Okay, so I’m no runner. I’m not planning on running this ‘Marathon in a Month’ thing. In fact, I have absolutely no intention of running anywhere; I don’t even run for the bus! No, I’m not lazy. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis.
I’m hoping by writing this I can drum up a bit more support for this wonderful group of people who are running the ‘Marathon in a Month’ for the NRAS. My husband Darren is constantly telling me that I need to share my experience of this disabling disease in order to help raise public awareness. So, here goes...
I was diagnosed as having Rheumatoid Arthritis at the grand old age of 17. I was ignorant to the condition, and like many, believed that this was a disease which affected ‘old people’. How wrong that was! The arthritis initially developed slowly, and only affected my right hand. Not a big issue and nothing a few painkillers couldn’t fix. However, over the next few years the number of joints affected grew and my mobility has become more and more restricted. I now have RA in most of my joints, and immunosuppressants, painkillers and steroids are the only way for me to continue as normal life as possible.
My normal day to day routine is as follows:
Get up at 5am. Wake Darren up to move my arms so I can use them to help me sit up. Slowly get out of bed limping (which eventually turns to a walk in about an hour). Next, take my first 7 tablets of the day and start getting ready for work, sometimes with help from Darren. It roughly takes me 2 hours to un-stiffen enough to be able to leave the house for work. Next, I do a day of teaching. More tablets. Then home to rest (as soon as I can!). Spend some time with Darren, eat, slump in front of the TV etc. 3-4 more tablets before bed at 9pm (early start means early to bed!). Sleep is usually interrupted by not being able to settle from stiffness and pain. Then, I’m up at 5am to start my day over again. Occasionally I may slip in a trip to hospital for a steroid jab. I mustn’t forget the odd stint in the knee brace. Oh, and the compromised immune system meaning that you catch and develop every known virus and infection under the sun! The biggest surprise was contracting Meningitis. When I’m not suffering from bad pain and fatigue I like to see my mates too!
It doesn’t sound like much fun when you put it into basics, but don’t get me wrong, I don’t resent a minute of this. It’s my life (and Darren’s now) and I’ve learnt to cope. In fact, I’m proud that I can cope so well. I’m so used to this that I don’t even think about having RA sometimes. I know that many people look at me and don’t see it. It’s an invisible illness, and unless you’re limping, using crutches, crying etc, people don’t realise the constant pain RA suffers can be in.
I want to live my life as normally as I can, and I refuse to stop doing so until I have to. Yes, it even hurts to walk (let alone run!) but I can, and I will continue to do so until I can’t (fortunately, my Blue Badge means I don’t have to walk very far now!). It is inevitable that many of us with RA will get to the stage where we are severely limited in what we can do, but it’s the support of charities and research facilities such as the NRAS that make it easier for many of us to keep going and not give up.
Please support these amazing runners who are running for me and all RA suffers who can’t do the run themselves. Thank you.
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