It has been a while since I wrote my last post in this community. And I do not want to make it all about my disease. But I have to write things down in my chaotic ADHS manner so I can finally start acting on whats happening. To sweeten up the deal I give you a chaotic photodump from my phone. All the images have been taken on my Iphone 11.
I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or RA for short:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes joint inflammation and pain. It happens when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the joints, called the synovium. The disease commonly affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both hands or both knees. But sometimes RA causes problems in other parts of the body as well, such as the eyes, heart and circulatory system and/or the lungs. For unknown reasons, more women than men get RA, and it usually develops in middle age. Having a family member with RA increases the odds of developing RA.
Source: arthritis.org
My father was diagnosed with the same disease a few years back. Unfortunately the diagnose came so late that there was already irreversible damage to his joints. His right knee and his feet have been suffering the most.
I got a bit luckier. I have been diagnosed before a lot of damage could happen. My doctor reacted promptly and sent me to a specialist in the hospital.
This is my new drug. Methotrexat is a immunsurpressor to handle my proteins that are eating away on my joints. To get these under control I have to take 10 mg weekly for the next 3 weeks and after that I will have to take a new blood test. If my tests come back ok and the thing is not destroying my liver or kidneys or my lung the dosage will be bumped up a bit and hopefully in 4-8 weeks I will be in remission.
For now I also have to take streoids to fight the inflamation in my joints. I started on 2 pills a day and reduced the dosage to 1 three days ago. I got 2 more days of 1 pill and then will again half the dosage again.
Now lets go to a more pleasent part. Photos! Before I had to interrupt my vacation in France I had a few days in severe pain in the forests of Fontaine Bleau. This is an abandoned building I found during one of my short walks. I don't know when it was built and to what purpose. All I know that the french resistance was very active in the fontainebleau woods during the second world war,
Local youth of course is using this spot for other things.
A peek through the window.
To determine what the weather is like we used this very convenient weather rock.
The ocean that has left these sandstone boulders in the forest has disappeared millions of years ago. Only the sandy ground and the rocks stay as silent witnesses.
This is the healthy hand of my friend Georg climbing the rocks. I was doomed to watch and learn this year.
this is already back at home visiting Goettweig Abbey while I am staying at my brother in Krems. The view over the Wachau looks amazing.
A little outside shot of the Abbey.
Here is to better days.
Thanks a lot for reading!