Along with the fun stuff of today...like Groundhog Day and the Super Bowl...it's also RA Awareness Day. Not so fun, but as one affected by this disease, it's important for me to give it a nod.
RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) is a misunderstood disease, often being mistaken for osteoarthritis which affects the joints due to injury or age related wear and tear.
RA is actually NOT 'arthritis'. It begins in the blood, not the joints. Joint inflammation and destruction are merely symptoms of a much bigger issue.
RA is actually a progressive, destructive, systemic autoimmune disorder in which the immune system relentlessly and mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It not only affects the joints, but can adversely affect most any organ/tissue in the body. Specifically, the eyes, skin, heart, kidneys, lungs, nervous system, blood and blood vessels are all targets of RA disease and it's complications.
RA patients are also highly susceptible to serious, life threatening infections not only related to the disease itself, but as a result of the immune suppressing medications used to treat it. On average, life expectancy is shorter for people with RA than the general population. This is due in part to the disease and in part to the side effects of the toxic treatment medications.
* Less than 2% of the population worldwide have RA
* 75% of those affected are women
* RA is more likely to strike people 35-50 years of age, but can occur in children as young as 2 years
* Symptoms include severe pain, overwhelming fatigue, fever, chronic flu-like feeling, joint swelling and deformity, muscle weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite
RA is a relentless, debilitating, and painful autoimmune disease for which there is no cure...yet.
Three good things:
1. After being caught up in the Polar Vortex for weeks, we're looking forward to 64F (18C) today.
2. A few 'good for you' Super Bowl foods thrown in with the wings, chips, dips, and chili
3. Go Broncos!!
Having had RA scatter through our family history as a curse that killed very prematurely (including my grandmother) right up to the 60's I feel very blessed that we seem to have eradicated the gene. And I feel proud of my friends and colleagues who still work on cures. And I have fingers firmly crossed that you can keep your illness at bay. XX Go Broncos! (I have no idea who els is playing ;0))
A very clear & concise explanation of RA Peggy. I know you suffer from this debilitating disease & my admiration goes out to you & all your fellow sufferers. It must affect your whole life ...strange that its mostly women that suffer ...I wonder why that is ? Good you have a special day to make folk aware more of this horrid illness & perhaps go out with the tin rattling for funds to research more into the why's & wherefores.
You are such a cheerful & positive girl, it puts us healthy people to shame & glad that hopefully you are going through a good patch at the moment.
You are an inspiration & probably a quiet ambassador in your own field to all in your area. My love to you & other sufferers like you. xxxxxxxx
@judithg I appear to be a genetic anomaly in my family...there are no cases of autoimmune issues - in recent generations anyway. You and your colleagues are absolute Godsends to people stricken with this immune system craziness. I shudder to think where I would be, physically, without medical intervention. I just wish my current course of meds didn't adversely affect my dwindling brain cells. 'Chemo brain' is disturbing. :)
The Denver Broncos appreciate your support!! They are playing the Seattle Seahawks for NFL glory.
@happypat Thank you for your compassionate and thoughtful words, Pat. I feel lucky that huge strides have been made in research and treatment. I think in the not so distant future, RA and other autoimmune diseases will be a thing of the past.
Thank you for bringing this to the front Peggy, and it is another one of those diseases that we must not give up fighting. Often time when something doesn't affect us or someone we knew, we do not have the push, but working in the healthcare field you get to see so much, and you know how devastating it can be. Hopefully we can continue to make headway in our fight to stop these types of diseaes
As we've discussed before, my mom had RA and awareness is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. Thank you for putting yourself out there with the photo of your hand to help make people more aware of this disease. My mom was always so self conscious of her crooked fingers so I know it's not probably not easy for you put yourself out there like that. Thanks for doing it! It's a beautiful photo.
@kimshawball Thanks, Kim! The vagarities of RA are tough to deal with...no one likes to be or look 'sick'. I've become pretty adept at functioning with two fingers on my right hand. Although I do miss my thumb. When changing diapers, a working thumb would make the job a heck of a lot easier. :) I know the challenges your brave mom faced. As well as those autoimmune issues you and Emily contend with on a daily basis. Hugs to you as you soldier on.
I admire you Peggy for being one of the most positive and upbeat people on this site despite your struggles with this disease. No one would ever guess from your cheerful attitude that you have anything but a perfect life. I sincerely hope there will be a cure or at least better treatment options for you in the near future. Thank you for bringing this to everyone's attention...unfortunately there are a handful of diseases that get all the media attention and so many others go almost unnoticed. Enjoy the warm weather and fingers crossed for your Broncos today! :)
This brought a tear to my eye Peggy. Such a debilitating disease and so unfair to the people that it strikes. Well done to you for bringing our attention to it with your very brave photo. Your sweet and kind nature shines through in all of your comments and your narrative and I think you must be a very special person and a nanny that your grandchildren are very lucky to have around. To be so upbeat and positive in the face of the pain and adversity you obviously suffer is something that many of us could do well to learn from. I take my hat off to you x
My grandmother had it .... and I never got to know her.
Brave of you to show and tell ,
like so many hidden conditions , there's never enough sympathy for the sufferers
@linnypinny That's too young to have RA strike...I was also in my 30's when the first symptoms started. I hope your friend has found a medication protocol that helps her.
Thank you so much for making me aware by educating me on RA. Like so many others, I also thought it was advanced arthritis and was not aware of all those symptoms. I also didn't know you are afflicted with this condition....you are always so upbeat, positive, cheerful and lively and seem to be the picture of health. I admire you, girl and pray that some day they find a cure and also that your medication keeps the pain in check. Hugs my friend.
Well Peggy I too stand educated now because of your message on RA. I didn't realize it was a blood disease, only knew of the painful side effects. But as many comments from fellow 365ers, your spirit and sharing of your 3 good things on a daily basis show that attitude in life in whatever comes at you is a major part of the cure.
You always amaze me with your positive attitude. I know it's not easy to live with a chronic condition, especially if it affects the way you feel on a daily basis. I admire you on so many levels.
February 4th, 2014
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You are such a cheerful & positive girl, it puts us healthy people to shame & glad that hopefully you are going through a good patch at the moment.
You are an inspiration & probably a quiet ambassador in your own field to all in your area. My love to you & other sufferers like you. xxxxxxxx
The Denver Broncos appreciate your support!! They are playing the Seattle Seahawks for NFL glory.
Brave of you to show and tell ,
like so many hidden conditions , there's never enough sympathy for the sufferers