Turn and Face the Strange Ch-Ch-Changes
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said "Change is the only constant in life". For Rheumatoid Disease sufferers, truer words may have never been spoken. Our symptoms, treatments, physical abilities, and so many more are constantly changing throughout our journeys with this disease. Medications that once seemed to be God sent for their effectiveness can suddenly stop working, or begin to cause serious side effects. Joints that were previously unaffected can suddenly inflame and cause excruciating pain. And perhaps most devastatingly, activities and hobbies from which we once derived such joy can become impossible, simply causing too much pain to enjoy any longer.
Life changes with rheumatoid arthritis
I know this is true in my own life and journey with Rheumatoid Arthritis, of which I was diagnosed at the tender age of four years old. Some of my earliest memories are of doctor visits and treatments, spending hours in the car with my Mother as we visited specialists across the state of California, where I grew up. It was daunting as a child, but also, I didn't know any differently. I sometimes wonder if being afflicted with RD later in life would have been even more difficult, to have once had full physical ability and then to have it snatched away with the diagnosis of a disease with no cure. However, in either scenario, the challenge is the same, in that we are all doing our best to cope with the constantly changing effects that this disease has on our bodies and minds. While its effects may be ever changing, at the same time so are the treatments, research, and developments available to combat the disease. As we continue to mitigate the damage caused by Rheumatoid Disease as best we can, we can also strive to have fulfilling lives amidst the challenges it has bestowed upon us, turning to face them, and the changes they bring, head on.
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