You can't die from laughter...

Well folks it's been about six months. You know what that means? My hip joints (mainly the right one if we are keeping track) decide to go on strike and wage a full blown assault. No, it's not nice and no it's not pretty, but alas, it happens about every six months. I don't know why and I don't know the cause. All I can do is pull out the metal crutches I bought at a Walgreens last year and hobble from room to room and chair to bed. WOW, aren't you so envious? NOT!

The funny thing is that you would think that after having Rheumatoid Arthritis for over three years now and having hip issues consistently every six months, I would get used to it.

How exactly does one get used to the chronic pain and the inability to get up and hobble to the toilet when needed?

I am thinking this must be a rhetorical question because there could not possibly be a rational or even reasonable answer. I guess I was wrong.

Although I blog here and share random parts of my life with the world, I also am an avid reader of other's blogs on the Internet. You would be surprised of how many people have blogs who are suffering with pain and/or living and dealing with chronic pain. It is insane! And these are the few who are actually blogging about it. Statistically speaking, there has to be a large number of people out there who are also living with chronic pain and NOT writing about it for all the world to read.

As I was reading these blogs, I am finding a common theme: we are all in pain, we all are talking about it, and we are all TRYING to have a sense of humor about it.

Humor. Ahh....that must be the answer. How does humor play it's role? Let me explain in a short allegory.

Once upon a time in the land of Pain, lived a beautiful young princess who was struck down by a wicked and mean old witch who placed an evil spell upon her. She made sure that for the rest of the princess's life, she would forever be in pain, her joints would swell, she would have to quit her job, she would lose many friends, be kicked out of her castle only forced to move into her parent's castle, and be impoverished like the beggars on the street. (Isn't this a great beginning of a story??)

Every day the princess lived with debilitating pain: pain in her feet and ankles, pain in her shoulders, pain in her hips, pain everywhere. Some days were better than others but for the most part she was stuck. With the pain. But not only did she have that, but also she was always tired a little bitchy and felt like she always had the flu. Day in and day out, this noble princess suffered.

Okay, I will stop there. A little far fetched for a fairytale, you say? Well THAT my friends is my life. At first, it was upsetting. No, let's be honest. IT SUCKED!! But after a while...a LONG while, I began to laugh about it. I mean, what else could I do?

Laughter is the only thing that has gotten me this far into this disease. Without my sense of humor, I would not be where I am today. I would not be able to force myself out of bed in the mornings or grind my teeth as I force myself to walk to the back of the Target store to find the laundry detergent. Hell, without my sense of humor I wouldn't be able to live this life day in and day out. No one could.

There are many things that would not be possible without my sense of humor and the sense of humor of those around me. The things that I find really funny are the little trite "words of wisdom" that people so freely give when you are sick. For instance, some of my favorites are:

"God only gives you what you can handle."
or
"That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger!"

Classic little insights that many people feel necessary to share that are supposed to be helpful. You know what I find helpful? Quotes and advice that I can actually work with and depend on. Something that I can hold on to when I am trying to get out of bed in the morning or waiting for the next pain pill to kick in.

One of my favorites is a quote from Bill Cosby. He said, "Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."

For my sake Mr. Huxtable, I hope you are right!

Wishing you all good health and HUMOR!!

The Chocolate Milk Diet

I logged on to the computer this morning and Yahoo's main page greeted me with the most amazing headline story since OJ Simpson was found Not Guilty! There is a new diet called the Chocolate Milk Diet.

Doth mine eyes deceive me?? Did you just say there is a diet that is made up of Chocolate milk??

My first reaction was, NO WAY. There is no possible way that you can lose weight by drinking chocolate milk. That is just plain stupid. But then as I read the story, I was convinced.

Apparently there are four main incentives to drinking three glasses of chocolate milk per day (one in the morning, one before you work out and one directly after your workout). They are as follows:

1. Calcium: Drinking milk provides you with calcium in your diet. Calcium, as we all know, aids in the building of strong bones. But the most interesting part is that researchers have found a link with those who have a daily intake of 1000mg of calcium a day can lose up to 18 pounds of belly fat! Lets be honest; who couldn't stand to lose a few pounds around the middle. Also, having RA, I have to take large quantities of calcium with Vitamin D for my bone health. If I can get it in drinking milk rather than taking another pill, then I say HELL YES!! Win, win!

2. Vitamin D: Vitamin D is essential for the body to help you consume the calcium in your body. Without it, your body cannot properly distribute the calcium. Also, vitamin D is great for strengthening muscles and bones and counteracting depression. Many Americans are deficient in vitamin D as we naturally consume it through exposure to the sun. With the advancements in technology (we sitting on our computers throughout the days rather than working outside) and the rise in skin cancers (we lather ourselves with sunscreen to avoid exposure) we are no longer spending an adequate amount of time in the sunshine, and therefore are becoming Vitamin D deficient. Milk is a great source of Vitamin D. Again; win, win!

3. Endurance Boost: Drinking milk gives you a natural boost of energy. Milk has electrolytes that help aid in keeping you more hydrated AND it has a natural sweetness which helps push more energy into your muscles (see the link below). As an RA sufferer, finding the energy to get out of bed in the morning, let alone to exercise is sometimes non-existent. But, if I get up and drink a large cold glass of chocolate milk in the morning, perhaps it will help me to find the energy I need. This is something we should all remember and put down those sugary, energy drinks that are, let's face it, bad for you anyways! Win, Win - take three!

4. Protein: Milk is protein ridden and therefore highly important in the production of muscles. We all know that more muscle mass means more fat burning. What do we call this? Oh yeah, that's right...win, win AGAIN!!

So you see my little minions, drinking chocolate milk is not only good for you, but it is essential in weight loss and management. There can be no dispute!

Now, if only I can get someone to write an article on the link between eating fried foods and losing weight! :)

If you are interested in the article, please follow this link!

Wishing you all a healthy and happy day!

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/54828/the-chocolate-milk-diet/

You made your bed...now you can LIE in it...

Have you ever wondered what possesses a person to lie?

Have you yourself ever told a big fat whopper? Did you feel remorse afterward?

The subject of truth and deception is an old hat when it comes to some people. Some people have constructed their entire lives around a leaky foundation of lies and deceit that they don't know the truth from their lies anymore.

I am referring to one person in my life in particular, but for the sake of anonymity, I will not post her name or rank. But let's just say, that in my life, although she is not unique to the subject of deceit, she is by far the most destructive and crafty.

It amazes me when people think that making shit up is okay. How is that ever okay once you past puberty? I mean other than, of course, when you were a teenager and trying to get out of trouble for being at a party, or getting caught smoking...sure, who didn't lie then to try and CYA (Cover Your Asses)? But it is when we are adults that we grow out of these immoral behaviors of lying and manipulating other people to get what we want.

What is really sad, is there are people who think that this is a way of life. They go their entire adulthood from one lie to the next, one manipulation to the next, and one drama to the next. That is another thing...have you ever noticed that people who lie a lot have a LOT of drama surround their lives? Makes you wonder, don't it?

I don't know, it just seems to me that people like this have missed something in the process of becoming a responsible adult. There was a defect in the foundation or learning process. Sometimes I wonder if those people can ever move past the defect and try and remedy the situation. Sometimes it is just too late; they are doomed to remain liars and manipulators for the rest of their lives.

It is sad actually. But the funny thing is...they don't realize how pathetic and sad their lives really are, because they tell themselves that they are the victim and it is not their fault...which is actually...a lie!

Funny how things work out that way!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy "truthful" day!

Queen of Denial...

Kittens! Just the word itself inflicts good thoughts and warm fuzzies, don't you think?

My mother, who is now getting on in her years and ever so more set in her ways, has decided in her infinite wisdom that she wants a new kitten. A good friend who works at a Vet clinic told me of a mother cat and four babies who had been discarded on the clinic's front steps. I told my mother and well, that was she needed. Mother decided to adopt one of those "poor little things" and bring it home to my father, who pretends to dislike cats (and that is putting it mildly), and her two dogs and one very old and very opinionated tortoise-shell cat, Rajah.

Rajah was not originally my parent's cat. She was adopted in after one of my siblings moved to another city and left her at my parent's house. One of the ways in which my parents have acquired most of their pets over the years. Rajah is a moody cat. She is set in her ways. She doesn't like people or children. She doesn't really like anything unless it is her idea or with her approval. She is a bit of a drama queen and when she is unhappy, EVERYONE knows about it. She is moreover the queen of the house.

So you can imagine that she was none too pleased when the TWO, yes, I said two, new kittens came home with my mother from the vet clinic. Mother went to retrieve her new kitten, but then decided it would not be right to only take one...so she got two. That way they would have someone to play with, because Lord knows, Rajah was not about to partake in such matters. Needless to say, Rajah has not been very happy these last few days. She has not been eating. Hissing at everything from the dogs to the furniture. She won't go near the kittens, who of course are just curious and want to be friends. I am actually not sure if she will ever warm up to them.

But how can you not like kittens? They are adorable and cute. They sleep and play and eat and sleep. They have cute little voices when they meow. Seriously, how can your heart not just melt when you see them?

These are the questions to Rajah. I wonder if she will ever get used to them or forgive my mother for bringing them into her life. She has outright refused to accept their existence and has ultimately become the Queen of Denial!

However, I tell my mother to sleep with one eye open at night, because I can just envision Rajah about to slit her throat with her claw...that is something that Rajah would do...I am sure of it! She may not want to acknowledge their existence, but she sure will prove to everyone how unhappy she is...no way to live, Rajah; no way to live.

Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about anger, denial, and the like. Living like that is no way to spend your days. Accept and move on! :)