Fun with Words

One of the ways I cope with rheumatoid arthritis is by having fun with words. Creative naming can go a long way to defanging something scary or unpleasant. Sometimes it starts because I just don’t want to talk about needles, treatments, or physical therapy all the time even though it is a part of my daily life.

I ask myself: “Wouldn’t it be more fun if this [regularly occurring monotony or scar thing] were renamed to something more fun?” And of course, I always say yes.

Using positive associations to cope rheumatoid arthritis

Here’s some examples of challenging aspects of my life with RA (or other related conditions) that I have turned into something more fun or interesting:

My red wheelchair is my hot rod

My speedy red wheelchair is, of course, my ‘hot rod.’ I love it! While walking is both painful and a challenge, my hot rod makes getting around fast and easy. The only frustrations come not from my hot rod, but from the constructed world around me that may forget ramps, not fill potholes, or neglect accessibility for people who use wheelchairs. My hot rod isn’t the problem — it is the solution to my mobility challenges. I use the term hot rod as both a term of endearment, but also to flip the thinking of a wheelchair as unfortunate because it is actually a tool of liberation.

My stepper for exercise

One of the ways I get exercise (when I can’t get to the pool) is to use a resistance leg exercise machine. I can use it while sitting and push my feet down against resistance to strengthen my legs. It resembles one of those step machines in the gym, so I call it my little stepper.

A silly name for needles

Pokey poke — There is literally no way to make a needle sound better. So, I’ve chosen to just make it sound silly. My biweekly biologic shot is ‘the pokey poke’ because to me silly sounds less scary, and I’ll take any help that I can get. I don’t have an unnatural fear of needles, just a healthy dislike of them. They are useful and (in my case) important tool for administering medication. I must use them, so I will control them as best I can by making them silly.

Snorkel: my mask for sleep apnea treatment

Earlier this year I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, so now I use a machine at night to help make sure I am breathing. (I know, my silly need for oxygen is ridiculous!). At first, I thought I looked like Darth Vader while wearing it. But I didn’t want to identify with the Dark Side of the Force—frankly, it’s just too whiny for my taste (example: Kylo Ren).

So, I had to come up with something different. Something fun. Something I would actually like to do, rather than wear this frightening mask. Ta da! Presto! Now I wear a snorkel! Much more fun! I can pretend I am jumping into the water to swim with the fishes.

Names for people who don't want to understand RA

This term I credit to one of our fellow RA community members when they wrote they were frustrated with a non-understanding person in their life and called them a ‘butt nugget.’ Sure, maybe calling names isn’t nice, but we have to have a term for those people who are getting on our nerves, don’t understand life with RA, or are just being jerks for the moment.

I call these people ‘nuggets’ with the understanding that sometimes I’m just being impatient or they are having a bad day. We’re all nuggets to someone, at some time. Better to use a fun, not-so-offensive word to describe problem people than some other words that come to mind!

Do you ever play with words to have a little fun or make something unpleasant just a little bit better? Share your examples and help me expand my vocabulary!