My 81-Year-Long Journey with RA

I am Colleen Mae Lemkuil and I was diagnosed by Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, MN when I was around 60 as having juvenile arthritis. When I was 25, I worked for Dr. William Chase Jr., now deceased, in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. He diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis by blood work and observation. I worked for him.

Working with RA

I was home ill one day and I said I got sick every time it snowed in Iowa. He said let's test you for rheumatoid arthritis. The test was positive. He even had a machine in his office to do head traction and I would use it when I came to work.

I was advised to rest for one hour when I got home from work. I had two small children, John and, 3 years younger, Mary. I would have babysitters and I would have them stay an extra hour so I could rest for one hour. I had a wonderful husband who always helped me. I had two wonderful children that would help me.

The nurse that needed a nurse

I once got so bad I had to quit a job as a Public Health Nurse in Warren County, Iowa. I rested for one year and then went back to work for the American Cancer Society, Polk County Unit in Des Moines, Iowa at a 9 to 4 job. It was good but sometimes I had to work extra for events in the evening and that would be hard on me.

I later went to work for the Polk County Health Dept. in Health Education with hours of 8 to 4:30. I then went to water exercise classes at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. It was an arthritis class in a heated pool and was great. The people were your support group. I still go to water exercise classes.

Finding relief

I live by Cutty's RV resort and I am a member and I went there all last week. The week before I went to a warm pool in Spencer, Iowa but it is 12 miles away and costs $10 a day. It was nice and I learned some activities. I have been the teacher for the water exercise class.

I am a Registered Nurse and took a continuing education class on water exercise. I was part of a class in Des Moines when I was around 30 years old. We had an instructor who taught us water exercise and filmed it and sent it to every arthritis foundation in the USA.

When I lived in Des Moines I was on the state arthritis board. When I worked I always had them include in my job description arthritis for 10 percent of my time. I went from Polk County to work for the Iowa Department of Public Health in Health Education for 20 years.

I retired at age 59. I get IPERS and at 62 I got Social Security. I have been a water exercise teacher in my retirement at my home in Casa Grande, AZ at Palm Creek Resort and Residences and at Spirit Lake, Iowa.

A new battle

I recently got breast cancer in 2021 and the next summer I got Valley Fever, a spore fever that kept me from exercising. I gained 40 pounds and have now lost it again with the help of my TOPS groups in Iowa and AZ. TOPS is 75 years old and stands for Taking Off Pounds Sensibly. I am their reporter and I give programs to them. I will give one next week.

My love of community

I use the computer a lot and am glad to hear from many of you. My last problem in 2023 I got Lymphatic colitis which is like getting an inflammation of the bowel and having diarrhea. I am still seeing a gastrologist. I am under fairly good management. I rest and eat a bland low-fiber diet. I had fish today. I eat fish every Friday even though I am not Catholic but I am Methodist and I pray a lot.

I wish you well. I send 100 greeting cards a year. I can still do that. I keep smiling. I have a great husband who is 82 years old and bought me buffalo today and a new grill to barbecue it for me tomorrow. Take care. Keep smiling.

I did have COVID-19 on my 80th birthday in 2023. I get every immunization I can.