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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Posted 12/29/2017 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
i had a "normal" thing happen the other day , I saw someone I hadn't seen in a few years and while she was very nice she said something that I didn't know how to respond to, I was walking with my cane (not needing my wheelchair that day) and after some small talk she said "didn't you used to be sick" I wanted to Scream I Still Am , but just said " yes I was bad then but now I have my good & bad days, and I can walk a bit but not far" of course to which she replied no I can't walk that far either . How do we make people understand Chronic illness Doesn't Get Better it is Forever ?
Posted 12/29/2017 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Bad Day, I can certainly relate to those comments. The one that use to really get under my skin was, well you don't look sick to me, or you have lost some weight, sure wish I could. I have crohns & UC. I would get so mad at people for making these stupid comments. Now, I just tune them out, its too taxing on me to get upset any more. The average person does not understand what chronic illnesses are. To them a cold or sore throat is a major health crisis!!
Posted 12/29/2017 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
It is difficult when you look "well" and have a chronic illness. I also tune people out. Takes too much os my energy.
Posted 12/30/2017 9:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi yes it's amazing but when I use my wheelchair Everybody is SO Nice But when I am just on my walking cane I get "looks" or Pushed (yes actually pushed over one time)
and the oh good to see you are well now !!!!
and the weird thing is -wheelchair is easier than cane so I actually need More help on walking cane days than when in the chair . ah well I guess we can't educate the world can we
I guess this lady just got to me as I was having a rare shopping trip and by the time I met her I was feeling Very Tired but happy as id just gone shopping for first time in over a month
Posted 1/26/2018 7:06 AM (GMT 0)
You know, some people are just thoughtless and rude. Case closed....... It's really made me a much more reserved and quiet person unless the other person opens up to me first and I can see that they are kind, warm and have good manners. These people seem to be disappearing these days. It's so sad but I understand just what you mean. I used to be very fit and athletic. RA and Sjogrens have rendered me to be quite the opposite. I used to take a lot of pride in my strength and have a complex about how I am now. It's very hard to take the rude comments about weight and questions about what happened to me...... One of my knees is killing me right now and I see a cane in my near future. It's going to be tough on my ego. I hate to say that but it is the sad truth. Plus, it's also that I am aging. I remind myself, it could be way worse and others suffer much more than I do. Good luck BadDay.... thanks for sharing that.
Posted 1/27/2018 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi jeanneac Thanks Don't be worried about using a cane you will come to feel it is part of you, I was hesitant until I fell over in the shop and believe me More people Look at you on the ground than they do if you have a cane.
Sorry your knee is playing up a cane will take some of that weight especially when you are just standing still make sure you get the height right as it needs to be at the bottom of your hip or start of your leg so your arm is comfortable not straight but not bent up either but if you get it from a physio or Dr they will make sure it is right, my first one was too tall and I hurt my elbow as it was too bent & took the weight.
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