That is the title of a song from Barnum. It’s also how I’m feeling today – grateful that the only thing wrong with me is being 51.
You see… it started with this pain in my knee. My normal plan of attack for pain is to ignore it. Usually 1 of 2 things will then happen: it’ll either get better or it will get worse. The knee was starting to get a little bit worse so I figured I should get it checked out.
Before going off to an orthopedic doctor, I figured I’d see my regular one first. She took some blood. (Doctors like doing that.) The results came back with a high rheumatoid factor. So now, while waiting to see the ortho doc, I was busy worrying about whether or not I had rheumatoid arthritis.
Oh, let me look up the symptoms. Hmmm…. symmetrical, eh? Well my knees don’t both hurt but I do have 2 deformed pinkies. Wait. Am I more tired than usual? Yeah, I did feel just a bit stiff getting up lately. Ah, yes, the imagination is such a grand thing!
Then I’m thinking, “Okay, I cannot have some autoimmune disease that’s going to cripple me. One handicapped person in the family is enough. What are we going to do when we’re old? Have wheelchair races in the living room
This afternoon, after a few x-rays & stuff, it turns out I don’t have any of the symptoms of RA, despite the high blood results. “That pain in your knee is just a 51 year old knee. The cartilage behind the kneecap is worn away.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:42 am Quote
Welcome to my world. Did they check for osteoarthritis?
June 25th, 2009 at 3:25 pm Quote
Glad it’s just being 51!
June 25th, 2009 at 7:39 pm Quote
Don’t start googling symptoms…that just leads to a ton of diseases you don’t have.
June 26th, 2009 at 10:17 am Quote
Dave, I do have osteoarthritis but not in my knee. Yet.
Ah, but Katy, I wasn’t Googling symptoms. I was Googling a specific disease.
July 29th, 2009 at 9:23 pm Quote
LUCKY DUCK, MONK! It turns out I DO have it. And it’s fun times, too, I tell ya! If you think regular doctors at regular appointments are blood-taking fools, your head would spin at how often they take it after they know you have RA. I’m amazed I haven’t needed a transfusion. I know that are times I feel like I NEED a transfusion!