The Girl With Arthritis

I never liked him, and I don't think he liked me. That was fine by me. I was very quiet and an easy target. He was very loud and brash, and even at my ripe age of eleven I found him extremely obnoxious. I was glad when we didn't have classes together- it meant I could get my work done without comments that turned me red in anger and embarrassment. I was often picked on by my classmates, but he made my blood boil- somehow, he always knew just what to say or do to make me angry. One time he sprayed a pungent cologne in my face, and laughed when I scowled. Every day, I wished he would go away. I hated him, and I don't think he ever liked me. I haven't thought about him in years, and I don't think he thought of me either. Why would we when there was no reason to? We went on to go to different schools in different towns, and we never crossed paths again. With no mutual friends- not even Facebook friends- there was no reason we would ever need to remember each other, ...

I was about eleven when I began being treated for juvenile arthritis. As clever as I was at eleven, I didn't understand everything. Sometimes I wish doctors would sit there and tell you more, or at least give you a little pamphlet called "All the Things I Don't Explain." Even if I was beginning treatment and diagnosis now, I wouldn't have known these things. And I admit I'm still learning. 1. We're Not Treating Symptoms. We're Treating a Disease. Treating the symptoms doesn't treat the disease, but treating the disease does treat symptoms. It may not mean your symptoms are relieved for a long time, but it could mean that damage is prevented. For example, if your doctor says it could take six months for a medicine to take full effect it means that you're body will be completely using the drug against the disease. It doesn't mean your symptoms will completely disappear by that point. I really wish they explained that. 2. This disease is...

This year, 2013, has been a phenomenal year for The Girl With Arthritis! In 2012 I was lucky to get a few views a day but this year my views have gone above and beyond my expectation. Iwas even given some awesome opportunities. This is all because of you reading my posts! Thanks so much for sticking with me from the beginning or just reading for the first time. Not only has my blog been more successful, but greater things have come as well. I think my favourite is getting to 'meet' and talk with new people through this and other blogs. You've gotten me through the worst of times and helped me celebrate the best of times. And though 2013 was a great year for the blog, it was a very hard year for me. A lot happened over the course of the year in all parts of my life. Arthritis wise it was a tough year and I went through a lot between dealing with the disease itself and complications from it. I still am going through a hard time with it. Since the year is almost over, I want...

It's not uncommon to hear others say 'I want to help people,' but that always made me wonder when the individual is cared for. Does it only matter when a whole population of people are hurt by an event or had their lives dramatically changed- not an individual? When do we rebuild not just the people , but the person ? Why doesn't it matter when a person is hurt by an event or had their lives flipped upside down? Because it doesn't affect everyone? No. Because it happens every single day. Maybe at one time these things did affect everyone but presently since it happens so often, we're used to it. We've been built up to so much than one casualty is no longer a big deal: It cannot penetrate our shield. People go on and live their lives with the strength we've built to move on. Meanwhile, an individual is trying to pick up the pieces and wearing a mask that protects everyone from their emotions and stories as if censoring their lives. But of course, the ...

"People can change." A lyric from a song I love. I think it says enough in itself that I don't have to emphasize. Thought to add to it, I would like to add the following lyric. "People don't change." This, I feel, is ignorant. Think of how much you have changed in a year. In two years. Throughout your life. Hopefully as people change, they become more compassionate. Thoughtful. Understanding. However this takes time. Sometimes I'm worrying that's what we are running out of.