Arthritis!

Arthritis suffers normally experience one or more types of arthritis. It's rarely a sudden onset disease and usually something that creeps in slowly like fog.  Each person reacts differently to how the disease treats them.  Most people are familiar with osteoarthritis (OA) that happens as we have accidents, strain on joints or as we age.  I started with OA after having an auto accident as a teen. 

Many elderly people has OA or rheumatism, as it used to be called.  You can see it in enlarged joints in the hands and fingers.  Excercise can alleviate some of the stiffness and pain. Play the piano, use a keyboard, write a blog etc.  all exercise the hands and keep them limber as possible.  Most days I can "beat" the arthritis and have a normal life, other days are challenge days and make me wish that life was easier.

I was reading a David Baldacci book Stone Cold and ran across a character description of Arthritis that seemed so relevant.  Let me add it here.  Remember this is from the book, not my words.

Arthritis.  And on top of that the damn [osteoarthritis, rheumadoid arthritis, gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, etc. choose one].  They were a lovely duo, perfectly synchronized to make ...life a painfully throbbing hell.  Every bone creaked, every solitary tendon shrieked.  Each movement sent a mule kick right to [the] gut and yet he [she] kept going, because if you stopped, you stopped for good.
 

So many of us feel this way every day.  The weather  is changing to the cold and damp.  Summer is definately gone. There are still too many items on my to do list that need to be completed prior to the start of the snow and cold days.  When the arthritis gets bad and you can barely make it out of bed in the morning, it doesn't make you feel better to know that today is not the day to get anything done.