells me every day when it begs to go back to bed. So, I wait. Generally, Rituxan infusions occur every 4-6 months. My next one is scheduled 3 weeks from now (5 months after my first). Tick tock, tick tock.

I feel grateful that, over the past few months, I’ve learned much more about my body through my experiences with Eastern medicine. Now that I have so many of my tertiary issues under control (food intolerances, digestion, even some of the fatigue unrelated to RA), I feel hopeful that I’ll see the full effects of Rituxan when I get my next set of infusions in a few weeks. Spring is a new season; a time of rebirth following the long winter. After almost 5 years with this disease, I’m ready for mine.

Wishing you a spring full of new discoveries and a rebirth of your own…

What’s it Like to Have RA?

I’m in the middle of a bad flare, currently trying to get work done from bed. As I was thinking about how to describe how the feeling to my colleagues, friends, and family, I came across this video:

Wow. What a help it would be if, as part of their training, our rheumatologists all wore a suit like this for even half a day! It cannot simulate the pain, of course, but it can provide some idea of what this crushing, invisible disease is like for their patients. Unlike an RA flare, the suit is predictable, and you can remove it anytime you like, but I applaud Dr. Hamburger and his team for dreaming this up.

Ups and Downs

Xeljanz. It’s been working well on my RA symptoms for the last few months.  During that time, I’ve been squeezing as much life out of every day as I can. Quite frankly, I had forgotten how to balance that kind of “busy-ness”. I definitely overdo it some days, and I pay the price for that, but after the last few years, it feels good to have the energy to even make that choice. If you know me, you know I’ll err on the side of “too much” vs. “too little” whenever I have the chance. For the most part, it’s very much been an “up” time.

So, I didn’t notice at first when my weight started creeping up.  Until my clothes no longer fit.  Until, for the first time in my life (not counting when I was pregnant with my son), I was gaining in my stomach. Usually, my hips, bootie, and thighs are my problem areas.  It was weird.  And it didn’t stop. It hasn’t stopped.  It keeps getting worse. I have also developed horrible GI symptoms (I’ll spare you the details :)), worsening fatigue, and some other odd symptoms unlike those I usually feel with RA.

Like most health issues we spoonies experience, it’s not simple.  I’ve seen an endocrinologist.  She diagnosed me with probable Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, though my numbers are still barely in the normal range.  I’m on a low dose of Synthroid, which has already helped my fatigue. I’ll go back regularly for blood work (because we all need more of that, right?), and she’s looking at other causes for my new symptoms.  It’s just hard to know if something is amiss in my endocrine system, because I take Medrol every day. So, she’s making educated guesses. Comforting.

In the mean time, the lack of definitive answers combined with my continuing symptoms have earned me another specialist. That’s right…I now have a gastroenterologist! Pretty soon, I’ll have collected the whole set of doctors. I wonder what the prize is when I do! 🙂 He’s also running tests; blood work, of course, and next week, my very first colonoscopy. I’ll write about that lovely experience after, and we’ll see if I get some answers.

My rheumatologist did find a trend in my weight gain though, and it goes back to Xeljanz.  Though it’s not listed in the literature as a side effect, she noted that my weight gain started, very slowly, the month after I went on the drug.  Over the first 3.5 months, I gained 8-10 pounds,  Then, my weight took off like a rocket. I’ve been gaining 5-7 pounds every month for the last four. Since it was the only change in my medication during this time, it seems likely that the RA drug that’s helping me may be causing a very serious side effect. Guess how we find out? I’m off Xeljanz for 45 days, to see what happens to my weight.  If it stabilizes, or starts to come down, I will not be allowed to take Xeljanz again. It was the last biologic available to me — the only one I hadn’t tried — so according to my rheumy, my next option is clinical trials.

Today, I used a cane for the first time in 2013.  My pain levels are so high that I have insomnia (“painsomnia”, a fellow spoonie called it once. I love that!). I’m not sure what the future holds in terms of my mobility. What goes up must come down, I guess.

I tell this story for two reasons.  First, I promised many of you updates on my progress with Xeljanz.  Things have been mostly going well, or so I thought, until this setback. The final jury on my experience is still out though, and I’m not giving up hope. Neither should you. Second, this blog is about awareness.  These diseases are complex, and most of us work with teams of specialists to proactively manage our health.  It’s like another job, in many ways.  Spoonies are superheroes, beating the odds to live their fullest lives every day.  Especially during Invisible Awareness Week, I wanted to recognize this wonderful community.  Here’s to more ups than downs for all of you in the coming weeks and months!