Missing Opportunities

Missing opportunities sucks! But unfortunately it's sometimes something you have to deal with with arthritis.

My first unfortunate miss of an opportunity was when I first got arthritis, I was supposed to be going on a trip with school to Austria for skiing, we'd paid the deposit and everything, and then I found out I had arthritis, and that going to Austria was a massive no go, no matter about skiing! Because, as most arthritis sufferers (and most other people really) would know is that arthritis + snow/cold/wet = painnnnn. plus at the time it was first discovered my arthritis was so bad I couldn't walk well, so skiing was definitely off the cards.

Another more recent one is sky diving, and I tell you something, I have always REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to go sky diving!! So this year at uni, I decided to join the sky diving society, in the very high hopes I'd be able to do it... And then I couldn't get a doctor to sign my health form for me because of them not really knowing the effects that the pressure would have on my joints, and then my arthritis got worse again anyway... *sigh* But, I intend on joining sky diving again next year, and even the year after (if we still have the society anyway) in the dire HOPE that some day it'll be me jumping out a helicopter!!

Basically, some times you've got to miss opportunities, it's the same with every condition really, but never give up on them! But it is best to put your health and safety first and always consider it. Which, I know feels rubbish, before I got arthritis, I just wanted to do anything and everything!! But I still hope that I do get to do what ever I want at some point, it just might take a while until I can. But I'm willing to wait, and I will, most definitely sky dive at some point (sorry doctors, this isn't optional... ) I will at some point, even if it's not yet... Just watch this space...

Keep smiling :)

TTFN, Ta ta for now!!

Methotrexate Begins!

So, the weather's been horrible recently, therefore I've stayed inside avoiding the weather as much as I can recently! Haha, but on the upside (and downside) I've started taking my methotrexate again...

and that's my weekly dose of methotrexate... I have this weird problem with methotrexate because taking it makes me feel ill, and it always has, so just thinking about it makes me feel ill too unfortunately. :( But yeah, hopefully soon it will start working and I'll be working normally again!

On another note though, I was finally at physio yesterday for the first time here in Lincoln! It was nice to finally see one again after a while! She was really nice and she gave me some exercises for my legs for now, (as at current, my bad joints are: L ankle, R knee, L hip, L elbow, R shoulder, neck & jaw) i think that's all... And gradually we'll hopefully work through them, or they'll get better in time with my medication. 

But yeah, this was just another quick update thing, if anyone has anything they want me to talk about or whatever in the blog, leave me a comment, or a message on Google + or a tweet, or facebook if you know me, or basically, however you like. It's always good to have feedback & inspiration for new blogs to write, thanks guys :)

TTFN, ta ta for now!! :)

Sorry for the delay!

Hello my wonderful blog readers!! As the title says, sorry for the delay! I've been internetless from Monday - Today so there wasn't much I could do unfortunately.

So, I'm finally back on all my medication! woo! It feels good, in an odd way. I saw my Rheumatologist doctor back home on Tuesday, and now I'm sorta discharged from him, and seeing him again in a year (so, not fully discharged), ready to start seeing a rheumatologist and physiotherapist here in Lincoln at last!! I have a physio appointment booked for Wednesday, and believe it or not, I'm excited to start cracking on with walking properly again!

So yeah, all is good in those departments at the minute! Got to start having weekly blood tests for a while though unfortunately :( which, I don't look forward to, at all, especially seeing as I still have a bruise from one I had about 11 days ago! But I'll deal with that when it gets to it.

Sorry this blogs a bit short and blah today, I'm just tired from my journey back to Lincoln today, and decided I should probably give a quick update so you don't think I've just vanished! I haven't... I'm here!! :)

TTFN, ta ta for now! :)

"Possible Side Effects"



So, today I'm starting taking my meloxicam again today, here's a picture of my lovely little anti-inflammatory for you...

 

My Iddy Biddy Licukl Meloxicam
 

They're really not much, as you can see, they're clearly quite small, my main problem with these is forgetting to take them, as they're a daily tablet, and I just have awful memory to be honest! But size is deceiving, it may be small, but we can't forget the fact it's also packed of weird ingredients that no one can pronounce such as... "anhydrous colloidal silica"... Yep, I definitely know what THAT is...

But along with the weird ingredients, there's the inevitable reading of the "possible side effects" section, which for some people probably causes great worry and concern, and sometimes it even worries me, but if anything it actually makes me laugh more so... (I suppose I wouldn't laugh if I did get any of the side effects...) But, of course all medications have a large list of possible side effects, it's just thinking about them being caused by such a small thing that makes me laugh. Now I shall share a joke I made up with you... I was very proud when I made this up, so, at least pretend you found it funny?

"So I'm reading the 'possible side effects' for my meloxicam tablets... and it says it can cause confusion.... but, that's nothing new, I'm already constantly confused.... so, how will I know if it's causing confusion?... I'M SO CONFUSED... "

Yes, that really did just happen... Anyway! My point here, is reading the 'possible side effects' section, is never fun, but try not to get too worried about them, they're simply a warning it MIGHT happen, not WILL happen. Because I'm one of those people that if I start getting worried about things like that, I then start to 'experience' them, and I'm then like "THIS HEADACHE IS BECAUSE OF THOSE TABLETS, THIS STOMACHE PAIN IS BECAUSE OF THOSE TABLETS, I FEEL TIRED BECAUSE OF THOSE TABLETS!!!!"... And I get very melodramatic over nothing, so let's try not let that happen!

Keep positive! :)

TTFN, Ta ta for now!!

Blood tests :(

Blood tests... WILL I EVER GET USED TO YOU? (warning: if you're very squeamish about thinking about blood tests, maybe you should give this blog a miss...)

So I finally had that blood test yesterday, and as expected I didn't react well to it, initially I was nervous because I hadn't had chance to eat anything, and my rule before blood tests has always been to eat and drink plenty, so that I don't feel hungry or thirsty... so, good start there. Then the nurse didn't warn me it was going to be more blood taken than what I'm used to, so I started worrying part way through that it was taking longer than usual so I thought she was struggling to get it, so then I got all light headed while she was still doing it, (which is never fun). And then she finally took the needle out and I was just very light headed and feeling very queasy... (I'm a massive wuss when I have blood tests!) Now I have a little bruise :( at least it's only little though.

I'm still looking for any blood test advice you can give me, at current my way about blood tests is: make sure you've eaten and drank beforehand, make sure you keep steady breathing throughout, read any posters that they have on the wall in the doctors while they're doing it... look anywhere but the needle! and then take a lollipop for afterwards!

So yeah, basically I'm not looking forward to these becoming a regular thing again, still hate blood tests after 6 years!!! :(

Todays blog is short but sweet. TTFN, Ta ta for now! :)

Just one of those days...

So, today I'm just feeling a bit run down and bleugh... It's dull and rainy, my knee's being so bad it's making my muscle hurt in my leg and i'm just TIRED.

I've been to the doctors again today, and have a blood test booked for Monday (So I really need peoples blood test advice!!) They're sorting out me seeing a rheumatologist and also a physiotherapist in Lincoln! (woohoo!) On the downside, this means taking all my medication and everything all over again... On the upside it hopefully means a gradual recovery again!

When my arthritis is bad, it really makes me appreciate the people around me a lot more, just little things like, people holding doors and waiting for you to take the stairs before they come down the opposite way because they can see you're clearly struggling, it just makes you feel a bit better. Also, my boyfriend, Simon (pictured here with me :D)

 

has practically been my babysitter over the past couple of months, I honestly don't know what I'd be doing without him, (I'd probably still be stuck on the floor somewhere!) I'm thankful for this, as I know it can be a pain having to walk slow for someone and do lots for them, I mean, sometimes he even helps me get my shoes on! (as I struggle to reach my foot due to my bad hips and knee).  

 

It upsets me knowing that I need help like that, but sometimes you've just got to accept that you can't do everything. It's always best not to turn people away when they offer to help you, no matter how much you want to be able to do everything yourself. I've learnt this over the 6 years of having arthritis, but initially it's hard to accept.

 

So thanks to everyone that's ever helped me hobble along, or stand up or sit down or anything! Haha! And I hope that I get the chance to return the favour to you all because it really sucks being a bit of a burden!

 

Just remember that, although it can stop/hinder you doing the little things, never give up on the bigger things in life that are important to you. Arthritis can't stop you doing what you love, so for me, the show must go on! (I have a performance tomorrow, wish me luck!)

 

TTFN, ta ta for now :)

 

 



Steroid Joint Injections

"You got injected with steroids, so you gonna be dead muscly now?".... I wish! haha

(I'm going to keep this blog short, because I've been told I write too much in one blog! sorry!) :D

This isn't the prettiest of pictures, but this is my ankle after my 35th & 36th joint injection (one at the front and one at the side of my ankle). Lovely, swollen and.... yellow. :D This is the first I've had done with a x-ray going on at the same time so they could see precisely where the needle was going.

I had my first 16 joint injections under a general anaesthetic, and then also the next 14 under a general anaesthetic, but since then, the last 6 have only been with 'laughing gas'. Having the actual joint injection hasn't been bad in either situation, as I haven't really felt it (much), it's the aftermath that's bad, it's quite painful and takes a few days to rest off. But they can be certainly very helpful, they pretty much made the majority of my joints pain free (with the obvious help of medication) and they've been alright since, with others such as my ankle (pictured) and my knee, it's not worked quite so well!

Joint injections really aren't worth worrying about, when I first got told about them when I was 13, I panicked a lot! "NEEDLE'S IN MY JOINTS!?! WHAT???!!" but after having them I realised they're certainly not as bad as they sound! (they're still not very jolly though) just make sure you have someone to look after you for a few days after! :)

(I'm still waiting for some replies on blood test advice from the last blog!! c'mon guys, I really need some! haha! thanks!) :)

TTFN, ta ta for now!! :)

A little bit of progress...?

Hey there!
So... Yesterday I finally got myself to the doctors after a while of limping around and what not, and now we might have some progress!? (Huzzah!) So I've nearly finished my first year of uni, and NOW i'm sorting out having a doctor here in Lincoln! (silly me...)

I've been put back on my meloxicam and my folic acid (because, silly Molly stopped taking it as I thought it felt better without it....) So yeah, piece of advice, even if you don't like your medication, don't stop taking it on your own accord, because now I've just ended up worse from it... yey! But I'm also seeing a doctor next week about getting back on methotrexate, as I'm going to need some blood tests to get started on that again (Boooooooo!). And they're also seeing about referring me to a rheumatologist in Lincoln! So, a little bit of progress now, and hopefully not too much joint pain for much longer!

The unfortunate thing about it, is obviously having my medication again and having to have blood tests again... I really hate both to be honest! Moving doctors was really hard, as back at home I got used to having the same nurse taking my bloods, and also, she would use a smaller needle etc. to try and make the experience less poo for me. And then I came here, and I saw someone I'd never seen before, and different size needles don't exist here! So... I really don't like it, still. If anyone has any blood test advice for me, that'd be great! I know it's not something you get 'used to' per-say, but I would like to get more comfortable/less nervous with it! So any advice is greatly appreciated! My only blood test 'thing' I do to help me, is take a lollipop for afterwards (1, for a reward, obviously and 2, to stop me feeling sick).

So, yeah, if anyone has any tips/tricks for blood tests, leave a comment, or tweet me, or whatever! I'll mention any good ones I get in my next blog (if I get any... obviously, haha!)

TTFN, Tata for now! :)