As My Joints Turn: my autoimmune soap opera
Autoimmune Arthritis isn't the end of the world, it's just another way of living in the world.
For years, my autoimmune/inflammatory arthritis disease impacted my joints. I lived with pain from inflammed joints life altering exhaustion, but I was able to push through wth the help of medications, therpies, and force of will. Then my disease becme systemic. A CT scan showed my liver, intestines, lungs, colon, and heart lining all showed... Continue Reading →
People keep asking me how things are going since I retired. I usually say, “It’s okay.” The truth is, it’s completely overwhelming. The disability paperwork alone feels like a full-time job—an especially cruel irony when you’re filling it out to prove you’re incapable of working full-time. Every question makes me wonder if I’m answering it... Continue Reading →
Life has been a little... chaotic since starting hospice care for my mom. And by “a little chaotic,” I mean I now live in a sleep-deprivation experiment sponsored by Alexa, arthritis, and appliance failure. Mom has developed a habit of waking me up throughout the night because she can’t work the remote, needs help getting... Continue Reading →
Hospice chaos, caregiver exhaustion, biologic crash, emotional overload, and survival mode—with just enough rest to breathe for a minute.
I’ve had one hell of a month. Like… if there were an Olympic event for emotional whiplash, I’d be standing on the podium with a gold medal and an ice pack. It started with my almost 10-year-old cat, Jaxson. He had a cough. Just a cough. I did what any responsible pet parent does—I took... Continue Reading →
Living with chronic illness for almost 30 years gives one a thick skin. I've met so many people who love to give me free advice. For the most part, it's all good intended suggestions, but I often feel stumped on how to respond. Today someone said, "My friend says those infusions you take are bad,... Continue Reading →
Someone recently asked me if I wrote an "advice blog". The answer is NOPE. As My Joints turn is more of a journal of living with chronic illness and debilitating pain. I share my experience with doctors, medication, treatments, and daily life. I am not a medical professional, so any "advice" I give would be... Continue Reading →
I haven't blogged in a while. Recovering from pneumonia was difficult, then I caught COVID..... After 2 years and 8 months of avoiding the dreaded virus, I tested positive. I had a mild case. Bad cold without a fever. Due to my immunocompromised status, my doctor prescribed Paxlovid, the antiviral medication. Although my COVID symptoms... Continue Reading →
I've completed the last loading dose of my newest bio similar infusion drug, Inflectra. I know most of my family and friends are waiting to know....do I feel better. That is a tricky question to answer. I met with my rheumatologist and had to have an answer to that very question. My answer: Maybe Not... Continue Reading →
Life is scary for all of us right now. None of us have experience with this, so I've been following the recommendations of WHO (World Health Organization), the CDC (Centers of Disease Control), and the ACR (American College of Rheumatology). I did reach out to my personal rheumatologist and her advice was to get blood... Continue Reading →