More Support Than a Good Bra!

This disease can be very isolating.  Even if you have people around you, worse if you don't.  I don't want to seem like the voice of doom, but your support system, is simply one of the most important things in fighting RA.

Everyone experiences change all the time in life, no one expects or wants it to change due to illness.  It happens.  It is such a huge adjustment and there are so many different stages and changes to go through, that I certainly didn't think about them or want to think about them.  I was in such shock to begin with that I'm glad it doesn't all come at us at once; my head was already spinning and reeling.

When my original family doctor sat me down, after my blood work came back, and said "at least it's not cancer" ..... or something to that affect .... I don't even remember what I did after that, who I called first .... But I do know that most of my family rallied and was there for me, and still is.  When my sister and I began, shortly thereafter, turning to the internet and social media, I started to realize how lucky we are in a time when the world has gotten even smaller through the screens we carry with us.  What did everyone do before the internet?  I've thought about them and my heart goes out to them, how did they do it?  As much as alot of people are geographically isolated, I'm sure we have all felt isolated inside our heads and our hearts.  Our families and friends, as much as they want to support us can not truly know what it's like - unless they also are or have been so ill.  Our online community KNOWS; no explanation necessary .....

Your family can't always be there for you, and sometimes you don't want them to be, oddly enough.  In the beginning, I felt like it was a constant emotional dump onto them.  So when other support options came my way, I was very grateful and didn't feel one bit guilty about taking the hands that reached out to me (I'm smart that way - lol).  I breathed a sigh of relief when my rheumy told me I could come in anytime, even if it was just to talk, I was delighted, my heart lifted.  When my rheumy referred me to my OT - Miss S, who had met me on my first rheumy visit, and had been following my case, she listened (and was insterest - great combo), my social worker that I got referred to Mr. T, I was unsure at first (I consider myself a self-reliant strong person, so the concept of a social worker was foreign and I wasn't sure what to expect, but I felt like I was crumbling at that point), he deals only with people with "arthritis" - he helped me immensely - in fact I met a new friend while going to see him - she was seeing another social worker in the office and we now are in regular contact and are a support to each other.  There are many others that can empathize due to their own journey with their own history and issues that can surprise you if you are open to them.  The most surprising source of support is the people I haven't even met in person.  They are strong, awesome, giving people.  They give the most important things ... time, understanding, experience ....

The Imaginary Friend