Sorry everyone, but I just need to whine a bit. My girls and I are going camping this weekend. My brothers and their families are going too. We all go together twice a year. While I really look forward to it, I have mixed feelings. It's going to be a rainy, wet weekend here, and I'm really not looking forward to sleeping in a tent considering I'm having enough trouble already. I'm afraid I'll crawl into my sleeping bag tonight, and be stuck there, literally, for the rest of the weekend.
I don't know. I'm excited about spending some fun, quality time with my kids, but not really looking forward to the hassles from the family, or the pain I'll be in due to weather. I am always cold anyway, and if I have to spend the weekend wet, well, the thought doesn't thrill me at all.
Sorry, I just had to whine.
Cris
Cris--
I feel your pain. Seems every time I get ready to go on a trip, the RA flares badly. (Probably excitement/stress induced.) The trip I'm about to leave for is just a few days away. My plan is to pack meds I don't normally take, just in case. Vicodin, for example. I hate taking it, but I'll be damned if I'll allow my trip to be ruined by this disease. Is there any way you can do that, just for the weekend? Jeez--you have to enjoy your kids--I mean, what else is there? And as far as your other family members, shame on them! They'd better hope you're more compassionate if something should happen to their health...
Cris
It really is one of those days that you wish you could stay in bed and sleep through! I hope it all goes ok, like sara says kids are the whole point and gotta be enjoyed, but i don't envy the tent i'm afraid.
Good luck. and i hope you all have a great time.
I know how you feel Cris. When I was younger, like 4, my siblings thought my mom was babying me, because she would dress me and get me ready to go places in the morning. She had to do it because I would be stiff and unable to move.
Now, they kinda see how affected I am by my arthritis. Now they do things to help me out. Recently my oldest sister has been diagnosed with arthritis, and she now knows how I "feel". She does not have RA, but the other kind. And it just boggles her mind on how I take the pain like I do, when she cannot. *shrugs shoulders* *Thinks: "years of experience."*
Well, I hope you make it thru the camping trip. I would call the doc to see if she would prescribe a blister pack of prednisone. The ones they give you when you get a flare if you are already not on prednisone. You would have to take it for 5 or 6 days, but will help with the pain and stiffness.
And don't worry about what they think of you and your RA. They just do not understand and have compassion. Just keep thinking about the time you will be spending with your girls, and how it will be in their minds that you and them done stuff together.
Sorry for the ramblings. I am not very good at giving encouragment or whatever I am to be giving you. I try though
Sweetie I'm real sorry your not getting the support you need from your family. My family has been fantastic. I know they don't quite understand like all of you guys do; but none of them has ever made me feel the way you talk about your family making you feel. I don't know how on earth you deal with that. If my parents know I'm having a hard time they'll come and get the kids and take them to do some fun things and insist I just think about me for a while. Your family needs to be educated more about this illness!! We love ya. Lovie I hear ya Tori. I've given my family all of the info on RA that I can think of. Despite the fact that I've been given the same dx by FOUR different rheumies, they still think I'm just making it all up to get attention, that it's all in my head.
This morning, one of the girls is running around doing chores, packing, squealing "when are we leaving?"
(I will have fun. I will have fun. I will have fun.....
Cris Have a Great time Cris!! Try to relax some while you are there. I'll be thinking of you this weekend and hoping you're having fun and feeling good. Cris; here is a suggestion and it may sound stupid. two words. BEN GAY I am an avid horse rider, yes with the types of athritis I have.
PS WEAR GLOVES IF IT IS DAMP, IT WILL HELP TO KEEP THE HANDS FROM GETTING STIFF, I keep several pair of isotoners for that purpose, if you don't have them get a couple pair of lined work gloves they work like a charm too. xoxoxox Those are good suggestions everyone. I'll try them next time I need it. I know how Cris feels about family issues though. My family used to be like that as well in the beginnings of the disease. I think it was because they didn't understand the disease and were frustrated. We would get into screaming fights with each about stupid things. They would blame me for not eating foods that help RA symptoms and avoiding foods that are bad for RA. They would say it's your fault that you're in pain...you're not eating the foods you're supposed to be. When you're in pain, food is the last thing you want to be bothered with. I was in so much pain and couldn't understnad why my parents would always be yelling at me. Couldn't they see how much pain I was in? It was a good thing that I had a supportive friend who helped me through that time. She made me understand that it wasn't my fault and the reason my parents were acting like that was because they wanted something to blame for the RA and I was the easy target for getting their frustrations out. I was in university when I was diagnosed with RA and my sweet friend would come to my classes and write the notes for me! She would even skip some of her classes ....and she was majoring in something else! When both of us didn't have any classes, she offered to massage my joints, which really helped. She even used to carry my school bag and books to all my classes! My parents have slowly gotten used to the idea of me having RA. Now, anytime they see me struggling with something like opening a jar, they simply offer to open it...or....if i'm trying to lift something heavy they offer to take it from me. Have fun Cris and I really hope you feel better!
Hi Cris, First off, I am so thrilled that you had such a great 1st visit with your new RD!! That is HAPPINESS
Now as for the camping trip, Go, enjoy your girls, put the brothers and wifes on ignore and just have fun with your kids. Sleep, sleeping bag, ground......does'nt sound so good. Maybe you can get one of those inflatable sleeping bags though if your going today, I doubt there will be time. Meme's Ben Gay suggestion sounds good, maybe even for those of us not going camping
Feel Good! have fun! let us know how it all goes cause you know we wanna know! Pam I hear ya Cris!! Damp dank days do me in too. It's gotten better since I started Enbrel but it still affects me emotionally. I think it's because for years damp days mant me staying home in bed or laying on the couch and canceling whatever plans I had made. I'm sure you don't want to cancel your trip or send your girls without you. But you mentioned that you go twice a year. Maybe for the second trip you can camp out in your backyard with your girls and family or their friends. This way you'd have the comforts of home right there if you need them. Hot soothing showers and if need be a nice comfy bed should sleeping outside be too much for you. Every year my friends invite me to join them camping and every year I decline. I love the idea of camping but I know physically I just can't do it. I have a hard time walking on uneven surfaces. I get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom sometimes 3 -4 times. And if I'm low on the ground I need someone to help me get up. And not to mention bugs love me. I'd get eaten alive. Hmmm, maybe they invite me to act as a bug repellent for them? Hahahah. And while my friends are very understanding of my RA in general their compassion seems to wax and wain at times. Sometimes they seem to get annoyed with my inability to try something. I know my limitations. I know my body best. I know camping would do me in and I'd be sore and uncomfortable and grouchy for days afterwards. I won't compromise what's best for me due to peer pressure. Isn't it quite silly that peer pressure exists in adult hood? I wish your family were more understanding of your needs. I wish the world were more compasionate and understanding in general. But unfortunately until some folks walk in our orthopeodic shoes, sore spots and all, they won't understand the unpredictability our bodies inflict upon us. Wishing you the best and I do hope you enjoy your camping trip. Maybe the next one can be on your terms!
Hi Cris, By now you are already on your camping trip. I sure hope you got to read the posts before you left, sounded like a few good tips there. I'm hoping the weather didn't knock you down and you will come back to tell us you had a "GREAT TIME". As far as the family, I just have to shake my head. People just don't understand this disease do they? It really frustrates me. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me (they better not dare). However, it would be nice if people could be understanding and compassionate instead of judgemental and critical. If they understood what we feel, they would thank their lucky stars it's not them. Uggghh, sorry to ramble. Anyway, hoping you're having a wonderful time and enjoying yourself. Peace & Love...Neasy
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