Re: Re: Feeling alone

January 2, 2005

Toni,

Funny thing is... whatever this is with me..flared up after losing 60lbs! I

thought weightloss was the answer for the pain I was having in my fe. Instead

they got worse and I came down with whatever this is that is affecting all of my

joints. ( RA? LUPUS?) So weightloss while beneficial is not always the magical

cure. You are fortunate it has worked so well for you.

Faith

--------- Feeling alone

Does anyone have the same problem I have with family? By that I

mean, do you feel isolated? Do you feel like no one in your family

beleaves or supports you with your arthritis? I know that I do. I

get harrassed by my family members because I use a cane or because I

have a service dog. They don't beleave I need it, that if I'd just

loose weight I'd be fine. Just need someone who understands what I'm

going through and how you handle it.

Thanks for your time.

January 3, 2005

I understand completely! I don't do nearly as much as I used to, I used to be

" the leader of the pack " , so to speak, now I am barely taking up the rear!

LOL!! I still have some friends that are really my close friends. I just have

to be choosey about what I do with them. Things like a day shopping, or

anything where I would have to stand for long periods of time are now out of the

question. The reality is I don't want to be the one holding them back. The

important thing is to try to concentrate on what you can do, because it is soooo

easy to get sucked up by this disease... Hang in there!

Semalee

I feel isolated for different reasons than you stated. I feel like my family

supports me, in fact I think they are very worried. Where I feel isolated is

with friends, friends I normally do things with. They call occasionally, but

since I cannot do the regular activities , shopping , Eating ( i also

recently had gastric bypass), dancing , normal working out...I rarely see

anyone

anymore... I think they just don't know what to do or say too. I am normally

the person arranging the get together, the day with the girls..etc... not so

anymore... I feel very lonely for the woman to woman friendship..and frankly

it

is hard to even relate to people who out and about doing everything a person

my age is usually capable of doing. I can no longer do my job, ( used to be

around alot of people).

Faith

N. California

January 3, 2005

Faith,

I was super skinny when this disease struck me, and it affected my

ankles and knees the most.

Sure being overweight will stress the joints, but it surely doesn't

cause RA. I hope you find out what is going on. I know how

frustrating it is not having a diagnosis.

a

On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 19:11:39 +0000, fmt2002@...

<fmt2002@...> wrote:

>

> Toni,

> Funny thing is... whatever this is with me..flared up after losing 60lbs! I

thought weightloss was the answer for the pain I was having in my fe. Instead

they got worse and I came down with whatever this is that is affecting all of my

joints. ( RA? LUPUS?) So weightloss while beneficial is not always the magical

cure. You are fortunate it has worked so well for you.

> Faith

>

> --------- Feeling alone

>

> Does anyone have the same problem I have with family? By that I

> mean, do you feel isolated? Do you feel like no one in your family

> beleaves or supports you with your arthritis? I know that I do. I

> get harrassed by my family members because I use a cane or because I

> have a service dog. They don't beleave I need it, that if I'd just

> loose weight I'd be fine. Just need someone who understands what I'm

> going through and how you handle it.

> Thanks for your time.

>

January 3, 2005

Toni,

I have been very ill that is why I have not ben participating in my old

activities. Maybe you did not understand that, I feel as though I have had the

severe flu for the last 2-3 weeks. This puts a damper on getting out of the

house let alone being able to stay awake more than 3 hours at a time. This shall

pass once I get on the right meds, get thoroughly diagnosed. Also another thing

that is being looked at this morning by my weightloss surgeon is possible

vitamin B-1 ( thiamin) deficiency which could be very serious... figuring things

out is not easy ..it takes time. I am sure I will be where you are one day. You

are fortunate you feel as well as you do. I do not feel I am " allowing " my self

to be limited at this time, it is my body that is limited..not my mind.

I am very active in weightloss support groups. Just days prior to coming down

with this, I was exercising daily ( water aerobics and swimming laps) Attended

functions all the time prior to getting sick. I have not been working for two

years becuase the doctors took me off due to my severe foot problems. I had a

job where I stood for 8 hours each day. The weightloss surgery was an attempt to

help that situation.

Faith

--------- Re: Feeling alone

I feel isolated for different reasons than you stated. I feel like my family

supports me, in fact I think they are very worried. Where I feel isolated is

with friends, friends I normally do things with. They call occasionally, but

since I cannot do the regular activities , shopping , Eating ( i also

recently had gastric bypass), dancing , normal working out...I rarely see

anyone

anymore... I think they just don't know what to do or say too. I am normally

the person arranging the get together, the day with the girls..etc... not so

anymore... I feel very lonely for the woman to woman friendship..and frankly it

is hard to even relate to people who out and about doing everything a person

my age is usually capable of doing. I can no longer do my job, ( used to be

around alot of people).

Faith

N. California

January 3, 2005

Thanks a... it sure takes alot of patience going throught his process..for

the most part I am an up person with a great sense of humor..it will help me

through as it has in manyother situations. :-)

--------- Feeling alone

>

> Does anyone have the same problem I have with family? By that I

> mean, do you feel isolated? Do you feel like no one in your family

> beleaves or supports you with your arthritis? I know that I do. I

> get harrassed by my family members because I use a cane or because I

> have a service dog. They don't beleave I need it, that if I'd just

> loose weight I'd be fine. Just need someone who understands what I'm

> going through and how you handle it.

> Thanks for your time.

>

January 3, 2005

Thanks Semalee.. I am sure once I get things under control I will have a better

perspective on things. It will start with me for sure. Only I can make a

difference in the way I am feeling, no one else can do that for me. This is a

great group I am glad I found it.

Faith

-------------- Original message --------------

I understand completely! I don't do nearly as much as I used to, I used to be

" the leader of the pack " , so to speak, now I am barely taking up the rear!

LOL!! I still have some friends that are really my close friends. I just have

to be choosey about what I do with them. Things like a day shopping, or

anything where I would have to stand for long periods of time are now out of the

question. The reality is I don't want to be the one holding them back. The

important thing is to try to concentrate on what you can do, because it is soooo

easy to get sucked up by this disease... Hang in there!

Semalee

I feel isolated for different reasons than you stated. I feel like my family

supports me, in fact I think they are very worried. Where I feel isolated is

with friends, friends I normally do things with. They call occasionally, but

since I cannot do the regular activities , shopping , Eating ( i also

recently had gastric bypass), dancing , normal working out...I rarely see

anyone

anymore... I think they just don't know what to do or say too. I am normally

the person arranging the get together, the day with the girls..etc... not so

anymore... I feel very lonely for the woman to woman friendship..and frankly

it

is hard to even relate to people who out and about doing everything a person

my age is usually capable of doing. I can no longer do my job, ( used to be

around alot of people).

Faith

N. California

January 3, 2005

Thank you lisa for your understanding.

Faith

--------- Re: Feeling alone

>

> I feel isolated for different reasons than you stated. I feel like

my family

> supports me, in fact I think they are very worried. Where I feel

isolated is

> with friends, friends I normally do things with. They call

occasionally, but

> since I cannot do the regular activities , shopping , Eating ( i also

> recently had gastric bypass), dancing , normal working out...I

rarely see anyone

> anymore... I think they just don't know what to do or say too. I am

normally

> the person arranging the get together, the day with the

girls..etc... not so

> anymore... I feel very lonely for the woman to woman

friendship..and frankly it

> is hard to even relate to people who out and about doing everything

a person

> my age is usually capable of doing. I can no longer do my job, (

used to be

> around alot of people).

>

> Faith

> N. California

>

January 3, 2005

To all who suffer the newness of RA and who suffer alone,

I know it is so hard to keep things going in life when you hurt so badly.

Chronic physical pain can cause you to isolate yourself and become depressed

very easily. When Ra creeped up on me I was so active at church it was like a

real job, i homeschool my 4 kids and was very active in my homeschool support

group in coordinating activities for the kids and conferences. Then RA hit me

hard and fast. Im 31 now this was last year when my life totally changed. I

refused to accept it then I did and it really brought me down emotionally all I

could do was focus on how much my life had changed, how it wasnt fair, why me

and mostly saying I refuse to play this game I was dealt. Since then God has

done a serious attitude change in me and actually I feel much better. I cant

tell anyone what to do or how to change or how to feel better but I can share

what God has done for me. In the last year it has been the hardest in my life.

As a child I was sexually abused , had alcoholic parents, severe

scoliosis at 14 and had back surgery at 14, had 4 pregnacies that kept me bed

ridden for months and had my gall bladder removed 10 months ago, moved to

Missouri 3 months ago because my mother in law is dieing of breast cancer and I

had to leave everything behind in CA to a place I did not want to go, leave all

my support and help and friends, half of our material possions and much more.

But you know what-- ALL OF THIS has brought the worst and the best out of me. My

Lord Jesus has given me hope in many situations I thought I could never endure.

I am being molded into a better friend, a more loving wife, a more giving mother

because of my trials and I pray hourly that God would allow my trials to make me

a better person instead of a miserable person. Which I admit has happened on

many occasions and then my wonderful husband or friends give me a little nudge

and point me back to the hope of Jesus. Its been hard and I expect it to get

harder. I pray for all in this group to have

strength, hope, and most of all JOY this next year.Thank you to everyone for

the love you give, the kind words you write and for changing my life and also

giving me hope to make me a better person. Your all so great. Love, Latisha

I feel isolated for different reasons than you stated. I feel like my family

supports me, in fact I think they are very worried. Where I feel isolated is

with friends, friends I normally do things with. They call occasionally, but

since I cannot do the regular activities , shopping , Eating ( i also

recently had gastric bypass), dancing , normal working out...I rarely see

anyone

anymore... I think they just don't know what to do or say too. I am normally

the person arranging the get together, the day with the girls..etc... not so

anymore... I feel very lonely for the woman to woman friendship..and frankly it

is hard to even relate to people who out and about doing everything a person

my age is usually capable of doing. I can no longer do my job, ( used to be

around alot of people).

Faith

N. California

January 3, 2005

I have always been a believer in adversity builds character..HA HA..well darn it

anyway..adversity enough already HA

I have had a year similar to yours. I had severely low thyroid feb, Pancreatitis

in March Came to the realization in June I would not be able to return to my job

of 20 years, My son left for Iraq in August, 8. ( still is there ) I had a

biopsy on August 11th while waiting on those results ,my mother passed away on

August 14, August 29th I had Gall Bladder surgery, 3 weeks later I had Gastric

Bypass surgery. December 11th multiple joints swelled up with pain all within a

few days..been sick ever since. Finding answers now. Hoping to avoid the

depression you are talking about .. I think I am doing ok so far.. One day at a

time.

Thanks for sharing,\