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It’s been a week of site reactions. There were lots of positive reactions to the new blog site. After a few days, I realized that I was receiving two distinct flavors of responses.There have been those who were en- couraging: "Nice article”; Good writing”; and “Well done!” I am so grateful.
Then there were the reactions that came from those suffering with RA or another chronic illness. In some way, I think they heard my voice differently - like we are speaking the same language. They said things like: “This is so hopeful!” and “Wow, can we pray for each other?” and “Thank you, Kelly. It’s ok to say I hurt.”
Everyone was positive (Yeah!!) and everyone was sincere (I think!)
What I detected may be a symptom of the detachment which exists between the world of Rheumatoid Arthritis and the non-RA world. I have read hundreds of pages of RA blogs and forums and message boards over the last three years and at least as many times as I read, “It hurts,” I also read “No one gets it!”
I want to build a bridge. This blog is my first baby step. Please join me in working to disassemble the partition. That brings me to my second “site reaction” that I observed this week.
Normally, I would never share this with anyone (except RA-ers). But, here goes. I have been really suffering with an injection site reaction (ISR) to the Enbrel. It’s like a huge 4” bee sting on my leg. It’s hot and hard and itchy - it hurts. When I lie down, it feels like there’s a rock under me. This is the third ISR in a row, and each one is worse, and appears sooner after the injection.
It is amazing how much this ISR is like a bee sting. I wanted to post a picture of my leg, but it’s pretty bad. So, I decided to look for a pretty picture of a bee…
Maybe he can also inspire us to be like carriers of understanding the way he goes about spreading around the pollen. We can touch others lives like the bee, letting something also rub off on us like the bee. I am thankful for the way that others rub off on me and I hope that I can write things that will be penetrating – hopefully without all the itching, though.
4 comments:
Kelly, your writing is inspiring. I'm sorry you are having ISRs to the Enbrel. It has worked pretty well for me when I can stay on it long enough to do some good (I keep getting colds/infections or having surgery).
What you are doing with your blog is great. I have a supportive family, but they get tired of me hurting and feeling so fatigued. Sometimes I try to hide it but you can't. Thanks for letting everyone know that all of us with RA hurt and we can't help it.
I also had reactions, it helped me to take an alegery med. shortly before the injection.
nice article, and well done.
D
J
I've been taking Enbrel for 2 months and have found that if I let the injection warm up for a full hour I am not getting the rash I was with only one half hour of warming at room temp. So far I have only used my upper thighs for injection sites. My sympathy for the reaction and pain. I have been in a constant RA flare since diagnosis in Feb. 2009 and am only recently starting to have some relief-long painful process. Thank you for your blog!
Setter Mom
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