Uncle sing a song and dance a jig

Unsure if you would actually call it luck but my family is for the most part very understanding about my limitations. Sometimes a gentle reminder is needed but it doesn't take much and for that, I am grateful!

Because of my Uncle Larry setting an example of strength and courage before me, I had inspiration. He had crooked hands and crooked toes and a wild ornery spirit! But he didnt want pity and mostly didnt want any help. He lived through RA like no one could have imagined. He worked....played with grandkids and was known to wiggle his fraile crooked body on dance floor now and then. But dont pity him. He was Cowboy Tough.  He was a hard worker....it may take him extra time but he would get it accomplished and with a smile. He always had a smile or a song to sing . I miss him very much. And I feel an honor and strange need to follow in his footsteps. 
It frustrating.  I have all these medications now that he didn't have. I was able to be diagnosed before any major damage was done. So with that and more progress in technology one would think all is okie dokie.  And medically speaking...if my blood counts are decent and my liver isn't falling out and my crp is level then huh? I must be ok. Really?

Cause that doc doesn't understand that Im 40ish and not 129ish. And I have a family and dinner needs cooked and a job..yes a real life job. That with requires me to unhook my hands every morning, so I can hobble to the shower and stumble through my morning. I was already exhausted when I woke up. So I am finding new ways to cope and new tools to use and maybe I can help someone else find their inner cowboy too.
And, I adjust. I follow the lead Uncle left for me in his legacy. I want to be cowboy tough. And I want to sing and smile through the pain because if I dont I may curl up into a ball and not come out. I still have life to experience and foods to taste and places to travel. One day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time if thats what it takes. I will fight, I will cry and some days I will rest. Not because I'm lazy or depressed. But because I really have plans to get up tomorrow and sing and get to work and tell myself I can get through one more minute. I can do it because I know it can be done. Uncle Larry did it and I will be proud to follow his crooked cowboy tough path. 
Thanks Unc for showing me the way!
-Ryss

Let me Introduce Myself

So where to start? Right at the beginning, I suppose. Or maybe not. I guess the hard part is which beginning-not the story of my life but the beginning of my battle with arthritis? 

Well after my grandiose ideas of how perfect this blog could be and how I can help so many people find something positive, I had a bad day. A bad pain day. LIGHTBULB! 

I have spent many sleepless nights researching and following other blogs and wallowing in my own puddle of self pity. Days that I cursed other bloggers for being so darned happy. Not that I wanted them to hurt the way I did or even hurt at all. I just couldn't look towards a brighter future because I wasn't finding any relief myself. Couldn't imagine how anyone who claims to have a horrible pain could possibly post such happy, "feel good" messages. 

 My end goal here is to promote something positive. Just not over the top hallmark card positive. Realistically, though as someone who never knows what to expect until she wakes up-this girl may vent a frustration from time to time. 

My experience is with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.  I am not a doctor, a medical professional or even an expert on autoimmune diseases but feel as though I should have a degree in pain with a doctorate in painsomnia.  I can't help diagnose but I can give you my story, my background and any method to help alleviate chronic pain is worth trying (in my book).

After my first flare, time stood still. Blood work and nsaids and blood work and prescriptions and blood work and waiting.And then more waiting. And then the Rheumatologist. X-rays, MRI's, CT Scans, all while trying to work and have a family. And then finally, a diagnosis, or two? or three? That's the first uphill struggle with autoimmune related diseases and conditions. There's no set answer and everyone's pain is different.  

So I won't bore you with every medicine, and every detail of my chronic pain story but I will share what works for me on any particular day. 
Whew! Now all that being said. No matter what kind of chronic pain you suffer, I hope that you maybe find some comfort here. 

And hopefully there won't be so many cheeky inspirational messages..ok maybe a few. And no major rants..only vented frustrations. But obtainable tips and tricks. Ideas and thoughts about living a REAL life with pain. 

Gentle thoughts

-Ryss