I Already Gave My Right Arm To Be Ambidextrous!: Hope

I Am Already Giving My Right Arm To Be Ambidextrous...

Hi, I have avascular necrosis in my shoulders, hips, and knees, psoriatic arthritis, sjogren's, fibromyalgia, and hypermobility. I just found out that I have severe autoimmune arthritis in my cervical spine and a bulging disk in my lumbar spine. Three years ago my spine orthopaedic surgeon told me I had a small amount of autoimmune arthritis in my SI joint. The question still remains: Is the spinal involvement due to Psoriatic Spondylitis, which is a rare more severe form of Psoriatic Arthritis or is it a new diagnosis of Ankylosing Spondylitis? Whatever the diagnosis, the treatment will remain the same. I had my left hip replaced in 2003, and then I had my right shoulder replaced in March of 2010. I literally gave my right arm to be ambidextrous! LOL! Now I am awaiting yet another joint replacement~my right hip. My surgery is scheduled for May 10th, 2012; by then I will be "hips to be squared." Pain is just another part of my life. It is just a question of when, where and how much. At times, I take 16 to 20 pills a day. I go every 4 weeks to the infusion center at the hospital to get a 2 hour IV for my autoimmune arthritis diseases. Just when one thing seems to be doing better, something else goes downhill! My attitude, however, is always going uphill! I am 37 years old, have been married 11 years, and my husband and I adopted our first child in Dec. 2010! I have a lot on my plate right now, but I take it one moment at a time. I believe that God will never give me more than I can handle. However, I do need to learn to ask for help sometimes instead of always doing it by myself!

Monday, August 1, 2011

Hope

I have faith that tomorrow they will find a cure
   for all those with joints~pain and stiff.
And have confidence that all of us who dream, plan and wish
only hold in our hearts an optimism and a courage that is pure.

The likelihood that many of us could end up as cripples
   is a possibility that is high.
   Chances are that you and I
can expect a cane, then walker, then wheelchair~the effects that ripple.

I trust that you desire for more.
   For I yearn to dance!
   I again want to look forward to a second chance.
I want to at least be as normal as I was before!

I long to take endless walks,
   to not have to plan for rest breaks,
   to just anticipate~
For anything fun! And no longer expect that others will gawk.

If I can set one goal today,
   my wish is to set my expectations high.
   I promise to myself and others to aspire
to reach these in good faith.
*******************************************************************

I have hope that tomorrow they will find a cure
   for all those with joints~pain and stiff.
And have hope that all of us who hope, hope and hope
only hold in our hearts a hope and a hope that is pure.

The likelihood that many of us could end up as cripples
   is a possibility that is high.
   Chances are that you and I
can expect a cane, then walker, then wheelchair~the effects that ripple.

I hope that you hope for more.
   For I hope to dance!
   I again hope to hope for a second hope.
I hope to at least be as normal as I was before!

I hope to take endless walks,
   to not have to hope for rest breaks,
   to just hope~
For anything fun! And no longer expect that others will gawk.

If I can set one hope today,
   my hope is to set my hopes high.
   I hope to myself and others to hope
to reach these in good hope.