I’ve been trying to deny it for days, but there’s no denying it anymore. I’m in the middle of a nasty autoimmune flare, and my body has made it abundantly clear that it is NOT interested in negotiating.
What triggered it? Excellent question. Was it the sudden switch from cool, dry weather to hot, humid weather? The fact that I’m still 16 days away from my next biologic injection? Did I overdo it working around the house? Or did my immune system simply wake up one morning and decide we were overdue for a little chaos?
Your guess is as good as mine.
What I do know is that the pain has become unbearable. I’ve spent almost three days practically glued to my couch, and I’ve finally waved the white flag and asked for prednisone.
I hate prednisone. I hate the side effects, the sleepless nights, and the fact that I need it in the first place. But I also hate being held hostage by my own body, so here we are.
My goal has never been to live completely pain-free. After decades of living with autoimmune arthritis, I know that’s probably not realistic. My goal has always been to live well despite my disease. To have a life that consists of more than managing symptoms, taking medications, and calculating how much energy I can afford to spend on ordinary activities.
And right now? This isn’t living well. This is just getting through the day.
I’m waiting for a call back from my rheumatologist to see what she recommends. In the meantime, my couch and I are spending entirely too much quality time together. At this point, we’re practically in a committed relationship.
Here’s hoping relief is on the horizon, because I’m more than ready to break up with this flare.
I hope all of you are having a much better day than I am. And if you’re flaring too, consider this a gentle reminder that sometimes the most productive thing we can do is absolutely nothing.
As My Joints Turn… because apparently my immune system thinks every day needs a dramatic plot twist.
Leave a Reply