How to Explain Rheumatoid Arthritis So Others Understand
学习生活with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is no easy feat. It takes time and patience to comprehend what RA has in store for our bodies and how we will personally deal with it. To make matters worse as we grapple with this life changing event, we must educate our family, friends, and even our coworkers about RA when we have little energy to spare. We may come to realize that the people in our life don't respond the way we had expected, leaving us to wonder: "Why don't they understand what I am going through?"
“我痛苦，但我的家人和朋友不明白。”This is something I hear a lot and something I have experienced myself. The truth is they aren't ever going to understand our RA one hundred percent. How can they? We ourselves often can't understand it. One minute we feel fine and ready to conquer the world and an hour later we can't move from the sofa. Expecting those around us to magically understand exactly what is happening with our RA is a pretty high expectation.
"I tell them I am in pain, but they don't listen."For years I felt that I had to tell those closest to me that I was in痛repeatedly. I was afraid that if I didn't keep telling them, they might forget. Finally, I got it! They aren't going to forget. Those closest to me see the pain every single day.
Time has allowed me to understand that my friends and family have the difficult job of seeing my pain but not knowing how to relieve it. If you've ever had a sick child, you know the feeling of inadequacy you feel when there is very little for you to do but wait it out. Our loved ones have to do that over and over, not knowing if a day will come when the pain disappears.
"My family and friends expect too much from me."我们中的许多人都有类风湿性关节炎认为我们可以在我们开始与RA的关系之前，随着我们的生活，我们可以继续生活。在我的经验中，刚刚不会发生。无论您是想接受它，是否都是您生活的一部分，雕刻时间是强制性的。当您谈到您的极限和您的责任时，您是专家，让您周围的人知道您可以而且不能做到。随着ra为此如此漂亮，你必须每天听你的身体，小时甚至分钟来决定你能做什么。不要把这种责任放在他人身上。这对你或他们来说是不公平的。
"Why do people always want to give advice on how to cure my RA?"This drives me crazy. I had a friend who for years told me eating plenty of cherries each day wouldcure我。当她开始时，我想把我的围巾放在嘴边，把它包裹在嘴边，把她扔进衣柜里。但事实是，每个人以自己独特的方式涉及这种疾病。有些人需要保护我们，有些人需要经常谈论它，并知道我们每天的每一分钟都在做我们的每一分钟，而其他人可能需要忽视我们的疾病，有些需要给我们不需要的建议。与它一样烦人，它们意味着良好，他们以适应他们是谁的方式反应。
"I had tendinitis recently. Is that how RA feels?"Oh my! If you can control the eye rolling that comes with this one, I totally admire you. If they only knew! I guess that is the problem. Until you have experienced the pain that comes with RA, you just don't get it. Over the years, I have had several friends go through divorces. While I can completely imagine how devastating it is, I will never understand it completely because it is not something I have gone through in my own life. In all honesty, I hope my friends and family never have to fully understand the pain I feel during amajor flare. I would never wish that on another person.
每个关系都有has an individual person tied to it with previous experiences and perspectives. Accepting that they will never know exactly how you feel or how to comfort you takes time. It is part of the journey. It's a lot to ask when you are already in pain, but please, share your needs often and then be patient. The people in your life love you and want good things for you, even if it isn't always apparent.
