2021 Recap: An RA Rollercoaster

2021 was truly a weird year. From the pandemic continuing to having to go back to work in-person to starting graduate school again, the word that best describes this year is rollercoaster. And, of course, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has undergirded and colored each twist and turn along the way.

So I thought, in this article, I would do a small recap of my 2021 to show the longevity of RA and how much it impacts everyday life for those of us with the condition.

Exceptionally busy in the spring

Starting off this year, the spring was exceptionally busy with work and graduate work. I felt exhausted most of the time because of the fatigue that comes with having RA.

Not to mention that at this time, debates about going back to work in person were starting to happen. At our office, we hosted all of our conferences online to be more inclusive and accessible — and to keep everyone safe, too.

Trying to "get back to normal"

The highlight during this time was February when I received my first COVID vaccine. Since I’m immunocompromised, I was eligible to begin the vaccination process earlier than most of my friends and coworkers, which I felt gracious for so that I could try and "get back to normal" as much as that is possible.

Assuredly, there is some contention in using that phrase, "get back to normal," though. As horrible and difficult as the past few years have been, I’m not sure it’s reasonable or even good for us to return to how life was before. Even for my own personal experience, I’ve been able to realize how flexible working can be.

Before, I used to think that I had to work in the office for the rest of my life, traveling to and from work each day. This routine, this monotony was crushing — it terrified me because, as much as I like to be iterant, it is exhausting to have to plan meals for each weekday at the office, coordinate schedules, and more. I loved the flexibility of working from home.

And though I am grateful that going into 2022 I will have 1 work from home day a week, I wish I could work from home more. I will miss that flexibility.

Getting out and socializing in the summer

The summer months brought the most furtive times for me. I was working and writing a lot and, having been fully vaccinated, I felt comfortable going to restaurants and seeing friends again.

Although certainly, things had changed — some of my friends moved during the pandemic and others who still weren’t comfortable seeing people — it felt good to be able to get out of the house again. It felt good to breathe the fresh air, stretch my joints, and not feel the isolation that so many with a chronic illness often feel by just having the disease in the first place.

Moreover, this was also when we returned back to the office for the first time in over a year and a half, which required some adjustment.

A busier time during the winter

The winter months were the busiest time of the year, but mostly for my graduate degree. I had to write over 40 pages of academic writing for my classes which, in addition to working full time, was rather difficult.

I also experienced an RA flare that was pretty severe, causing me to have to take things slower and not exercise as much, not eat as much, and not worry as much. These are obviously easier said than done, and it’s a continual practice to incorporate them into my life.

All in all, I would say that my 2021 was a complete mixture of good and bad. Maybe that is okay.

One thing’s for sure: I learned a lot about myself and my illness that I carry with me each day, and I won’t take that for granted.