Haven't been on the site for a few days as very unwell. I mentioned in my last blog that I had some problems whilst out and about with my cousin and we had to cut short one of our days out. She went home 8 days ago but left something behind - her cold - which I now have and feel rotten. Chest is sore and all joints aching and painful. Been popping Nurofen and Paracetemol every day just to be able to keep going. MTX did nothing for me last week - had a massive flare which lasted for 2 very uncomfortable days and is still hanging around. Could not move very far as feet, knees, elbows, shoulders and wrists were all involved, swollen, hot and painful. Don't know what brought it on as did not think I had been overdoing it but obviously I had. I think it wasn't helped as I was giving a lecture last Wednesday and stood for 1 1/2 hours before admitting defeat for the last half hour and sat down apologising to my audience! I had driven 46 miles that morning (not far I know) but in the evening had to attend a meeting and did a round trip of 110 miles for a meeting that lasted only 1 hour! So not too happy a bunny as a result and could hardly get out of the car I was so stiff. Then suffered all night with pain and all the next day. So spent as much time as I could resting. Why do we always feel we have to keep going regardless? Hubby very good at carrying things for me as I was afraid I would drop trays etc. and he has been taking the dogs out for their runs regularly as I can't manage it.
Very concerned to see the posts on this site where people feel they have been bullied, belittled and generally made to feel unwelcome. That is not the purpose of this site at all and I am sorry that others have suffered because of the thoughtless behaviour and blogs of some members. We are here to try and support each other, to use the knowledge of how we feel to help someone with similar symptoms, to suggest how to make themselves more comfortable on a bad day etc. I cannot understand how anyone could come on here and make belittling remarks about someone else or talk down to them how they are feeling. We are all different and we all cope with RA in different ways and we use our coping ways to try and assist other members. So please can it stop!
We had the family here yesterday and the two children played with the dogs for hours. So much so that my smiley dog Berry (yes he does smile when he is happy) was so exhausted he spent the rest of the evening asleep. Even the older Labrador Tilly was worn out. Hubby dropped off to sleep as well but then woke up and went upstairs to watch a film whilst I indulged myself (with my feet up) watching the start of the re runs of Mr. Selfridge. The costumes and hair styles are fantastic and worth seeing just for that. Also watching the re runs of Downton and can't wait for the new series to start. Dogs didn't move until it was time for bed. Tilly came up with me - she sleeps on one of the landings - and Berry stayed with hubby. Minnie cat had been out in the garden most of the day on her harness and had a lovely time exploring. Daughter in law had been out with the nurses and staff from our local surgery on Friday evening and by all accounts they had painted the town red. My son said he was expecting her home by midnight and she rolled in at 2.30 a.m. What it is to be young!
Lovely day here again - windy but the sun is shining and the sky is blue with some clouds. Had a tremendous thunderstorm Thursday night which went away and then came back again with torrential rain. I do find the damp affects the RA so that may have had something to do with the flare as well.
Somewhere on my computer I have a lovely photo of Berry - will try to find it and upload it so you can see my gorgeous gun dog. It was taken after he had completed one of his gun dog tests and passed the exam and he does look smug! Birds are singing and our resident family of blackbirds are popping about the garden chasing midges I think. Not seen the house martins this year round the house but plenty of swallows and loads of bats. I do love to see them and hear them clicking to each other as they chase insects. Well I think that's all the news. Shoulders are aching so will stop now and have a rest. Love to everyone - I do read as many of the blogs as I can even if I don't comment on them. LavendarLady xx
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LavendarLady
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Good morning and lovely to hear from you. I hope you soon feel better from your wretched cold that your cousin kindly gave you.I am still recovery from the fall two weeks ago. I wound doesn't want to heal at all,so no Cimzia for me again this week. We are going to cornwall on the seventh and i hope it is cleared up by then. I love your beautiful photo of the early morning mist.Love sylvia.xxx
Hi Sylvi, sorry to hear about your fall. It really does take it out of you and gives you such a shock. hope you will feel better soon. Enjoy Cornwall and have a good rest. Love LL x
What is the matter with this site today? Nothing comes up - having to wait ages for posts to appear, everytime you try to post something, it does it twice and it's so slow! LL.
Having just posted on another blog about what I want from the site and how I tend to be focused, I thought I'd just say that you're the first person I remember when I joined the forum and always enjoy hearing about your life. Even though its very different from mine - its good to hear about how we all cope with our different ailments and circumstances.
Lovely to read your post a nice read, very sorry to hear your suffering not nice. What a super picture thank you for sharing x
Hello LL, have to echo Cathie, you along with sylvi were my welcoming party. Its good to see you blog again, your picture is so so nice. Sorry to hear you have had a rough few days, I still cannot understand why or how a flare just pops up out of the blue. Anyway lovely to read your blog.
Well, LL, you can stll compose !! You and Scouser were the first ones who commented to me when I first got on the site. Just don't remember the topic. But i loved your stories about where you live, what you do. Then Tilda came along and described her castle on a big hill above the Atlantic. Wow! It is very different here in the flatlands of Ohio! We don't have many hills up here, more like bumps
It has been great to go back and reminisce about our first days here together! Hope you get rested, before you have something else to do!! Loretxxx
Hey what's with the castle Loret?! More like a cottage - we can't even accommodate our three sons in one sitting! But it is on a hill- that much I conveyed accurately to you at least!
Lavender Lady you are such an inspiration. I do hope you feel better soon and I'm glad you are deriving comfort from Berry, Tilly and Minnie in your time of need. You and Cathie were some of the first people I came across on here and then there was Mads, Polly, Williby and Sylvi and Alison (Summer) too of course and many others besides - a number of whom have gone off in different directions now either sadly or happily - who knows? But then others, such as Loret, have sprung up too over the two years I've been around and there are still far, far more people whose posts and comments I enjoy than those who upset me.
I live in such a close-knit place that I suppose I'm used to human beings and some their ways and have learned to stick things out because if I turn away from something I need and enjoy then I feel that something else will probably take a big chunk out of me instead!
Oh LL you are still my inspiration I do admire you. I adore you're stories and love your Piccies. So sorry you're feeling unwell and hope things improve soon. I would say rest and take it easy for afew days but you know more about RA than me and knowing you you'll be out with the dogs sooner rather than later. Take care Tricia x
Thanks everyone for your good wishes. I am so glad to have such good friends on this site and I do count you as friends. We have shared a lot over the last few years. Feeling better today but still achy but going to meet a friend for lunch so looking forward to that. By the way Loret, the castle is me! Glad to see you back on this site - I had wondered what had happened to you. So I hope you are all keeping reasonably well and not in too much pain. I have renamed Berry "smiley dog" - he grins when he is happy. Sometimes a full grin othertimes just a lifting of the lip on one side! But his eyes are twinkling so I know all is right with his world. Mads, Tilda, Tricia, Sylvi, Summer, Polly etc, you are all stars in my world too. Love and Hugs. LL xx
Now that you mention..I recall it WAS you, LL, that described your castle. Weren't you thinking of putting in a chair lift to run up your stairway, which was more circular...Forgive the Foggy memory, you know,...drugs, advancing age .. etc. all to blame!
Still, love reading of your life, in and out of your castle, you are one very busy lady, and that says alot about you managing life with RA. Even when it is rough going! Lxxx
Hi Loret, the circular tower is crumbling so not suitable for a chair lift. Thinking of hanging a rope down from the battlements and being hauled up in a basket! LOL. LL x
Good to see that you're still dealing with life in your own stylish way!
I haven't been on here for almost a year, but currently laid up after surgery and determined to reconnect with a world of other peeps who understand the somewhat roller-coaster ride of RA:-}
I LOVE that photo you post above your blog - and how fun to have kids and dogs around, albeit very tiring. Stress brings flares on for me sometimes and from all your work and travelling I think are you are real trooper and maybe you were a bit stressed as well, no wonder you had a flare!
I am hoping to get back on this site more now, so look forward to lots more news from everyone and a few laughs well.
Thanks Lynn-bel and Hi Cece. I wondered what had happened to you both over the last few months but life tends to intervene. I don't get on the site as much as I did as other things happening but do try to keep up from time to time with what everyone is up to. LLx
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You and Scouser were the first ones who commented to me when I first got on the site. Just don't remember the topic. But i loved your stories about where you live, what you do. Then Tilda came along and described her castle on a big hill above the Atlantic. Wow! It is very different here in the flatlands of Ohio! We don't have many hills up here, more like bumps
Biosimilars - making the switch animated video
Humira and other Inflammatory drugs
Does this make as much sense to others as it does to me?
Swelling with RA and other symptoms, grateful for advice. 
Healthy New Year (part 2) 💋
