I now have 13, yes, 13 different doctors/specialists who have perused my body over the past few years. I absolutely cringe when a Doc tells me, “Wow, you almost never see that…”
I have had 15, yes 15 incisions into my hands and wrists along with other numerous incisions throughout, totalling somewhere around 28.
This past week I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints.
Mind you, I also have Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis that just about everybody can expect as they age – but me, No, I’m special, I get the whole package.
Rheumatoid Arthritis – An autoimmune disorder, occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. Figures, I am my own worst enemy.
Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity. This probably accounts for occasional misspellings, etc… in my stories.
I can tell you the pain is horrific in my joints, but then, there is the treatment.
I have to take lots more pills that ease some of the pain, but this comes at a price and I don’t mean in terms of money. To prevent awful death spiralling, I must have monthly, yes monthly check-ups and testing.
“Yes, the miracle drug… “Whatchacallit” relieves all the symptoms of your condition, making you love life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness…” says the voice on the commercials.
In a lower tone and in small print… “Side effects include, or may include, depression, suicidal thoughts, loss of hair, skin, toe nails, eye bulge, weight gain, drooling, diarrhea and sudden death, in rare occasions.” Then it says you should check with your doctor before using the deadly cocktail… I thought it was the doctor who prescribed the prescription in the first place?
This gave me thought. If they always list bad side effects, are there ever good side effects? Just once, in all the meds I take, I would like the warning… “May stop hair growth in ears, limit the wayward growth of eyebrows increase penis size by 10-20%, make smiling and giddiness standard, allow for better sleep without expensive pillows, reduce body odor, make you irresistible to women, make you want to actually use that dusty exercise equipment, allow you to eat whatever, sharpen your mind for quick come-backs, reduce the chance of seeing/or not seeing your own obituary until you are the last in your high school graduating class alive and overall make you better than others your age.
Alas, I am committed to a fist full of assorted baddies, some of which are being ingested to counter act the side effects of the main drugs I take to make me somewhat better.
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