What the future holds for me

Right now I am in some kind of control of my diet and my lifestyle.  I cook my own food, buy my own produce and so forth.  But the future could be frightening.  Imagine I have to go into a residential or care home, whether that be 10, 20 or more years ahead.  Will they provide me with a raw salad or will they force met to have mashed potatoes and over-cooked veg?  Now if I had limitless funds then surely I could get the care I choose and need.  But will care homes of the future bother caring for my dietary needs.

Also at that time will they take control of my medication and usurp my wishes without my knowledge?  Perhaps they might argue, with support from doctors, to relatives, "of course he needs sleeping pills", or whatever.

In essence will they treat the symptoms - or the cause?

There is no doubt that with sufficient funds anyone could choose the exact care they need.  But will I be in that position?  That, I doubt.

Fortunately I am becoming aware of Blue Zones.  These are places in the world like Okinawa where most people live beyond 100 years of age in great health, perhaps riding motorbikes, exercising regularly and probably more exercise than I do now!  Fortunately my diet is already on its way to fulfilling the Blue Zone goal.

However Blue Zones are more than just diet.  It is a social goal.  Eynsham, beware!  If I am to have a future then encouraging a Blue Zone community around me is a must.

Knockdown and no clipper to be seen!

My apologies to readers.  I don't do well posting when things get bad, and the last few weeks have not been easy.  Just before that I was getting healthy to the point of thinking I was a fraud, in that pain and inflammation was diminishing and I was really coming together as a quasi-normal human being.  I was re-entering society and was beginning to look back on the previous year as a very bad dream.  Had it happened?  Had I exaggerated my own illness and struggles?  Had I at last overcome some major hurdles?  At this point I perhaps became complacent, possibly arrogant.  Perhaps I could begin to venture outside my safe food zone and experiment more with "normal foods."

And then my knock-back happened.  I quickly pressed dietary reset button (cucumber and celery juicing etc etc) and hoped that the fault was only temporary.  However it has been longer and deeper.  With significant pain, latterly and especially in my ankles.  Initially my left wrist blew up and looked like an exceedingly undesirable but well-risen cake, with pain to match.

Any hope of quick recovery seemed to disappear as days and then weeks seemed to have rolled by with very little venturing out of doors.  Are we at the point of recovery?  Only time will tell.  One thing I have learnt is predicting how well I will feel is not worth very much.  I can be lying in bed feeling comfortable at say 4am, and then by 7am I am struggling with pain to even get myself sat up on the edge of bed.

But recovery does happen.  The skills I have learnt about listening to my body, a very careful attention to its dietary needs and most of all patience.

As the days roll by I can feel the inflammatory blood serum travelling from one part of the body to another.  The soles of my feet, the ankles, the wrists, the hip joints, knee joints, elbows, and for one horrible day even my back.  Unlike, say 6-9 months ago, now I only tend to have pain etc in one place.  That's not nice, but at least most of the time I find my mind is clear.  I have very little brain fog - touch wood.

But I have to learn the lesson of the last weeks.  As yet I do not know what I have learnt except that I am far from clear of RA yet, and possibly if ever.

If I had a guess at the lesson it would be that when RA kicks in badly it is because of multiple trigger events.  So not just one meal, but a range of things.  Perhaps too much (or contaminated) oil or fat on one day.  Perhaps an inadvertent nightshade vegetable on another.   Perhaps some egg in a falafel on another.  Each of these takes its toll and then like a pack of cards I collapse.

This is not proven science, just my best guess.

What is true is I need more protection around myself.  To this end I have prepared a dietary card to show when I go to a restaurant.

Another milestone of recovery

I walked over ten miles yesterday.  It was supposed to be less than seven but a wrong turning out two...  Nevertheless with aching feet I ended my walk very very pleased with myself. This feels like I really have beaten my rheumatoid arthritis into submission.

Now I have energy and flexibility the future is a life of more milestones because the moment I stop is the moment RA is likely to come back, and I won't let that happen.

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.

Strengthening is a natural process

I have said to myself that I am now in a strengthening phase.  What does this mean?  Well yes it means i will concentrate on the wim hof method to help get in touch with my inner self.  Hopefully it also means I will start regular yoga sessions as well as my regular swims and walks. And this also includes booking a date for a return to long distance walking.

But they are, together or individually nothing without making full value of my body's natural ability to heal itself.  That's why I went to see a chiropractor.  That's why I am not testing any food and drink  unless I am very confident it will not cause me arthritic problems.

After I had my knees scanned under the MRI the pictures of my knees were very clear and detailed.  I was told I could have knee operations whenever it suited me, "I can arrange an appointment with the surgeon now if you wish, Mr Swarbrick." well thanks, but no thanks.

I have since found out that much of my decrepit body might just heal itself.  With a supportive regime there is just a chance that the cartilage in my knees might improve, as indeed may my gums and teeth.

So that's what I am really working on. Founded in a whole food plant based diet my true goal is to get this body super-healthy.  It is no longer good enough to simply overcome my arthritis but rather prepare my body for the next however many years for a happy and healthy life.

Walking the walk

It was just a walk. It was just a walk. It was just a walk.

It was just a walk around the gardens of Coughton Court near Alcester.  But I did it at normal walking pace.  Another first.  The first time in many months that I was able to walk with no pain, no ache at a decent speed.

That's not to say I walked fast.  But I felt I could have kept going and I did not tire.

It feels like nothing short of a miracle.

Many of my thanks go to my chiropractor, Elaine, whose business card says "Enabling the joy of movement."

Another day today.  I think I'll go for a walk - cheery-bye.

Eliminating capsicum peppers

I have suspected bell pepper to cause inflammation, since it is one of the nightshades.  However tests (until now) have seemed mixed.  For instance I had a soup and did not seem to suffer.  The jury now has placed its verdict clearly in the "never again" tray.

We had lunch at the home of some good friends and they tried their damnedest to ensure everything was to me diet.  So much so that I missed seeing some yellow pepper head inexorably towards my mouth.  Totally delicious.

However today my wrists are badly inflamed and painful.  I can even feel the blood pumping in my left wrist under the pressure of inflammation.  This is going to be with me for most of the day, I predict, as a problem and the take another couple of days to disappear altogether.

Hey-ho, I cannot bear anything touching my left wrist for now.  But it is worth this experience to know I have now eliminated such peppers from diet.

Another of the nightshade family bites the dust!

Strength in GF beer

My third gluten-free beer, yummy!  We're at the Weighbridge canalside pub in Alvechurch.  They are definitely good for vegan and gluten-free with a range of options.  I went for Sunday roast - actually no roast)

I am definitely into my building "strength" phase. I swam for 20 minutes this morning and walking much better.  Also I have a feeling for the first time in several months of looking outward rather than that depressed inward feeling.

Pain and inflammation - gone

I slept well last night - and no meds.  The night before I found I had to relax my legs into a posture of repose very carefully, whereas last night they settled under the quilt at whatever speed they wanted.

Every day I notice microscopic improvements, for instance today I notice that I can get up from a chair so easily, whereas before it might take me five minutes of rocking myself forward to be able to get to a point where my legs would take the strain.  Bear in mind  I am not talking about a sofa chair, rather a dining chair which should be easy-peasy because it it higher.  This means the ligaments in my legs are working better, that I am more flexible and that I am getting my life back.

The significance of sleeping well is that I now know any pain from my chiropractic manipulating my spine has gone and replaced with health.  Not just that, but improving health.  That is my body is now more able to heal itself.

For the last few weeks I have had persistent inflammation and pain around my wrists which would begin to appear early in the morning before I might arise.  Now that has largely gone.  This means I can now use my wrists to help me get out of chairs.

Does this mean my journey is over?  Not by a long way.

So looking forward to my next Chiropractic session.  In the meantime I think I will get some sunshine & some Vitamin D.

The temperature is going down and my back no longer hurts

I have been very stiff, and despite improving health the stiffness is still there.  So I took the decision to visit a local chiropractic.  Why did I choose Chiropractic instead of other disciplines?  Well I have begun to watch the videos of Dr Bergman, who is a Chiropractic.  His approach is that the body cannot heal itself properly unless the back is right, and conversely if the spine is right then the body is most excellent at healing itself.  Self-healing includes cartilage, synovial fluid, even joints.  Having felt my own body repair itself I know at least some of this is true.

I also know that some twenty years ago whilst in Germany a top specialist did some back manipulation on me, as a necessity, and solved problems that I never knew I had. Whether that was chiropractic skills or whatever I never knew, my German language skills were not that good, and my human biology knowledge was miserable.

Bear in mind that I have never had any identifiable back problems associated with arthritis, except for persistent stiffness, at least in the neck.  This is mostly manifest in a lack of ability to easily look behind me to the right when driving out of junctions.

Well I had my first session and I went away happy, feeling better and with more energy than I have for a long time.  However when I went to bed that night I had the most awful sleeplessness brought on my a total inability to find a comfortable position for my legs.  Time for the meds and a day of rest.

A pizza delight

Whenever one thinks of dietary changes you have to look at the lifestyle in which you live.  It is all well and good drinking high-powered juices each day but no restaurant is going to want you and friends drinking your own juices on their premises.  Also the fun of eating out is exploring new tastes with friends.

Add into the mix my diet and it is not difficult to see that I haven't eaten out a lot.  In fact I have only had one pizza in the last six months, and that was a big mistake leaving me with more than a week and pain, inflammation and recovery.  On my diet a pizza represents a perfect storm.  Usually it is made with wheat dough and topped generously with both tomato paste and mozzarella cheese.  None of these are good for my diet, indeed all of them individually will cause me pain and inflammation for several days.

And so it was with trepidation that I ordered a take-away pizza from Pizza Express.  The one I chose was a Pianta.  I chose the Gluten-Free option and asked them to remove the tomato and artichokes.  I added in goats cheese and capers.  Bingo.  Twenty four hours later no arthritic reaction and happiness reigns.

A fabulous pizza and I felt like I belonged to humanity once more!

Annoyed with myself

Not sure quite what is going on, but I have tried to stay clear of any non-MTX drugs over the last days and nights.  Inflammation and pain have followed.  This shows to me the ineffectiveness of MTX, so that's one good outcome.

I suspect that I have had some free-from foods that have dairy in them.  For instance I double checked Mrs Crimbles bakewell tart.  Yummy, but contains eggs.

It's annoying because there are not a lot of treats for someone on my diet.  Now there are even less, and it shows I need to check and double check ingredients on the label.

At this time of year my wife, a teacher comes home with several boxes of chocolates given as presents by students to say thank you.  Previously I would have helped her devour them, but no more...