Mama Mia – Here We Go Again!

Yes, I'm having another flare. The last one ran from the end of January to mid-March, and started systemic, finally settling, as they always do, in my knees (mostly left). I ended up with steroids the day before my birthday - lovely ... but they worked. This one started about a week ago - out …

An ‘interesting’ 55th birthday!

Well, it's been over two years since I had a serious flare, which is why I've pretty much abandoned this blog, and I don't suppose anyone is now reading it, but it's a useful diary for me to look back on, so I'll update it! That all changed about three weeks ago, when the minimal …

Another flare, another existential crisis…

OK, I'm exaggerating. The flare is real, the existential crisis not so much, but I am wondering whether to continue this blog, as all I do these days is post occasionally to say, 'Hi guys I'm flaring' and then not post for months because I have nothing to say about RA, thanks to being pretty …

Flare finally over – woohoo!

Since I started the steroids a couple of weeks ago, I've been ticking of little milestones: today I can bend the leg a bit, today I managed to walk round the garden ... and bigger ones, today I stopped using my stick, today I made it onto my favorite local footpath ... but today's milestone …

Here comes the cavalry

Well, if you read this blog much you’ll have an idea I’ve been flaring, semi-flaring, recovering from flares and going into new flares, for a wee while now. (Or not - 'cause I realise I've failed to actually post about most of it!) I was quite shocked to find, when I did a little history, …

This is what I have to put up with

There's just one problem with the top notice on the side door of my GP surgery, below: Did you guess? No, I wasn't picking up on anything grammatical - although  I could... This door IS the different entrance you'll be using. I think they meant to stick the notice on the main door instead. <Insert …

Shielding letter: Part 2

This is that rare thing, Pollyanna Penguin trying to stay calm, measured and reasonable, and not 'fly off the handle' at the GP, since I don't particularly want to get thrown off the practice register. (Although if the practice up the road with the much better reputation would take me, that would be a blessing …

A quick update during lockdown

Well, we're still locked down and I'm just getting used to the various terminologies - I find that I am not 'self-isolating' because that's what people who have symptoms of COVID-19 have to do, but I am vulnerable, although I'm not shielding. 'Confused? You won't be, after the next episode of SOAP!' (Anyone else remember …

A little fed up!

I'm on the antibiotics again! It feels as though since before Christmas I've either been on antibiotics for something or been having a flare! I reckon since November I've had two or three healthy days a month! It's nothing major (follow the asterisk if you're not easily grossed out)*, but nonetheless it's more antibiotics, which …

Aspiration and injection into the knee

Well ... after ten years of saying 'I will NEVER have another aspiration and injection into the knee, not for a million pounds ...' I've just had one! Kudos to the hospital - the day unit were fantastic - so different to the staff in the other part where you go for the six-monthly checks. …