The weather forecast as I went to bed last night (OK, this morning) was for light rain, and snow another 1,000 feet up the mountain from us. So you can imagine my surprise when I woke up at 7 and saw 51/2 inches of snow out the windows and a temperature of 29 degrees. Wow. …
I have a Google search set up on my iGoogle page that hunts down the latest news regarding rheumatoid arthritis. Today, the headline for one of the articles reads “Pilot Study for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia to Begin.” Naturally, I clicked on the article, curious about the study. Turns out it’s about a substance called CMO, …
Blarg. My grungy tum continues. I’ve tried ginger tea, soda crackers, and plain toast. A long Sunday nap (so decadent – naps always make me feel guilty) with Finny and elder cat PIB (they’ve reached a sort of truce; PIB gets the pillows at my head, McCool burrows down beneath the quilts and uses my …
I rarely have trouble with my stomach — thankfully, up to this point in my rheuma experience I haven’t had the “flu-like” symptoms so many people suffer with along with RA — so when my tummy does act up, I’m sort of at a loss. Usually, a sick tum goes with a stomach bug. But …
I saw Dorrie, my physical therapist, again yesterday. She’s been teaching me exercises I can use to maintain strength and flexibility in my hands, my feet, and today, my shoulders and hips. Keeping our joints flexible and the surrounding muscles strong is so important. It may not stop rheuma from attacking, but it surely can …
What a nice weekend it was! The weather was wonderful, though I’m hoping(perversely, I know) that we’ll get a couple more good, wet storms before it’s over. There’s a wise saying in these parts: “Winter isn’t over until it snows on the dogwoods.” When I first came to live here, I smiled at it, thinking …
Because it’s so easy to get grouchy and focus on all the things we can’t do because of rheumatoid arthritis, I would like to take a moment now to mention all the things we can do. Personally, I can (wooHOO!) walk the dog. I can clean the old ashes out of the woodstove. I can …
It’s quiet. I put a tri-tip steak into marinade today – fresh lemon juice, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, Dijon mustard and Worchestershire sauce, minced onions, parsley – but that’s for tomorrow night’s dinner, along with a fresh green salad. Cary and Matt scratched up the cash for pizza tonight, and we all …
Imagine this, now: It’s late night. I’m in bed. Finny McCool is snoozing deep beneath the covers, curled tight against my legs. PIB has finally come out from beneath the dresser and is meatloafed on my chest, his hind-end fitted between my neck and shoulder. Soft, peaceful cat and dog snores fill the quiet room. …
Hi all — thanks to everyone for such kind wishes regarding Finnian McCool. At the moment he’s sound asleep on my bed. PIB is hiding under the dresser. Finny has been trying to get him to play, but PIB isn’t having any of that. At the craggy old age of 14, he certainly has a …
