Overall, we are a very comparison-heavy society. You’ve heard of the phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses,” right? Well, that apparently (according to the internet) originates with a comic strip of the same name that originated in 1913. What does that mean? It means that we have talked about being jealous of other people for well over 100 years. That just means talking about it. We’ve been comparing ourselves to others for many millennia now.
Now you are probably wondering what in the world this has to do with arthritis. Here it is, I’m a comparer. Ever since I was diagnosed almost 20 years ago, I have wondered how I compare to others.
I sometimes read posts online about symptoms folks have. I think to myself, “Wow, I obviously don’t have it bad” when I see stories of struggles that people have. Now, that’s just silly. There is no race, no contest, no points you get for having more aches, pain, stiffness, or scales. From here, it gets curiouser and curiouser.
I also compare when people with arthritis are able to do more than I am. This came about last week. I saw something on social media from a man who was proud of his wife, who has rheumatoid arthritis, for running a 10-mile road race. Well good for you! I can’t run a 10-mile road race. I probably couldn’t have before arthritis, but I could have at least trained for a fighting chance at it. These days, ha-ha, no.
But then, a dear arthritis friend posted something that brought everything into perspective for me and led to this blog. She posted that even though she was having medication side effects, she needed to move. She said daily stretching and walking make such a difference. Thank you so much for that post, Shelley.
What this led me to realize – or re-realize really – is that we are all different in our disease. We are all different in our ability. We are all different in our outcomes. I know I’ve been blessed by the relief I’ve gotten from my medication. It’s allowed me to have much more freedom of movement than I did previously. However, I’m still not to the point where I can do some of the high-level exercises that others do. One of my friends with psoriatic arthritis has had very little skin involvement, whereas I had a great deal and was very self-conscious. This disease is just wacky that way.
But that’s why it’s good to reach out and see. Just because you don’t have certain symptoms now doesn’t mean you are free from them forever. My friend with little skin involvement does get some, and she reaches out to me. I reach out to her when I have pain symptoms that I haven’t had before.
Instead of saying, “How in the world is someone with arthritis able to run a 10-mile road race when I’m lucky to do a mile or two?” I will now say, “Good for you! Keep it up! I will do my best today to move as well.”
We should be encouraged by and encouraging one another. It is tough to see at times, but it can be encouraging. And when I’m at low times, I know that others have gone through it as well and can help me through. We are in this fight together.
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