Arthritis

I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain the last year. It started with feeling a lot of aching around my hips and lower back. Sometimes, it was around my upper back. Then I also started to have it in the mid-back section. The last couple months I’ve been waking up with in agonizing pain in my hip, thighs, mid and lower back areas. In the mornings my hands and feet would be so swollen that it hurt. They would swell up until it hurt whenever I go for walks or exercise.

At first, I thought I was caused be over-strenuous activities in the yard, swinging 100lb picks and carrying rocks and bags too heavy for me. Not the type to sit around, I blamed it on age catching up on me and needing to slow down a little. So I’ve been easier on myself and leaving the heavy duty things for Elton to do. This week, my back is not as stiff and sore anymore. But my hands still swell up when I went for a walk. It was so agonizing I went online and did a little research on my symptoms a couple days ago. It looks like I may be in the beginning stages of arthritis. Yup. Arthritis in my thirties. Reading that one in three adults have it made me feel just a tad better. But it was a bitter pill to swallow, being someone who likes being on my feet. The bad news is, there is no cure for arthritis. The good news, keeping fit and exercising will help. Maintaining flexibility in my joints and strong muscles will keep my joints from getting aggravated. No sense in moping around I guess. On the brighter side, I'm more eager to get up and go for my morning exercise nowadays. Besides making me look better, I'll feel better. And that's worth a million bucks.