Hiya,
Today I had my 4-weekly IV against my rheumatic arthritis. Despite the fact I sit there with a tube in my vein getting something nasty in my body to suppress my immune system, I actually like those hours. You often see the same people again and the nurses are very kind. A fellow patient said it well today, we are like a kind of family. We are always chatting, despite not knowing each other. And today was not different.
I was talking to a man of 71 or 72 who used to be a teacher. We talked about lots of things, but one moment my tiredness came up. He currently does not have it, but he said that rheumatic tiredness is very real and cannot be compared with other kinds of tiredness. As I knew already, the trick is to listen to your body and balance your physical acts without resigning yourself to the couch. And he agrees that it is hard to come to terms with the fact that you are 41 and can't do whatever you want anymore. While I think of my walk of 9K on Sunday as short and feel desilusioned because I was so tired afterwards I needed a nap, he thinks of 9K as long and a heavy exertion. So it comes to the same again, I really have to learn to come to terms with my 'handicap'.
Anyhow, my dad had dropped me off at the hospital and I walked back home after the treatment. A calm walk of 3,85 km which frustratingly passed a fair and I had to resist all the tasty sugary things they were baking. I almost literally drooled 😂. Deep fried doughnut balls, churros and ice cream, a true cholesterol hell. But I resisted and walked passed them.
It was a good walk, fast (for me) according to Garmin, but slow according to my feeling. I truly enjoyed it. Might walk home after every treatment.
Cheers, Evy
Getting back from a brief hiatus
