Hi Girls

I've been away for awhile, busy with work and Christmas and my family.
My son broke his right arm a couple of days before school, compound fracture ... surgery ... pins and plates. It is really hard to see your child in the emergency room all drugged up, even if they are 13 y.o.

Then 9 weeks ago, I broke my left arm, 2 breaks in the radius. Just happened to be the weekend before my regular Rheumy appt in Grand Junction, this is the third time in 2 years that I have shown up with a break or stitches. All she could do was laugh :) ... and yes, it was yet another mountain bike crash, in Moab, on Slick Rock. Healing has been slower than I like, still can't extend my arm all the way, I think my RA is keeping the inflamation high.

But the best news is I now have a new way to get hurt. I got a unicycle for Xmas. Been out several times already. With this toy, basketball and my mountain bikes, I should be injury riddled in 2007

It looks like most everybody is doing OK. Erin, it does sound like you have been struggling a bit lately, I hope you are feeling better now.

As always, stay tough everybody, and if you can't get out on your bike, try a unicycle!

more energic than I am smart ... Craig

Hey Craig! Good to see you again. Glad to hear you'll be keeping the doctors in business in 2007--someone sure needs to 'cause I don't plan on it. I've been yearning for my college days in Colorado lately, especially with the snow you guys recently got. Happy skiing--and mountain biking!

El

hi craig, no bronco's~esp no bills, but tons of sabres hockey going on here! stanley cup here we come!  sry to hear about your breaks and i am no psychic but i predict a hard fall on that unicycle, opps wait that would be me if i rode it!   Be careful and enjoy the snow out west ~ we have none here in buffalo still green and warm and i am b b quing dinner today! hot dogs and hamburgers in january, i could even ride my bike if i wanted too!  take care. yalinda

Hey Craig! Good to "see" you again! Sorry about the breaks in your family! Did your unicycle come with lots and lots of padding to cushion your energetic tendencies?

We're missing Colorado....may have to hit Silverton this year as it's been 2 years since our last visit and we're having CO withdrawls! Of course, I don't envy your current weather! not that I like our rain, but at least our coldest temps are (albeit slightly) higher than your warmest temps right now in Durango! Yikes!

***

You're correct, I take Enbrel and (7) 2.5 mg MTX pills a week.
While I do get cut up a fair amount from bike crashes like the one in Moab that broke my arm, I have not had any issues with infections. And when it comes to cleaning up scrapes and cuts well, I'm pretty much like my teenage son.

I am always suprised that my RA is well under control even when I get hurt. I've had 2 broken bones and stiches in my face since being diagnoses 2 years ago, along with uncountable scrapes and cuts, and RA flares have only ever been minor. I have tried to reduce the amount of MTX I am on, but the Doc and I decided that I was sliding back a bit and have been increasing the dosage again.

My wrists actually hurt more than my elbow where the bone is broken, but they are often a bit sore. Right now this is where my RA has settled in, and diving into Moab rock from about 4 feet with both arms extended has not helped them at all.

... Craig

When my son first started school, I was sick all the time. I can sympathize with you.

... Craig

Diva,
Ever make it out to the 4-Corners rally? Big event here.
I have not had any side affects from the Enbrel that I am aware of, I've been shooting up for almost 2 years now, it has been nothing but great for me.
In fact, if everyone here had the success on Enbrel that I have had, all we would have to talk about is where each of us is planning our next extreme adventure

Good luck Diva, it did take almost 2 months before I started noticing Enbrel's affects, so be patient.

... Craig

Four corners ralley? as in the south west? It sounds like something I might like. I'm trying to get my condition under control so I can take a long trip. I ride around this area as much as I can. I love the adventure of long rides to places I don't know. My doc may try a new drug Ankinra. I think thats it it helps create osteoblasts to heal bones. I don't know I may have spelled it wrong

Hi nice to meet another rider. I had a Sportster for several years a 1200 custom. I had it tricked out. It won best stock Harley in a show. My husband made me sell one of my bikes because I had four of them in the garage. I was taking up all the space! The sportster was one of the bikes I sold. Too many to wax. I know what you mean about the winds. I am planning a long ride this year with a friend of mine. She also has RA. Not sure what direction we will go. It all will depend on how my RA is. I hope you are feeling well.....

Erin thats a great idea. I just need to set a date and figure out where we would be going. It may be a small group but I am sure it would be fun. I don,t know how many riders we have out there. I do have a friend who has RA and rides. And now I know Downupside rides! Also Craig but I don't know if I could keep up with that unicycle!

Make it an RA/Fibro freedom ride and lets find a cure for these nasty little guys.
I need to upgrade my riding style, soon. I love my sporty, but she's a bit top heavy. Fibro leaves me w/ muscle weakness and the sporty can be a bit daunting to bring up when I'm cycling, thus the gust of wind thing.....
My husband doesn't ride, yet. He's much more conservative than I. He's quite pleased to watch me though.
My ride yesterday brought me back to my old self. I did buy a full face helmet for the winter rides, and Gerbings, I can't take the cold like I used to. It hurts. Summer is my ride, and I can't wait for it warm up again. My sons also ride, but because of their work schedules, we rarely ride together.

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