Arthritis lite.

dreamdaisy

Late yesterday afternoon I was struggling down the drive on two sticks, the recycling bin liner hanging off one of them, to empty that and put out the blue bin (no mean feat when on sticks). I was still in my nightclothes (don't ask) and my opposite neighbour watched me struggle as she was putting out her bin.

'Bad day?' she called across.

'Yup, it's not that wonderful,' I replied with a grin.

'You need a new hip,' she said, 'Mine has made all the difference to me!'

I think I muttered something along the lines of 'I need more than a hip' as I struggled with the bin whilst thinking 'You're doing OK? Come and flaming help, then.'

'Oh!' she said. Followed by:

'I didn't know you could have arthritis in more than one joint.'

I suppose that is because she had only OA and only in one joint. She was fixed, ergo anyone else with arthritis can be fixed. Silly moo. DD

stickywicket

dreamdaisy wrote:

'I didn't know you could have arthritis in more than one joint.'

Don't you wish you didn't either :roll:

I suspect the problem is historic. Everything is lumped together under the general heading of 'arthritis' from arthro = joints(?) and 'itis' = inflammation. If I remember my Greek o-level rightly (which I seldom do), the plural should be 'arthritides' . Maybe we should distinguish between those who have arthritis and those who have arthritides.

LignumVitae

I think this is a case for an evil santa smile :xmas_evil:

There is such a huge lack of understanding about the 'other' arthritis - the autoimmune one, the one that isn't about replacing joints but about the broken switches of the immune system that can be softened a bit but never mended. I'm not sure what can be done to raise awareness but I do know that if awareness was raised then maybe, just maybe we could tick the silly moo comments off the list of arthritis side effects and wouldn't that be lovely? I know when I start the 'I've got arthritis...' comment and get somebody who replies with 'oh what type? my cousin/ brother/ mum has rheumatoid and it is so horrible' it feels like I'm being given a hug because that is a whole different conversation, understanding and response to the 'oh my knee gets bad when it is cold, you've no idea' :roll: conversation.

dachshund

Hello DD
i'm sat down and i ache all over i would like it in one joint. i have a friend who say's she has it in her finger i would like that.
it's the same with o por if you have that in your hips you have it everywhere.
that's what i was told by the doc.
take care
joan xx

LignumVitae

I like that Joan - do you think we can pick which joint we have it in?! If so I opt for the little finger of my left hand, top joint only please.

theresak

DD, your neighbour obviously belongs to the same school of thought as my sister-in-law. Because her arthritis affects only one knee, now replaced, she has no clue about the auto-immune variety.

It wouldn't be too bad if only one joint was affected - I think I could cope with that. Like LV, I think people's view of RA would be different if a message could be got across about its complexity. I, too, always feel hugely relieved when I meet someone who 'gets it.'

villier

Not a very neighbourly neighbour is she, some more :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: xx

Starburst

As a younger person, people like your neighbour make me extra cross. For a while, I took to telling people; I have an autoimmune disease that attacks my body leaving scars on my eyes and eating away at my joints. I had far fewer "just try apple cider vinegar" and similar.

applerose

Surely your neighbour could have helped. Wouldn't have taken more than a minute. I must admit that I used to think there was only one sort of arthritis. I think it is a case of letting people know that there are a lot of types. When people ask me how I am, I tell the truth rather than saying I'm fine. Most of them are shocked when I explain what RA is.

dreamdaisy

At long last - we have a plural for arthritis! I hate lumping my ghastly gorillas under the one heading but, not surprisingly, my spellchecker doesn't like it. Tough. I have arthritides - it even sounds worse!

Oh Joan, I empathise. The cold makes the aches worse, doesn't it? It makes sense to me that osteoporosis would be everywhere. Bother. :xmas_sad:

I do, occasionally, hark back to the glory days of just the one joint (I now realise how easy life was back then) but then I move, everything twangs like snapping knicker elastic and I am slamdunked back into my current reality. :cheesygrin: Hey-no, no matter, it is what it is and it will do what it will do. I think you've hit the nail on its head, LV, people cannot comprehend the delicacy and intricacy of an auto-immune condition but then maybe we're expecting too much of the unaffected hoi-polloi. They don't need to know about it so why do we think they should? I was disappointed in the neighbour because she watched me struggle even though she must have had some vague idea of how difficult things can be. Mind you, it's her husband that deals with their bins, she only shifts the empty ones.


Today DD will mostly be grouchy! :cheesygrin:

mig

When I was first diagnosed my older sister read about RA firstly she admits to see what if any the effects it could have on her own family (I like her honesty) then to see how it could affect me and my life and then she told me whenever I need her to do anything or want anything just call her ,my sister -in-law on the other hand is a different kettle of fish her response is take this or that like my friend did :xmas_evil: .Like LV I'm picking little finger left hand top joint. Mig

kirst74

Hi, I remember telling a couple of friends about my arthritis and the reply I got was, I've got that in my little finger! Lovely. Shame for her huh. I thought wow that's the same, not. I haven't mentioned since. !
Not the same as aching all over, trying not to cry and hands hurting when trying to write notes at work, back, hips etc (last night's/now example)
I'm with ya DD let's be grumps today, the weather is rubbish!
Kirstyxx

dachshund

i dont mind having it in my little finger on my right hand i'm left handed.
take care all
joan xx

Slosh

A colleague at work told me her GP had said she had arthritis (oa) in her knees, one hip and hands. I was sympathetic and asked what meds she was on, diclofenac? Naproxen? She replied oh the doctor didn't prescribe anything and I don't like taking painkillers anyway!
I only have oa but even before this knew there was a difference between the two.
Hope you sent your neighbour some angry Santas! :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil:

stickywicket

Slosh wrote:

A colleague at work told me her GP had said she had arthritis (oa) in her knees, one hip and hands. I was sympathetic and asked what meds she was on, diclofenac? Naproxen? She replied oh the doctor didn't prescribe anything and I don't like taking painkillers anyway!

:xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: What really narks me is the implication that the rest of us do :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil: :xmas_evil:

Slosh

I agree, for many of us they are a necessary evil.

LignumVitae

I have a horrible ability which I try to stop myself from doing but when somebody says 'I don't like taking medicine' or similar lines my evil self says 'hmph well you can't be suffering that much then'. It's a bit judgemental but is in line with the implication that the rest of us want to have a drugs list as long as your arm. I'm currently battling the voice on my head with the medicine is a drug company conspiracy theorist in my family. Really? You clearly never needed help then- see there it goes again :xmas_evil:

dreamdaisy

I think I can understand why those without any major health troubles until arthritis arrives can sound so sanctimonious about taking pills on a long-term basis - they have not had to so the personal affront must be strong. My thought on hearing (or reading such comments) is 'Good for you for being so principled, suffer then and don't moan about it.' Another one that gets me is 'I don't do ill.' I have a social contact who often boasts about this - my sharp reply of 'Neither do I,' goes unnoticed. :xmas_lol:

People are wrapped up in themselves and their needs, we live in increasingly self-absorbed and self-important times. The current crop of Christmas ads for cough, cold and 'flu 'remedies' reflect the thought that not for one moment is one allowed to have even a minor spell of poorly health interrupt one's life.

I leave you with this thought: any form of illness is natural but man's attempts at reparation are not. DD

theresak

Wise words, DD. When I was just a slip of a girl, I rarely had so much as a headache pill in the house - those halcyon days are long gone, and now I almost need a truck to collect my prescription.

Tezz x - waiting patiently for her humira delivery to arrive.

kathbee

ARTHRITIDES

Oh yes, LIKE it
Will be using this in future as when asked 'why do you have crutches' etc.
when you reply 'Arthritis', its 'oh yes I have that in my thumb'

Wish I had it in one thumb,
lets just say every blooming joint for 20 years plus. is hardly in the same class.

Oh well thats folks for you.

ARTHRITIDES hmmmm
Good one

Kath