There is No Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Lather, rinse, repeat: There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. The disease can be managed across its many ups and downs, but it never actually goes away. Up until my recent bout of shingles and pleurisy, I was actually doing really well with my treatments.  Better than I knew, actually. It has been two weeks and I still can’t breathe well or do much of anything besides sit, read and rest. Even talking can be challenging, sigh. I have enjoyed being one of the few patients who takes the stairs up and down to the rheumatologist’s office on the second floor of the medical building.

I read an article with a recommendation for RA patients to do the things they want to do NOW since you can’t be sure you can do them later on. Seems like good advice to me.  I started a hand-pieced English Paper piecing quilt project called La Passacaglia several months ago for this very reason. Not only is it a gorgeous quilt, it is pieced and then quilted by hand. I have had no difficulty with hand or machine sewing, at least not yet.  Funny enough, I can’t knit very well anymore. The stiffness and soreness in my fingers makes my motions very rough and the resulting knitting looks like the collie chewed on it for a while.

My hope is to finish this quilt and begin a second pattern, but I guess you never know. Even on a good day, I am a very slow sewist. The limitations and pain can really impact doing the things you like to do, can’t they? The thought that striving for “good enough” may be the best that you get can be quite discouraging. On the flip side, maybe “good enough” is exactly what it says - good enough to get you through your days and keep you productive and happy.  Qui vivra verra, I guess.

Here’s hoping tomorrow is another good day!
Susan

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