Arthritic Critic

"Melissa, the issue with your feet is OBVIOUSLY your rheumatoid arthritis. Let's increase your medicine, give you some steroids and consider a cortisone injection. You are obviously NOT in remission. How long do you want to try this treatment?" "A month?" "I want you back in two weeks for a check up." And at that point I had to physically restrain myself from hugging my new doctor...he's not someone I would go to for life (he's seriously about a hundred years old) but for the next three months, I can totally handle that. Oh, I almost forgot while I was checking out he came to find me and asked me about what I take for pain...and then offered me something... And then my chiropractor told me he would be happy to deal with my back issues and that was icing on the cake....of course this was after he rubbed my ankle for 15 minutes. Yeah, an all around stellar day for doctors!! My trust in doctors is going up at each visit...thank goodness....pardon...

It's been awhile since I've last had my nails and toenails done. I decided to go yesterday and treat myself... When I was halfway there I realized that I hadn't shaved that morning. I had already called to ask if they had an opening and I really just wanted to get it done. I figured that it couldn't be that big of a deal, right? I'm sitting in the chair relaxing...the nail tech is rubbing my legs and she looks up at me and says, "you need a shave, huh?" I was literally struck dumb as my jaw hit the floor....now I'm not a hairy, amazon woman or anything and I didn't even think the situation was forest like or anything but I guess when your rubbing someones leg you can feel stubble. So, I'm thinking here comes the sales pitch for waxing...when the nails tech looks down and gets back to work. So seriously, my nail tech outed my leg stubble...good thing she wasn't rubbing my arm pits.... What would you do in my situation?

1. The illness I live with is: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sjogren's Syndrome (does craziness count as invisible....) 2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1972 3. But I had symptoms since: I would figure probably since I was born, I started to limp at two 4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: Learning to adjust to what my body is willing to do instead of what my mind wants it to do. 5. Most people assume: That I'm lazy or to young to have these kinds of issues...even some of my doctors. If I had a dollar for every time heard a doctor say your to young, I'd be rich. 6. The hardest part about mornings are: Getting out of bed. Who would have ever thought putting your feet on the ground could be so painful? 7. My favorite medical TV show is: Grey's of course...followed closely by Private Practice. 8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: Hmm, ace bandages, my snazzy pink cane, followed closely by my ice pack or heating pad. 9. The hardest part about nights are: Getting...

I just sent the hubs out to Dairy Queen for ice cream (why no, that isn't on my diet....thanks for asking). Amongst some grumbling and moaning he asked both Hope and I what we wanted. Peanut Buster Parfait for me (hey, it's a good source of calcium) and then Joe turns to Hope and she says, "I want a hairy Dilly Bar." Or at least in my head that's what she said. I looked at her with a confused look on my face and said, "a what?" All the time imagining the employee at DQ rubbing a dilly bar on the floor to pick up hair. "I said I want a CHERRY Dilly Bar, Mom. What did you think I said?" I'll be getting measured for my hearing aid later this week....

I was at PT this week when two young attractive men employees were going for my file to guide me through my PT. Here's how that conversation went... Them: Oh, I was going to get that...well, I got here first. Ok, you take it. Me: Well, you know you guys can fight over me.... Insert dead silence here....crickets tweeting....my self-esteem hitting the floor Me: Uhm, no, huh? Them: Well, we don't want your ego to get too big now do we.... Ouch!! ******************************************************* Later that week.... Me: I'd rather be having a margarita than having a shoulder massage. Him: What? Don't you like me? Me: Uhm who didn't fight for me earlier this week? I love karma.... ******************************************************** Proof positive I need a a new filter installed between my mouth and my brain... I took my shoe off because my ankle was bothering me. I put it on the table. As he was pulling the stim pads off my shoulder I was trying to turn around ...

I was at the chiropractor's office the other day when I overheard a conversation about a woman's shoes. Her doctor was giving her a hard time for continuing to wear heels even though they were contributing to her health issues. I sat on my table, smugly thinking that I had wonderful $45 flip flops on and he wouldn't possibly have a reason to yell at me. Well, at least until my next visit anyway.... I walked in limping asking if it was normal that my foot was numb when the war against my shoes started. He looked at me and said "don't you have any running or walking shoes" and said, "yes." Oh yeah, I lied...what's a girl supposed to do? Running shoes are just plain ugly, good for your feet, but ugly (or is that butt ugly?) So I added, "my flip flops have arch support in them" at which point he said, "I'm looking at your flip flops (dripping with disdain) and there is not enough support in them (good thing I didn't tell him th...