What I've Learned So Far

 

Let’s peddle ahead 8 months. This disease is a mean one. It destroys all the cartilage in the body along with the collegian. It is also partial to eyes. Relapsing Polychondritis or RP evilly says,  “Let’s make her blind while we cut her off at the knees”. There is cartilage EVERYWHERE in your body.

As we go through my past, we can see where RP has hit. In 2010, I had my left foot fused because the cartilage was gone and my ankle was bone on bone. Now I have had both knees affected, both hips with a tear in the cartilage in my right hip.  

Take-away: This disease will not keep me from playing on the floor with grandchicklets. I’ve learned to get up off the floor, roll over onto all fours and push with my arms on a piece of furniture until I can stand up. This works for tubs too!!! (skip the furniture and use the side of the tub)

I have had shots in both knees, it has helped me for about 4 months, but I need to have them checked out again. This was by an orthopedic surgeon.

I have Trigeminal neuralgia which was diagnosed in 2011. It seems there is an inordinate amount of people with that and RP at the same time. Could this just be a coincidence, or is it related to RP? The migraines from Trigeminal neuralgia are called the “suicide headache” because it is extremely hard to get away from the pain.  I have found them to be diminished since I’ve been on Methotrexate. Several have this condition in our Facebook RP group. Take-away:  When I do get these migraines,  Maxalt helps better than anything else. See Medicines.

It has attacked both ears. When I am in a flare my ears go red and hot. It only goes red where there is cartilage. The lobe at the bottom of the ear doesn't go red because it isn't made of cartilage. My right ear is the worst and is starting to cauliflower over.

Take-away:  my glasses slide off easier as these ears break down, also the medical masks slide off so I double the loop around my ear to help stable them.

The tinnitus is still really loud. If everything in the room is ultra-quiet, the tinnitus is all the more extreme. See Three Ring Circus-Symptoms. Take-away: I seem to sleep better when there is noise in the room, then my brain focuses on that and the noise in my ears calms down. Might I suggest binge-watching Diagnosis Murder? Works for me. I’ve slept through many episodes, I need to binge watch again.

My nose keeps turning red and really aches. It could lose it's cartilage and it could saddle.  Take-away:  I’ve been looking at movie star pictures to see which one I would like when my nose decides to saddle. It takes forever to heal from a tiny cut, how would plastic surgery be? Any suggestions for a cute nose?

"When life gives you lemons make lemon chicken

and lemon pound cake.  Shake things up a bit."

-:-