Christmas is coming fast and furious, my friends!
Last year, on my birthday, the 23rd of this month,
I went to a different Rheumy and was told I had
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD), and was put
on a DMARD (Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug).
It was a wishy washy diagnosis, but I was elated to have an answer.
Or so I thought.
What happened after that was I got sicker and sicker
and went out on disability. I had modified my job to
accomodate all of my district, created coaching
and development programs in various locations. This
enabled me and my team to stay in one place for training
all day ~ (me with my heating pad). This helped for a while.
Plus, it was effective and efficient use of my time.
Unfortunately, my body was too far gone. I needed a new doctor.
Real answers. I got them. I have a persistent form of RA,
and it is not working well with my old treatment (2 DMARD's) ~
making it hard to walk, use my hands, drive, etc...
But my company disagreed. They said I wasn't sick.
They just gave me a great Christmas present.
Merry Christmas Alicia ~ you are terminated!
Truly, someone forgot to tell upper Management, because
the day I got the Cobra paperwork, I got a Wishing you Peace, Joy and
Prosperity Christmas card. Pardon me if I am not happy
about the card. Come on!
So, my friends, I am on a new treatment ~ an Anti - TNF injectable.
A live protein. There is a lot of hope riding on this treatment.
It has been four weeks so far. I wish I could get off one, but with RA,
you need to stay on all of them ~ so now I am on 3 treatments (plus
many other meds).
Here's hoping for a healthier 2011!
2010 has been a year of lessons ~
Here are some of mine:
Humility ~ asking for help.
Courage ~ taking not one, but two painful injections.
Pride ~ telling my friends and family that I can't travel much - but my door is always open.
Fear ~ having to lose my second career and financial security.
Creativity ~ having my mind never stop figuring out what I can do...not what I can't.
Love ~ I was proposed to by my Brit, even though I am bruised, swollen, limping, lame and pretty homebound right now. Not that attractive :)
Re-grouping ~ becoming a great homemaker ~ and accepting that. I have never been one.
Re-focusing ~ figuring out what my future holds and how I can make it happen.
Gains ~ wonderful family and friends who supported me through this life change, a new blog, a new book, new ways of being creative...spending quality time with my friends and family.
Losses ~ functionality, career, stability, people who didn't support me, my sense of independence (for this minute), my freedom to travel, the ability to participate with my family outside the home.
Hope ~ Everyday I wake up, I have a choice - I choose hope.
Gratitude ~ I am grateful for the blessings I do have, even on my tough days. I am even grateful that I can cry. It is ok. This process sucks. But, I have a home full of love and family, a world full of friends ~ a brain full of smarts, and a belly full of laughter to share!
Feel free to email me your thoughts, as usual! I love hearing from you!
All of us, from the USA or Russia, Thailand, England, Denmark or New Zealand ~ all over the
world ~ with or without RA ~ you know, we identify with each other.
Drop me an email again ~ alicia@youempowered.com or comment here to
share with others. You all inspire me.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Healing hugs,
Alicia
