Autoimmune Arthritis Made Me Dislike Baseball Fields

I was seven years old the first time I stepped onto a baseball field to play my first game. My first time up at bat, first pitch, first swing...POW... the ball soared into the outfield! I ran to first base and stopped.  The coaches were yelling, "GO!" I ran to second and stopped.  "Keep going!" they hollered.  As I ran to 3rd the coach was already screaming, "Don't stop!" and pointing me home.  Scared, I slid, but the throw never even made it to the plate.  I was home safe!

Fast forward thirty years.

At age 37 I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, but between age 7 and about 35 I was still active in sports, especially softball.  I remember playing for a company co-ed team, stepped up to bat and all the men walked forward, expecting "the girl" to ground out or pop fly.  I swung and smacked that sucker over all of their heads.  I could hear my little league coaches yelling, "GO!" and I kept on running.  This time, however, I stopped at third.  The men in the field seemed a little better at fielding the ball than the 7 year old little girls.  The next time I stepped up to bat the pitcher looked around and called out, "Step back, give her some respect!"

I am now 41 and I haven't swung a bat in 6 years.  Even if I go into remission, my softball days are over, for I have permanent damage in my wrist.  I miss softball, so much so I dream of it often. When I wake I feel saddened that at only 41 that part of my life is over.  Then there are the days when I walk past the fields, like the one down the street from my apartment (shown on the left).  I always look at it and have memories of running the bases, hitting a homerun and sliding in to home base...and I find myself hating the sight of the baseball field.

When you become affected with an Autoimmune Arthritis disease, like Rheumatoid Arthritis, unless you get diagnosed early or are able to obtain the proper treatment within 6 months after ONSET, chances are it will steal part of your life and your identity, becoming at times as much of a mental struggle as a physical one.  The "Who am I now?" phenomenon gets to many of us, but, in reality, doesn't it happen to everyone at some point in their lives?  How many 70 year olds do you see playing on that field?  We all have to give in to our demising physicality at some point, so it's really the UNEXPECTED loss of ability that many Autoimmune Arthritis patients deal with than the disability itself.  So the key, naturally, is to focus more on what we CAN do.

In saying that, I'm not going to lie, that's a lot easier said than done. I think there will always be a part of me that yearns for that last time at bat, that last run around the bases and that last slide into home base.  But the key to moving forward, for me, is to remember those coaches screaming at me as I ran my first lap around the bases... "GO!" "Keep going!" "Don't stop!"  because I know that it's not the softball player in me that needs to hit the homerun or run the bases, it's the aggressive, go-getting, team player that did that....and she's still living strong inside of me. I plan to have many, many people in my life take notice of what I CAN do, look around and say, "Step back, give this girl some respect!"  Sure, I may never like baseball fields again, but I could see them becoming a little more tolerable.

My Type of Arthritis Makes Me Vomit

Flu-like symptoms

Inflammation in neck, jaw and tongue

At 3am I was awaken by a mixture of pain and severe nausea.  My mouth was watering as I attempted to prevent myself from vomiting, but due to an inflamed esophogus it made swallowing difficult so I ended up toggling between choking and gagging.  My body was aching in too many places to count, in a way that resembles being beaten or recovering from an accident or injury.  There was no need to take my temperature, the sweat saturating my pillow case was enough proof that my body was in full attack.  The fatigue and stiffness was so extreme that I struggled to get out of bed, and as I did I could feel the saliva accumulating, stinging the sores that align my tongue and the other soft tissue in my mouth.  I did manage to make it to the bathroom in time to relieve the nausea and then return to bed to get some sleep til morning.

Most people who awake in the middle of the night with these symptoms probably think, "I have the flu," and may grab some medicine from the cabinet and consider calling in to work the next morning.  However, I am not dealing with the flu, I'm dealing with a disease. I can't go to the medicine cabinet and find something to make this better.  There is no cold or flu medicine that can ease the symptoms and over-the-counter pain relievers cannot touch this level of inflammation.  I just have to wait out the flare, which could be gone by morning or could last for several days.  If it gets too bad my option would be to visit the ER for pain medication or cortizone injections.  I try to consume peppermint to help with the nausea.

Exhaustion even after rest

This situation happened last night, which instigated this post today.  I want people to know, in the moment, what it feels like to have Rheumatoid Arthritis (or Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Still's Disease or the other Autoimmune Arthritis diseases).  It's been 10 hours since this episode and I have yet to injest anything other than 2 pieces of dry toast and some seltzer water.  I am completely exhausted and winded, yet I haven't done anything past lie in bed or sit on the sofa. I can't quite tell you exactly every place that hurts because Rheumatoid Arthritis is an Autoimmune Arthritis, not a Degenerative Arthritis.  This means it affects not only the joints but also the soft and connective tissues and sometimes organs.  Also, because it's an autoimmune disease, it causes severe muscle weakness, fatigue and fevers and the pain jumps without notice because it is caused by cell interaction, not overuse. 

So how will this affect my day?  My fingers are swollen and so sore some would find it tough to type, but I think I'm so used to it that I just fight through the pain.  Laundry is taken off of the to do list, for even if I could get the loads to the washer, unloading, folding and putting the clothes away wouldn't be possible due to weakness in my wrists, forarms, shoulders and tricep area.  Also, I live alone so there isn't anyone to help get the laundry back up the stairs. After the nausea subsides I need to make lunch, which will be dependant on what I can physically make and what isn't too acidic as to agitate the soft tissue flare in my mouth.  Later this afternoon I will likely need to nap, which I detest.  I have always felt naps were a waste of time, however, my body will soon shut down and I will be left without a choice.  Those without Autoimmune Arthritis may find this rescheduling and reworking daily tasks frustrating, but for me it's become a way of life. 

The type of arthritis I have is Autoimmune Arthritis.  It causes me to rearrange my day, at any given time, due to fatigue, fevers, exhaustion, joint pain and muscle weakness.  It causes sores and inflammation in my soft tissue, particularly on my tongue; when my jaw joint flares at the same time I may go a whole day on a liquid diet because it's twice as hard to open my mouth or to chew food.  It wakes me up in the middle of the night and makes me vomit.

All arthritis isn't the same.  If you have any type of arthritis, before you say "I have that too" to another patient, know what type you have and what type they have...because if your arthritis doesn't make you vomit, or at least cause nausea or flu-like symptoms, it may not be the same type of arthritis.


This post is based on personal experience and is not resourced to facts from any other source. 
Learn more about differentiating your arthritis at www.IAAMovement.org.

Let's Tip the Scale to Better Understand Arthritis Types

For years we've seen this statement: "The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)." Arthritis, defined, means joint inflammation.  So in essence this sentence reads, "The most common types of joint inflammation are Osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)."  There are two major issues with this statement.

First, this statement suggests that both OA and RA only involve joint inflammation.  While this is true of OA, it is not true for RA:
 

Osteoarthritis (OA)

• Limited to joint involvement primarily in the weight bearing joints
• It is caused by degeneration due to age, wear and tear, injury or excessive weight, that leads to cartilage damage
• It is treated primarily with over-the-counter medications, diet and exercise
• Advanced cases lead to complete wearing away of cartilage, causing disability and, at times, joint replacement surgery

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

• Can involve any joint in the body, as well as connective and soft tissues and sometimes organs
• In addition to the physical pain, patients also experience fevers, severe fatigue and flu like symptoms
• It is an autoimmune disease caused by cell malfunction that causes major inflammation that damages joints, tissues and organs.  It is not limited to cartilage.
• It is treated primarily with anti-inflammatory medications, mild chemotherapy drugs and biologic injections or infusions
• Advanced cases lead to inflammation damage to the joints, connective and soft tissues and organs, causing disability and, at times, joint replacement surgery as well as eye, skin, lung and heart issues (although any part of the body can be affected).

So yes, it is true that Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis are the most common types of arthritis (joint inflammation), however, grouping them into the same sentence without explaining that one stops at arthritis (joint inflammation) and one is arthritis plus an autoimmune disease merely skews the interpretation of what RA truly encompasses.


The second issue with this statement is that Osteoarthritis affects 50% of the population. Rheumatoid Arthritis affects 3% of the population.  With a 47% margin in "common types" should these two arthritis types really be grouped together in the same sentence without differentiating them?  Without any type of separation the 1 out of 2 people who have Osteoarthritis are bound to assume that the other most common type of arthritis is much like what they are experiencing.

Here's a thought... why not group Rheumatoid Arthritis with the other diseases that are most closely related to this condition?  RA is a joint and connective tissue disease.  There are a handful of autoimmune diseases that are also both joint and connective tissue diseases, hence the term "autoimmune arthritis".  They are: Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE), Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Still's Disease (SD), Primary Sjogren's Syndrome (SS) and Juvenile Arthritis (JA).  While SLE also affects approximately 3% of the population and PsA affects 2%, the rest combined adds millions of people to the weight of the scale. 

 

Also, in addition to the Autoimmune Arthritis diseases mentioned above, there are two other conditions that fit this category:  Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease/Undifferentiated Spondyloarthropathy (UCTD/USpA) and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD).  Undifferentiated disease means the patient is exhibiting symptoms of Autoimmune Arthritis but the symptoms are not clear enough for an exact diagnosis.  Mixed Connective Tissue Disease is where the patient exhibits 3 very specific diseases at the same time, often called "overlap disease", and is most commonly a combination of Lupus, Scleroderma (a primary Connective Tissue Disease) and Polymyositis (primarily a Muscle Disease).  They are still primarily joint diseases so they too are classified under the Autoimmune Arthritis category.

 

So now RA doesn't have to stand alone on the scale.  If you combine all of the Autoimmune Arthritis diseases they make up for approximately 10% of the population.  Now we're getting somewhere.

 

So let's change the statement "The two most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis" to explain actual types, thus making the scale of awareness a little more even:

"The two most common types of arthritis are Degenerative Arthritis and Autoimmune Arthritis".

 

Now that seems much more accurate and understandable than "The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis."

50% to 3% isn't a fair assessment of "most common".  50% to 10%, now that certainly tips the scale towards better awareness.  While the weight of 50% is still much heavier than 10%, we still have to factor in how loud that 10% of misunderstood voices can be... now THAT is what will bring balance to the scale.

If you define and differentiate 'arthritis' people will understand.  You can help bring awareness to arthritis, just start using the politically correct language and it will happen.  Let's work together to tip the scale!


Resources:
www.IAAMovement.org
www.psoriasis.org
www.stillsdisease.org
www.rheumatology.org
www.lupus.org

Degenerative Arthritis and the Autoimmune Arthritis diseases are the most common types of arthritis. However, Degenerative Arthritis and Autoimmune Arthritis diseases themselves are very different in onset, disease course and treatment. Arthritis, defined, means joint inflammation.

The most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA), known also as a Degenerative Arthritis because it is caused by degeneration due to age, wear and tear, obesity or injury. Degenerative Arthritis is typically localized to the weight-bearing joints because they are the parts of the body used most often. Therefore, this type of arthritis will typically flare with use and the pain is a result of the damage that has occurred due to the degeneration.1 out of 2 people will develop some form of Osteoarthritis in their lifetime. Onset is typically over the age of 55 if due to age but it can be much earlier if caused by injury, weight or overuse. It is typically treated with over the counter medications and ointments, along with diet and exercise changes. However, over time, the damage can get extreme and joint replacement may be necessary. This type of arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States and the leading cause for disability leave for soldiers under the age of 40 in the military.

Autoimmune Arthritis diseases are systemic, inflammatory autoimmune diseases primarily affecting the joints. They are caused by a malfunctioning immune system. Because they are systemic (whole body) they also affect the connective and soft tissues and even organs, but what unites them as an Autoimmune Arthritis is the major joint involvement as a primary disease attribute. So while the most common type of arthritis is Degenerative Arthritis, or Osteoarthritis, the 9 Autoimmune Arthritis diseases make up the second most common type of arthritis. These are Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Still’s Disease (SD), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), Juvenile Arthritis (JA), Primary Sjogren's Syndrome (SS), Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) and Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease/Spondyloarthropathy (UCTD/USpA).

Because they are diseases of the immune system, less people are affected. In the United States, the combined total of patients suffering from Autoimmune Arthritis is under 10 million. Onset is typically, for children, between ages 7-9 and for adults, between ages 20-40. The pain is a result of inflammation, often explained as feeling "sprained or broken" and can be accompanied by severe fatigue, nausea and fevers. It can occur at any time, even at rest. This inflammatory pain is present in any part of the body where the cells are malfunctioning. The most common areas of joint affect are in the hands, fingers, feet, toes, ankles, hips, lower back/tailbone area, neck, shoulders, jaw and knees. The most common areas of connective and soft tissue affect are in the mouth and esophagus area and the area between the ribcage (often called Costochondritis). The most common areas of organ involvement are the eyes, skin, lungs and heart. (NOTE: ANY joint, tissue or organ can be affected with Autoimmune Arthritis. Depending on the disease some areas are typically more affected than others but overlap is common and often is cause for misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose quickly).

The recommended treatment for Autoimmune Arthritis diseases is to target reprogramming the cells not to attack one another as well as to address the inflammation that results from these attacks. To reprogram the cells, expensive medications, such as injectable or infused biologics and mild chemotherapy treatments, are typically the recommended course of treatment. These types of medications act as agents to both slow down cell production, resulting in less cells for the body to attack, as well as to manipulate the receptors to stop sending those messages to attack. The inflammation that results from the cell interaction is also treated because the higher the inflammation the more damage can occur to the joints, tissues and organs.

Here are some additional facts about Autoimmune Arthritis that you may not typically find in literature:
 Autoimmune Arthritis is not caused by a lack of exercise.

 It does not go into remission with ointments and over-the-counter medications.

 The one anti-inflammatory recipe Great Aunt Ruth suggested won't cure it. Holistic regimes, especially for the most common moderate to severe versions of these diseases, must equate chemotherapy- or strong enough to lower inflammation and manipulate cell interaction.

 Ibuprofen isn't strong enough.

 Most patients who take the chemotherapy treatments, injections or infusions, contrary to many advertisements, are not suddenly able to run, jump or play sports after starting treatment.

 You can't just have it in your knee.

 People can die from it. Matter-in-fact, approximately 10,000 people in the US alone die each year from complications due to Autoimmune Arthritis diseases.


Clearly, Degenerative Arthritis and Autoimmune Arthritis are very different. Beyond these most common arthritis diseases there are an additional 85+ arthritis-related conditions not mentioned here. If we want to start changing the way people think about these diseases, we must start by raising awareness that they are, in fact, different. So if you get angry when people think your illness is "only arthritis" then ask yourself this: Are you calling your illness arthritis (which means joint inflammation) or are you differentiating it as one of the Autoimmune Arthritis diseases?  If you are calling it arthritis (joint inflammation) can you really blame them for thinking it's only in the joints? 

Autoimmune Disease + Arthritis = Autoimmune Arthritis