i could have written this article

Thanks for sharing

This blog entry was spot on. We are all in this "together," but oh my GOD can I relate to feeling alone when all I want to do is open a darn jar when no one is around to help me. I've definitely cried over a pickle jar or two :)

Thank you for sharing!!

There have been many mornings that I have stood in the kitchen and cried because I couldn't open the milk to put in my coffee.
I usually have everything I buy that has a twist off lid opened by my fiance as soon as I buy it. Same goes for bottled water, all of them are opened before they go in the fridge.
There are so many things to think ahead about. And turning the door knobs is horrible.

My daughter bought me an electric jar opener, what a life saver. And bottles of water, grab a pair of pliers and twist that bad boy off. I hate asking for help and resent the fact that there are just times when I have to. All of thaat being said, I am still lucky. I think of how people with RA had to live 50 or 100 years ago, before all of the medications we all depend upon, yes I am lucky. Wishing everyone the best of the holidays. Waiting for my granddaughter to be born (ANYDAY) and keeping up with existing grandkids, I think it help I don't have time to hurt. Have a good one. Trish

It still amazes me that there are so many people that feel the way I do. This blog was spot on. I'm lucky enough that I am not quite that bad yet but the same emotions are there. Thanks for sharing. Praying for better days ahead for you.

I know exactly how you all feel everyday. Even at 51 my ankles are having a hard time holding my weight. I see my doctor this morning to see if I need to use something different for medications. Right now I am on the Orencia injections and I still cant take an anti-flams medications due to other illnesses.

I know this blog post and most of this forum are women. But the first few paragraphs in the post speak of skin, hair, and weight - pretty shoes? Ehh. To me it's like "so what". I don't care what anyone else thinks I look like.

But that being said - a knife and pair of scissors are at every reach for me now. I can relate to the water bottles etc. - my wife has been great in opening things for me even before I reach for them. I've actually become complacent with that fact now after a couple years - remember a time when that all was oh so frustrating. Even opening the doors at stores/restaurants and such - looks weird as my wife always opens the doors for me instead of the other way around.

i like your input coal. i see your point.

my humble opinion is that some people get some feeling of self OK from their own voices in their head about self appearance, others do not. everyone has standards and benchmarks that they compare to, whatever spoon we each run out of at the end of the day, or beginning of the day.... the salient point may be that is there is not enough spoons anymore to perform those things in whatever manner (dress, activity, professional, trade, enrichment, activity, yadda yadda) that we did before (and don't watch home movies of yourself from pre RA days as something to do with your free time) :)

i agree there sometimes seems to be a default. I feel like the default most times on here is married. the single perspective is different. just like the how am I looking perspective versus functionaliity perspective (since they are not always tied in) is different :)

i usually caste around for someone to open the door and rail on in my head about ADA compliance.

thanks for sharing your perspective. you keep it real.

depot

I guess my post sounded harsh in a way - you helped define it for me Depot.

As you say, I guess we identify ourselves in different ways. Being a man is different I suppose - I identify myself with my career (or lack thereof now) and/or physical ability more than my appearance as a gauge of what RA has done to me.

Yes very relatable. I'm with you in the single dept.
Depot. Now that I have my hand in a brace people
ask to help which is nice. I was worried I was going to
Get a young man fired at the market for trying
to top him for cutting up celery for me. Anyway about
the vanity part, I see it as a statement of how I'm feeling
And doing in general, however , Im not concerned what
anyone thinks. My request for any gift this year
Is electric scissors and a foot sauna , no FUN,
just FUNctional now.

meant to add- going to my daughters for a couple
of weeks after surgery & am reminding myself
Not to get used to having things done. Will
Be tough adjusting back. I know relationships have
Their own stresses with this illness but also
nice to have help when you can get it.
Thanks for the post- that picture looks like me, weird.