The Girl With Arthritis

You know what bothers me? Like,  really grinds my gears? When I'm walking in a huge crowd of friends and nobody thinks to slow down to my speed. Do they really think I'm being anti-social and just want to watch everyone in front of me enjoying themselves? HECK NO! I want to be the leader of the pack, enjoying myself with the rest of those beautiful people who are not cherishing their youth nearly as much as they should be. But no- I'm walking in the back, all by myself watching. And I'm usually a good distance behind where you probably don't know I'm with those rowdy hooligans- when in reality, I'm one of them! Even when I've got my dumb cane with me, I usually get left behind in the back. I mean, it's bad enough to leave the girl who walks like grandma trailing a couple yards away but it looks really bad when grandma's got a cane, too. Not to mention a little dangerous, don't purse snatchers prefer hobbling grandmas to groups of university...

I've been doing a lot of writing on this blog about why the past few months were so difficult for me. But this is, by far, the most significant thing that happened to me. While I'd like to say this is something that is 'over and done with,', I can't: This is still something I'm dealing with. I'm actually nervous to share this post so publicly because I'm scared of the responses I'll receive. Please try  to understand. Fall semester was supposed to be amazing. I was going to hang out in all my favorite places with all my favorite people. But instead, it ended with me afraid to leave my room and almost completely isolated. My perfect semester was interrupted by him . I don't know if he likes me or is obsessed with me, but regardless, I find he likes to be in my company. Often, without my knowledge. He's walked behind me and followed me home. Sometimes, he sees me approaching my apartment building, sprints to the entrance and waits for me...

I haven't really known what to post about. Life is a little dull at the moment. I've been home from school for a few weeks, and go back next week when classes begin. I've done very little over the break besides rest, and even then I just don't feel rested. Somehow, everything recently is an effort. I don't feel particularly bad, yet I don't feel good either. I'd be quite satisfied to have another week to lie around and do nothing, but I realize I'm truly pushing my limits on 'rest.' In October I developed a nasty cough that would last well into November. The end of November and most of December was very stressful, and I had a significant increase in pain and fatigue. No doubt, my body is begging for a rest. Yet, I don't seem to be giving it the rest it craves. Recently, I've experienced a lot of vertigo, headaches and other odd symptoms that make it clear that I am not 100% yet. The doctor explained those symptoms are from inner ear in...

It's been a long time since I've last updated. I don't want to sugar coat it; the past few months were extremely difficult. Though I'm hesitant to say it was the worst period of my life, it was definitely the most exhausting in all respects- physically, mentally, and emotionally. While there were many things going on that were extremely demanding, I wasn't exhausted solely due to those stresses. Rather, it was because I was very ill. And I owe it to many people -the people in my life and to my readers- to explain why I was absent and very much not myself for a few months. In July, the medication (Sulfasalazine) I had began in May was causing harmful side effects, so I began taking Plaquenil. I was very hopeful that this would be the treatment that would bring me to remission in a year or two. It seemed to be successful for many of my friends, so why not me? Plaquenil takes a very long time to work, so I wasn't surprised I hadn't felt any benefits by Au...

I've been terrible at updating lately. It's not even that I have nothing to say, because that is certainly not the case at all. I have lots of stuff I've been writing that I cannot wait to share. However, the past two months have been extremely intense unfortunately. September and October put me under extreme academic pressure (there came a point I started skipping meals to do homework), and in addition to dealing with arthritis, medicine side effects, and just attempting to have a social life, the blog suffered. I suffered too. I'm very burnt out at the moment. Though I still truly do love my major and the work I am doing, I am at the point where it's pulling teeth to get it done. So forgive me for a while whilst I get back on track. I promise I will let you know how I am doing when I can, but for now I need to focus on me. And if you want to know how Arthur is treating me, I'll give you a hint: he's kicking my butt.

Since last updating, I've been taken off of sulfasalazine as it caused too many side effects to justify continuation. I experienced extreme fatigue, and as a result was sleeping almost twelve hours a day with no relief of exhaustion. In addition, I lost my appetite and barely ate at all. I've been off of that for a few weeks now, and I'm feeling much better. My appetite still isn't what it was, but it should start coming back soon. So now I'm on Plaquenil, which is one my last options before considering biologics again. Despite my great reaction to biologics in the past, my rheumatologist insists that we try other treatments first. This is somewhat due to how powerful they are, but also to whether they are a good option for me at this point. My rheumatologist, who I've been seeing since April, has taken note of the very active arthritis in my joints. However, what is confusing her is that for the most part, my joints are not eroded. If I was only recentl...

When I was little, I liked to pretend I was a superhero. Even now, I haven't quite given up that game. Granted, I don't tie a sheet around my neck and jump on my bed as often as I once did. Now, I pretend that I have superhuman strength. I love to zoom here and there, do a hundred things at once, and never need to stop, just like a superhero. But I've noticed that it's not just superheros who can do all that: It's young people too. In an attempt to keep up with my peers, I pretend I'm extremely strong and can fly. They have boundless energy and are constantly in motion. And why wouldn't they? They're in their prime. And supposedly, I am as well. And in order to act it, I pretend I am that strong. And I do well until my friends go home- after that, I make a crash landing. But at least I crash in glory. This past semester, I really pushed it. The mornings started early in lectures or the library, the afternoons involved at least a half hour walk and as...