Each day was a gift ..read more

I’ve taken a little break from blogging. Managing my career, family obligations, and life in general has been tough. I’ve been transparent about my issues with mental heath. I’ve been battling depression for quite a while. Somedays are good, other are bad. Regardless, I have no choice but to get up every day and go to work and to take care of my family. The one person I am not taking care of is myself and I realized that has to change. Although I work in education, I always work during the summer. I usually work 4-5 days a week for about 5 hours. Yes, it is a break from my normal 5 days a week ..read more

I have a diagnosis of an adjustment mood disorder: better known as depression. It started when I first got sick. It made sense that living in chronic pain would cause some serious mood issues. For the past 20 years, I’ve struggled to balance the negativity in my head with the life that I want to lead. Each morning, I fight the need to stay in bed and avoid all interactions with people. It’s ironic that my specialty is teaching social skills, isn’t it? There is a definite correlation between my pain/active disease level and my mood. Intense pain brings me down in many ways. This week, I receive ..read more

I was scrolling through facebook today and saw a post for “walk 50 miles with your dog this month” for XYZ charity. I looked at my dog and said, “When this new medication makes me feel better, we can do this.” A friend asked me to go to a large mall in the area, and I declined but added, “When this new medication starts working, I’d love to go and walk around.” A colleague asked me to come and chat about the book I wrote, but her office is on the other side of campus. I responded with, “When this new medication starts working, I’ll stop by soon.” I’m always waiting to feel better. Always. Aft ..read more

Someone recently asked me if I wrote an “advice blog”. The answer is NOPE. As My Joints turn is more of a journal of living with chronic illness and debilitating pain. I share my experience with doctors, medication, treatments, and daily life. I am not a medical professional, so any “advice” I give would be based on my own experience, and not a blanket statement. That said, I decided in 2023, that I would be making it a point to find ways to manage my pain better. Before continuing, this is not a paid review. I purchase this product on my own and have not been asked to do a review for this pro ..read more

I used to joke that if I ever woke up without pain, I’d think I was dead. I should clarify that I often wake up without pain, but as soon as I attempt to move… YOWZA This past summer, my diagnosis changed from rheumatoid arthritis to non-radiographic ankylosing spondylitis. My back has been killing me for years. My new infusion medications help a lot, but the recent change in weather from warm to below 0* and back to warm has helped to increase my pain and swelling. The barometric pressure loves to mess with my back. I have a memory foam mattress topper to reduce pressure on my joints, but my ..read more

tWitch’s death has spread around the globe and rocked many. He shone a light on your screens via television and social media. His life seemed golden and perfect with a beautiful family and successful career. Through this all, I’ve seen some posts where people claimed he was “selfish” and he had “so many options”. These people don’t seem to understand depression. There is a difference between being depressed and having depression Let me say that again for the people in the back There is a difference between being depressed and having depression. Over the years, I was depressed over finances, ca ..read more

The holidays can be both enjoyable and stressful when you are dealing with a chronic illness. I’ve learned that boundaries are important. I’m not always the best at enforcing my boundaries, but after being sick for the past four months, I need to be extra cautious with my health. You may want to do everything festive, but is okay to say “No”. If I say, “No” to something, please respect it. Don’t try to convince me I will have fun if I try, or I only have to participate for a little bit. Personally, I say no when I am in pain or out of “energy” it’s important to not push myself. Pushing myself ..read more

I’ve lived with Chronic illness for over 20 years. During that time, I admit, I haven’t always been good at communicating what I needed from friends and family. Over the years, I’ve learned how to set boundaries and ask for what I need. The issue is, I’ve become more discerning of whom I choose to communicate those needs. Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory describes how people with chronic illness manage energy levels. I’ve shared it with family and friends over the years and most say “Wow, I never understood before.” Unfortunately, time strips away memories. Although people in my life have ..read more

I haven’t blogged in a while. Recovering from pneumonia was difficult, then I caught COVID….. After 2 years and 8 months of avoiding the dreaded virus, I tested positive. I had a mild case. Bad cold without a fever. Due to my immunocompromised status, my doctor prescribed Paxlovid, the antiviral medication. Although my COVID symptoms weren’t fun, the side effects of Paxlovid were infinitesimally worse. Have you ever been awakened from a dead sleep by your own bad breath? If so, then you have experienced Paxlovid mouth. The side effect is a garbage-like, metal, acidic burning sensation on your ..read more