Suffering and Love

Through suffering we find true love...

This picture was taken about two years ago. I was in a terrible flare and my Grandmother, "Doe" was suffering from pulmonary fibrosis. As a child when I was hurt or didn't feel well, I would crawl up in her lap and she would pat my back and sing to me. I remember just breathing her in and almost feeling as if we were one in spirit somehow. No matter what I was going through, she always made it seem okay. She was always on my side and I knew she loved me with a love so fierce, that she would do everything and anything to make sure I was safe and taken care of. For those of you who watch Grey's Anatomy, she was "my person".

My world was shaken when she passed away last year on September 21st. This picture popped up in my newsfeed today and it made me reflect on the true meaning of suffering and it's purpose in this life. No one likes to suffer, and no one wants to see anyone they love suffer, but if we can take our suffering, use it to bring us closer to God and to one another, it can bring us to be more like Christ. We will find a love so powerful that our suffering become a gift.

This picture was taken by my mother. Both Doe and I were unaware that it was being taken. I am eternally grateful that my mom took it. When I look at it now, I see two people who are tired of feeling so sick. We clung to each other and for a brief moment felt some relief from our pain. The love we shared was stronger than any pain and suffering we were enduring. While I do not enjoy suffering, I would not change what I have gone through. I choose to walk with Christ no matter what I go through in this life.

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RA... Say what?!?!?!

My name is Beth. I am 35 years old and I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. The purpose of this blog is to educate, advocate, and provide a look into what it is like to have autoimmune diseases as a mother, wife, and person in general. I would like to take a step back and reflect on how I was diagnosed. It was 2012 and I was pregnant with my third child. I was sick with strep throat for the like 8th time in a year. I went into a walk in clinic and the Doctor looked at me and said "I would like to do some blood work on you. You are sick way to much and something is not right." That blood work was the answer to so many unanswered questions that I had had in my past. Long story short, I was referred to a Rheumatologist and found out I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Fibromyalgia. I also have a list of other issues that are autoimmune related such as a blood clotting disorder, thyroid disease, anxiety, and mild depression. The diagnosis, while awful, was an answer to 3 miscarriages

What I Want You To Know...

Like most that suffer from chronic diseases, I feel like people typically do not understand what it is like to walk (or not to walk) in our shoes. While I do not want to constantly focus on my ailments, I think it is important to spread awareness. It is crucial that we educate and provide basic knowledge for the general public. I chose this picture for this post because it hit home for me personally. I have lots of friends with Rheumatoid Disease that do indeed have severe arthritis. While I look at them and see strength, hope, and courage, you can also see the pain and suffering through their disfigurements. My sister and I have many health issues, but one can not visibly see any deformities as of yet. While I am grateful that all my extremities are characterized as normal so far, this can make it hard for others to realize what type of struggles we go through on a day to day basis. I wanted to post some symptoms here that go hand in hand with Rheumatoid Disease. These were co

THE CHAIR

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RA Sisters

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