Thriving With Psoriatic Arthritis

May 1st marked the beginning of Arthritis Awareness Month. The National Psoriasis Foundation has an Instagram campaign with the hashtag #HowIThriveWithPsA, and I had grand ideas of showing arthritis who’s boss by getting up early to attend a kickboxing class at 6 a.m. Yes! I was going to class, getting a photo, post it on social media and show the world how strong I was, despite having this chronic illness. This was going to be awesome!

Well, my great thoughts didn’t equal action. While my psoriatic arthritis has been well controlled for a few years, that first Wednesday in May proved a different story.

A bad morning

I woke up on time for the class and actually felt pretty rested. Sometimes I get “painsomnia,” when you can’t seem to get a good night’s sleep because pain keeps you awake. Besides psoriatic arthritis, I also have restless leg syndrome that pops up for a few weeks at a time, and that can also make it difficult to get a full night’s rest. Luckily, it wasn’t bothering me that night.

I turned off my alarm at 5:30 a.m., stretched, and then winced. The pain in my knees and hips were awful. It was raining outside, and I know that contributed to some of the pain, but good grief! This was going to be a rough morning.

After a few minutes, I tried to get out of bed. Instead of putting my feet on the floor, I reached for my phone to message the instructor that I wasn’t going to make it to class that day. Even if my pain and stiffness improved, I couldn’t make it on time. To say I was bummed is an understatement.

The stairs

My son, diagnosed with juvenile psoriatic arthritis at age 5, used to complain a lot that he had trouble with the stairs – not climbing them, but going down them. I never understood what he was talking about until I started showing signs of psoriatic arthritis three years after him. He was right! Going down is so much harder!

On May 1st, I couldn’t walk down the stairs normally. Instead, I was stiff-legged and had to rock side-to-side. Without bending my knees, I sounded like an elephant. There was no grace and no easy way to get down, but I did make it, eventually.

Thrive by reflecting

I was definitely bummed about how my morning was shaping up, but then I remembered thriving with psoriatic arthritis is more than being able to manage the signs and physical symptoms of the disease. Little victories are often the biggest ones when put into context of how I’m feeling. Attending a kickboxing class on Monday was one way to show how I thrive, but getting out of bed and walking down those stairs was another. I reminded myself that some days are just going to be better than others, and that’s ok.

Not giving up on myself, having good discussions with my doctor about treatments, adhering to my medication schedule, and keeping stress and other flare triggers under control is the definition of thriving with psoriatic arthritis.

Thrive with family and friends

May 1st was also a wakeup call that I can’t thrive with psoriatic arthritis on my own. I am human and I need help. That’s where my friends and family come in to round out my emotional health. Knowing they are there for me no matter what is the best feeling. I can cry, scream, laugh and hug them until I feel better.

So, it seems fitting that not only is May a month to promote arthritis awareness, it is also Mental Health Awareness Month. Psoriatic arthritis is more than physical. It takes an emotional toll, too. Make sure you have the resources available to you to keep your mental health in check. Depression and anxiety are common with arthritis patients. Know the signs and don’t wait to get professional help.

Thrive through mentoring

Not every patient has a great support system like me. I realize that I am one lucky gal to have so much love and support. For those who don’t, the National Psoriasis Foundation’s One to One program might be able to provide you some help. Signing up for this free program allows you to connect with a patient who has walked a mile in your shoes. I’ve been a volunteer with the program for two years, and I have met some very amazing people. Sometimes just knowing you’re not alone can make all the difference when trying to thrive with psoriatic arthritis.

I’d love to hear how you thrive with psoriatic disease. Connect with me through this community or leave a comment below.