I don’t understand……Isn’t there something else you can be doing?

Having PSA is a journey, one I would prefer to not be on.

Along this journey are the concerned family and friends. They are concerned, they do care, however, there is no clear answer to their questions. My favorite one (not really) is what do you have? Rheumatoid Arthritis? No, I have Psoriatic Arthritis. Ankylosing Spondylitis, Osteoarthritis, inflammatory Arthritis and many spine issues. There are so many types of Arthritis, over 100 I explain, blah, blah, blah. My standard answer, I usually say “I have PSA.” Well, why doesn’t anything work for you? What does your Dr. say? I just can’t believe there isn’t something you can do, a medication you can be taking? My favorite — “I would go to The Cleveland Clinic.” You know what? I would go to if I could, if I felt well enough to travel, if my husband could take a few days off and if I believed there was a cure for me there, however with one income these kind of things are not feasible right now in my life. At the Cleveland Clinic I would be assigned a rheumatologist, I have a Rheumatologist and she helps me the best she can but there’s no cure for this disease; all you can do is try each medication and when you fail, which I fail many, well, you try another. You adjust your diet, you waste many dollars on the next best supplement guaranteed to help.....You have to keep trying because if you don’t you risk more joint damage. Believe me I don’t like these medications, they all have side effects but also the joint damage—you can feel, I can feel my joints pounding I can feel my feet, my ankles, shins, knees and wrists, you feel each joint throb, a reminder that I have a disease-Psoriatic Arthritis and unfortunately, for me and many remission is an unrealistic option.

There is not a light at the end of my tunnel right now. I’m still searching, I still strive for that light but I don’t know when that will happen. I continue to pray, I research daily, I don’t want to give up, it is a demon disease. Daily I try to be positive, it’s a challenge and I usually become overwhelmed but I’m not giving up.