Arthritis Walk
2014 was a hard year for my joints. I wasn't even sure I'd be able to do the Arthritis Walk this year. Last year, I did most of the walk in a wheelchair. My right ankle, after years and years of being a problem, finally succumbed to the joint damage and was no longer functional. I had it replaced in August. It was a long recovery, one that still continues. But I am able to walk, drive, and belly dance again.
2015 marks my 10th year doing the Arthritis Walk. When I started the walk, I intended to walk one year for each year I attended Arthritis Camp as a kid, which was 10 years. With this year, I will have fulfilled my intention to attempt to repay the Arthritis Foundation for that enormous gift.
This is the link to my personal page. I hope you'll consider sponsoring me. Thank you: T's Arthritis Walk Page.
This is my background, if you'd like to send this to others who may not know me:
I've had juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis for all of my life minus 7 months. The first 10 years, my jRA was treated only with aspirin, not due to doctor's neglect, but because that was IT for treatments back then. My jRA ravaged my joints for 16 years. Everything changed for me when Enbrel came out in 1998.
As an adult with jRA, my jRA is now in remission, thanks to drugs the Arthritis Foundation has helped develop through funding research. But because of those first 12 years of uncontrolled jRA, I am legally disabled and have had many joint surgeries. Last year, I had my right thumb joint and right ankle replaced. In 2011, my right hip; in 2008, my left wrist; in 2000, my first joint surgery at age 18, right wrist fusion.
As a kid with jRA, the Arthritis Foundation was absolutely essential to my well-being. They ran an Arthritis Camp I attended for 10 years.
This is my 10th year walking, in gratitude to the Arthritis Foundation for helping me so much throughout my life.
I hope you'll consider joining my team and walking with me if you're local; and sponsoring me if you can.
Thanks as always for all your support. I'm walking this year because I *can* and hope to do the walk without using a wheelchair for the first time in 2 years.
2015 marks my 10th year doing the Arthritis Walk. When I started the walk, I intended to walk one year for each year I attended Arthritis Camp as a kid, which was 10 years. With this year, I will have fulfilled my intention to attempt to repay the Arthritis Foundation for that enormous gift.
This is the link to my personal page. I hope you'll consider sponsoring me. Thank you: T's Arthritis Walk Page.
This is my background, if you'd like to send this to others who may not know me:
I've had juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis for all of my life minus 7 months. The first 10 years, my jRA was treated only with aspirin, not due to doctor's neglect, but because that was IT for treatments back then. My jRA ravaged my joints for 16 years. Everything changed for me when Enbrel came out in 1998.
As an adult with jRA, my jRA is now in remission, thanks to drugs the Arthritis Foundation has helped develop through funding research. But because of those first 12 years of uncontrolled jRA, I am legally disabled and have had many joint surgeries. Last year, I had my right thumb joint and right ankle replaced. In 2011, my right hip; in 2008, my left wrist; in 2000, my first joint surgery at age 18, right wrist fusion.
As a kid with jRA, the Arthritis Foundation was absolutely essential to my well-being. They ran an Arthritis Camp I attended for 10 years.
This is my 10th year walking, in gratitude to the Arthritis Foundation for helping me so much throughout my life.
I hope you'll consider joining my team and walking with me if you're local; and sponsoring me if you can.
Thanks as always for all your support. I'm walking this year because I *can* and hope to do the walk without using a wheelchair for the first time in 2 years.