Not sure I dare post this

I am feeling very good.

Not perfect but my three good days earlier in the month at Cropredy are now being followed by a further four days, and counting...  To me a good day is when I feel I can just walk like a normal human being, no aches, no pains.  I may walk at a slow speed, but if these improvements continue then with more walking and swimming now doubt the speed issue should resolve itself.

Also I ate something on my dangerous list last night, and magically no side effects.  Does this indicate my gut is healing to the point where the gut has decided that an arthritic reaction is not the default?

This is not to say I am in the all-clear, not by a long way.  I have to come off methotrexate and that will be a slow process that may take me into next year.  I have a poorly right elbow which has not come out of the last year or so of Rheumatoid Arthritis smiling. Finally my wrists have just the smallest amount of inflammation and pain.

But altogether, anyone who says a wise change of diet cannot improve arthritis is talking hogwash.  I see stories of people who have had much more complex medications than mine, and for them the road to recovery is infinitely more challenging.  For those who have started down the road to recovery, I salute you!   I hope that my blog here gives some hope that recovery is possible.

A significant step forward

Looking back, I had hoped and indeed expected to see good physical progress for this month of August, but that didn't happen.  My first two August weeks definitely did not go to plan, instead I was hamstrung with some pain and inflammation. I am not talking anything of the pain levels of the early months of this year, but just sufficient to stop me getting out and about.

That changed dramatically three days ago.  I'd booked myself into Cropredy 2016, Fairport Convention's annual folk music festival.  When I booked the ticket I had a real hesitance. I asked myself many questions

• could I actually get there?
• no chance of camping, 
• would I need a mobility scooter?
• what if it rains badly which could be very bad news for walking, 
• how on earth would I get up if I slipped?
• would a slip have consequential health issues, like a broken joint?
• what would I be able to eat?
• how would I get plenty of water?
• how would I get in/out of camping chairs?

Serious colonoscopy questions

Background: In an earlier post I reported that my blood tests show that I had/have anemia (also spelt anaemia).  My doctor's initial reaction is to advise iron tablets, which I have to a large measure been taking.  He then also requested my local hospital book me in for an endoscopy, which involves sedation followed by a tube being passed down through the mouth into the stomach.  The goal being to do a physical examination of my insides.  This revealed, at worse, a hiatus hernia, which means that my stomach is pressing upwards into my oesophagus.

The hospital report on this was reassuring, that possibly 75% of older adults had hiatus hernia and that mine was nothing special.  I thus thought, well that was worth doing to find out not much wrong, and no particular harm done.

Where have I been?

I don't do bad times well and last week was much more difficult than I expected which is a shame, not only for my own health aspirations, but also I have much to blog about. I had had in mind a blog post entitled, "It's not my fault. It's not my fault. It's not my fault."  This was a twist on the lines spoken by Robin Williams in the great film Good Will Hunting.

You see I have had bad gums nearly all my life.  Every visit to the dentist has been plagued with plaque no matter how much effort I put into regular cleaning.  What do I find out now?  It's the arthritis, stupid!  My dental challenges have always been made worse by having arthritis.  I have to ask myself, why did no-one tell me!   It's just like my dietary changes, why did no-one tell me?

It is not that my actions might have changed.  I might have brushed my teeth more frequently, with more diligence perhaps.  But at least I would have know that it was not my fault, in that for my life I have always felt, somehow I am not brushing or flossing properly.

Now I know it's the arthritis.  Here is one comprehensive set of pages on dental health for anyone else with arthritis.

I almost forgot the good news.  As I clear up my arthritis I hope and expect my teeth and gums to slowly heal.