All I Want for Christmas

(Sing to "All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth")

All all I want for Christmas
is just two good knees
Two good knees
oh just two good knees!
All I want for Christmas
Is just two good knees
so I can have
A Merry Christmas!


So, I just recently found out that I need BOTH of my knees replaced. Yep! No cartilage in my left knee, and almost none in my right. This explains the grinding pain I've had for a while and why I've needed the help of crutches and a wheelchair to get around. Crutches are super annoying. However, I find them useful for gathering Muffin's toys in the living room from my chair. They reach quite a distance. The wheelchair is something that Muffin thinks is really fun to ride. I am thankful for things like crutches and wheelchairs to help me, but I miss being able to walk and doing things on my own. My surgery is far in the future since I don't have insurance, and last time I checked... We were poor. Aahhhhhhh. So life my life. Since I'm pretty sure Santa doesn't give knee replacements, I guess I'll just HOBBLE along all the while counting my blessings!

Stop and Smell the Cookies!

Having RA has definitely taught me how to adjust my life. Today there were so many things I had to get done. I had piles of laundry that needed to get done, trash that needed to be taken out, groceries that needed to be bought, but I have such a hard time doing all these things by myself. So, since J was at work I thought I should do something fun with my daughter "Muffin". It's Christmas time, and this year I vowed to do all things Christmasy. So, I decided to bake COOKIES! Baking is something that I never really enjoyed pre-RA, but now I love it because it's something that my daughter and I can do together while I am sitting. Standing for a long time is really hard for me to do. So, I sat in the office chair that has wheels and wheeled around the kitchen baking Toll House cookies the whole afternoon. Muffin LOVES the mommy time and I love seeing her face when the oven bell tells us the cookies are done. Adjusting is something that I had to accept. I think the first year after my diagnosis I was in serious denial about how life for my family and I would change. I remember one time in particular I decided I was going to clean out the refrigerator. I was bound and determined to get this job done no matter how much it hurt. Cut to 15 minutes later...there I was sitting on a bench crying out of frustration that I was too tired to finish. As I sat there in the kitchen I realized. Things had to change. I was going to have to tweak the way I went about doing things. So, I started waiting until late afternoon to do chores. I also would sit and rest every half hour or so for ten to fifteen minutes. It took me forever to get things done, but at least I was able to feel like I accomplished something! I'm two years into having RA, and I'd have to say I still have my days. I still need a lot of help, but I have found my balance. If you have to give up things you used to be able to do; rest assured that after you have a good cry... there are other things that you can find joy in doing. Like waiting for the oven bell to ring... "ding!"

The Juice

In my family "Getting the Juice" means getting the whole story about someone or something. So here's "the Juice" on me: I'm Amanda! I have always been part of a creative and productive family. I spent my childhood growing up mostly in my mother's flower shop. There was ALWAYS something going on; a wedding, funeral, a birthday, graduation, or new baby arrangements were always being made. As I grew I was taught the tough life lessons. "Life is short", "Work hard to play hard", "Family is everything", and "Treat others how you'd like to be treated." Now I am 31 years old. I have a blessed life. I have a loving husband (J), and the most adorable little 4-year-old girl!(we call her Muffin) I also have my faith that keeps me sane, and I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. When I was 29, I woke up in bed and I could NOT move. I needed help from my husband just to sit up. Immediately I thought ...RA. I had watched my Grandfather and Mother struggle with this disease for years. I instantly knew what was happening to me. It's been 2 years since that morning. I have been through some serious life changes, and I have been able to add to those life lessons I learned as a kid. The most important lesson being, "Don't take anything for granted." This is the reason I started this blog. I want to share the lessons I have learned "hobbling" through my new life with RA. I want to show that if I can do it with a disability, so can you! I want to uplift and inspire and share my talents with you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your life. Lets "hobble" through life together!