I'm Thankful My Feet Hurt -

I really enjoy blogging - it's just finding the time, right? Come home from work, cook dinner, feed Katelyn, cook Katelyn more food for the next week, pack Katelyn for the next day of childcare, put Katelyn to bed, maybe get one thing around the house done, pack myself for tomorrow, then go to bed. Whew - I'm exhausted just typing all that out!

So tonight I'm choosing to blog instead of doing about 10 other things that I need to do.

About 2 months after I had Kate, I started to wake up to my hands and feet hurting in the morning. I had never felt this before, so I asked my mom about it. I knew my grandma has Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I knew my mom had started having symptoms in recent years, so I investigated it. Turns out my grandma's RA started right after she had her kids...and yay, it's hereditary.

Off to Google I go - and all my fears are confirmed. Things I didn't know about RA:

- It usually shows up between 30 and 50. I'm 31. Boo.
- Women get it about twice as much as men.
- Women often get flare-ups after childbirth (they think it has to do with the hormonal changes)
- There's no cure for it, you just maintain it.
- No one knows what causes it, but experts know it's a genetic thing and it has something to do with hormones.
- It's a disease of the immune system - basically, your immune system malfunctions, and attacks the cartilage and tendons in your joints, causing pain.
- It's a tough disease to have, because you look fine and have no outward symptoms. You just live with chronic pain and fatigue.
(Forgive me if all these facts aren't 100% accurate - this is what I remember from my studies yesterday)

Well, crap. This is no fun. I had the worst pain day to date yesterday, and I think it's because I spent most of the day before cleaning the house and running errands. It took everything out of me, and I paid yesterday, big time.

So the question becomes, what does this mean for my future? I'm hoping what I'm experiencing now is just a "flare up" from childbirth, and it will go away soon. I'm also hopeful that I can manage it with the right diet (which I have already been doing for several months, yay!), exercise, and acupuncture. No drugs for me, thanks!

Tonight my feet hurt pretty badly because I've been on them all night. But as I vent about how much this stinks, I'm still thankful. I'm thankful I have a beautiful daughter to care for. I'm thankful I can make her wholesome, homemade baby food that's good for her. I'm thankful I have a kitchen to cook a yummy dinner in. I'm thankful that tomorrow I have a great job to go to - where I can sit at a desk most of the day and rest my feet! And I'm thankful that I don't have to live with this broken body in a broken world forever - there is hope to come!

How will I move forward with this new issue? I don't know yet - only time will tell how much this will effect my life. I could use your prayers on the matter - it's a bit scary! But I will move forward every day clinging to the Rock who is my source of Strength and Hope all the time - not just when something new knocks me down. I will move forward trying to be thankful for and make the most use of this body He gave me to bring His Love to others!

And on that note...I suppose I should go get one more other thing done before I go to bed... :)

'Night, all!