New adventures

It is tough to be stuck. It seems like it has been going on all year for me. No breakthroughs. No new ideas. It is more the need to cope with a lot of stuff.  Too much stuff for this old brain. My rheumatoid arthritis is not any better. I’ve been on most of the biologic wonder drugs. The most they can do for me is to reduce symptoms by 20%. It probably is better than nothing.  Twenty per cent is…

Like many Americans, I have spent the last eight months in shock at the systematic destruction of our democracy. We are rapidly regressing into  a  corrupt dictatorship where a select few have rights. The rest become increasingly low wage workers with no rights.   No education. No healthcare. No meaningful work. No safety net. No vaccines. No scientific research. The new Dark Ages. We definitely…

Today was a good day for me. But first, the boring stuff. Let’s talk about the medical.  Since the VA had my Tramadol prescription, they require a urine test occasionally. My urine test came back positive for cannabinoids. So now my prescription has been cancelled. No one told me. No one asked about my pain status.  Lucky for me #1 cannabis will either manage your pain or you will not actually…

When life hands you a bucket of sour grapes, you really don’t need to cry or get angry. You can if you find it helps.  But the older I get, I find there are just too many speed bumps along the way. And since I don’t really have as much energy,  I need to save my energy for things that make me  happy. Okay there is the occasion for anger, but best to keep it a memorable thing not a habit. Matilda…

Today is a good day for me. The Kevzara stopped working. I retried low dose Methotrexate but immediately started having side effects. So, I stopped that too. I now depend on Medrol, Tramadol and Cannabis. Both the Medrol and the Cannabis are big helps. Titrating cannabis gummies can be tricky, but once you get used to it, it is the answer for now. I like taking 2.5 mg at a time. Low dose. Keeps…

Francis is having his early morning nap atop my pillows. The pigeons are busy raiding the bird feeder. I’ve had my morning cup of Starbucks French Roast. Now for  the RA news. The good and the bad. Cannabis for rheumatoid arthritis is a mixed bag. Two days ago I had one of  the worst flares I’ve had in a while. The good side of cannabis is that it will take  away the pain and the inflammation of…

The best thing for the relentless pain of RA has been distraction. Once, my distraction had been done managing a  sourdough starter. Then it was hydroponics. Tomatoes and oregano grow very well. Lately, my distraction  has been writing fiction. I love my characters. Even the bad guys aren’t so bad with the exception of Cyrus Pettibone. The development of the characters for my series Matilda and…

Hope each of you has a peaceful and satisfying New Year.

Those of us with rheumatoid arthritis have what is called a malfunctioning immune system. Big words. Simple. Complex  The job of the immune system is to protect us from infections and cancer. Ours doesn’t work the way it should.  For us, our bodies see the lining of all moveable joints,  synovial tissue,in our bodies as foreign. Our immune system reacts. Our neutrophils, which are plentiful in…

We replaced our aging Christmas tree this year. It was a great tree. I wanted to replace it with a new version of the old tree. I found the one I wanted and ordered it on Amazon. Then I spent several days worrying about what I was going to get. All for naught. My son unpacked what is a perfect tree. It is almost eight feet and slender. Perfect in its spot. I have a favorite box of decorations…

Spondylolisthesis  frequently occurs in the lower spine. A vertebrae is gradually pushed out of position. I had a spinal fusion years ago. The vertebrae above it was gradually pushed out of position. The classic symptom is not being able to stand without pain for more than ten minutes at a time. It can block nerves coming from the spine and cause paralysis and severe pain. I have pain in my lower…

Methotrexate has been used for RA since the late 80’s.  It is the cornerstone for RA treatment and considered to have an impressive safety record. Methotrexate is classed as  a DMARD, Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug. It decreases pain and swelling. It can lessen joint damage and consequently long-term disability. Methotrexate is taken once a week usually in pill form. The injectable form…

“It isn’t the strongest of the species which survives, neither the most intelligent, but rather that which adapts best to change.”  Charles Darwin He must have been talking about rheumatoid arthritis. The most difficult aspect of RA is its unpredictable nature. RA may be simmering.  Suddenly, without warning, a severe fatigue, an exhaustion so bad its immobilizing,  arrives to totally disrupt…

I made my favorite cake this week. It is a cranberry spice bundt cake. Fresh cranberries. Cardamon. Ginger. Sour cream. It is a moist, flavor filled cake. I found it in the New York Times last year. It had previously been in a book on cakes. A dependable bake. Baking involves a series of specific procedures performed in a specific way. When is the cake done? Most of the time you can tell by…

The number one cause of death for those with rheumatoid arthritis is cardiovascular in origin.The mortality rate for those with RA is 2.5 times what is normal for everyone else. The increased rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in those with RA is caused in part by accelerated atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) due to the chronic inflammation of RA. Atherosclerosis is the most common…

For about half of us the biologic medication of the last twenty-five years has been helpful in reducing symptoms and lessening disability. Methotrexate has been a big help. It is especially helpful when given in combination with the biologics. The JAK inhibitors can cause cancer. Since I have had five cancers, they are not advisable. It has been eleven years since my diagnosis. I have learned to…

I have seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. That means I have more issues with inflammation and less joint damage that a person with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. My rheumatologist sometimes thinks they must be two different diseases. Once diagnosed both are given the same treatment. I was on methotrexate for seven years. It helped about fifty percent. Biologics helped anywhere from twenty to…