Quest for a Service Dog
Donation protected
Hello.
My name is Denise and this is my story.
Seven years ago my life changed, I want to say I was a healthy person. One day I came down with the flu, I took over the counter meds and recovered, but I continued to have flu like symptoms. My joints started to swell and were tender to the touch, it felt like i had a snake wrapped around my whole body. I struggled to walk and move, worst part-it affected my job. Missing work because my body refused to function or I was too tired.
My PCP sent me to a Rheumatologist for further evaluation, MRI's, bloodwork, and x-rays all confirmed that I had RA with Fibromyalgia. I was glad that my illness had a name, now it was time to treat it. Monthly bloodwork (8 vials of blood drawn everytime, my poor viens) to track the progression of my RA and to monotor my liver and kidneys-as the medication can cause severe damage to those organs. Years go by (3 to be exacrt) and my RA seemed to be under control and I returned to my normal life. My performance at work improved greatly, to the point that I forgot all about my RA. With my RA under control-I began to realize how much I cherrish my ability to move about.
It wasn't till August of this year that my health took a downward spiral. I was rushed to the emergency room twice for what I thought was a heart-attack. Battery of tests (EKG's, bloodwork, MRI's, CScans, ultrasounds) ruled out MS, my heart was in good shape. Then the questioning began, "have you ever had any illnesses" I inform the doctor that I have RA and Fibromyalgia. He ran bloodwork looking at my RA factor, and it showed to be high. He recommend that I see my RA specialist, you know that feeling of dread surfaced. I knew my RA came back but I didn't realize how bad it really was. I'm had bloodwork taken (again, my poor viens) and my results showed that my RA had returned with vengeance! I went from a moderate case to a SEVERE case in matter of a month. New steroid medication along with my regular medications don't come cheap, and I knew this was going to costly. The "talk begins" Denise, you are now at a SEVERE stage, medication will slow down the progression but there is NO CURE for your RA. Your mobility will become limited and the use of a walker possibly a scooter depending how fast RA is spreading. Now, that isn't a talk I wanted to hear, but I have to realize that it will only get worse for me. As my illnesses progress, simple daily routines (picking up dropped items, opening doors, getting in and out of bed,etc) have become more challenging.
After my DEPRESSING talk with my speacilist, my search began for a mobility dog. I found a wonderful organization Service Dogs for Independence that train mobility dogs for people who suffer from RA.The cost of a dog is expensive, the dogs are rescused from shelters (awesome! :-) ) and trained in the area requested. With time I won't be able to move around with the aid of my walker or scooter. A service dog will provide me the security and help me remain independent when my mobility deteriorates.
For those who do not know what RA and Fibromyalgia is, here is the definition:
Rheumatoid Arthritis-an autoimmune disorder, certain cells of the immune system do not work properly and start attacking healthy tissues cells. A chronic (long-term) disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and limited motion and function of many joints. While RA can affect any joint, the small joints in the hands and feet tend to be involved most often. Inflammation sometimes can affect organs as well, for instance, skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels.
Fibromyalgia-a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain anied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. It amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals).
Any donation will be greatly appreciated, please share this with friends and family.
Thank you.
Denise
My name is Denise and this is my story.
Seven years ago my life changed, I want to say I was a healthy person. One day I came down with the flu, I took over the counter meds and recovered, but I continued to have flu like symptoms. My joints started to swell and were tender to the touch, it felt like i had a snake wrapped around my whole body. I struggled to walk and move, worst part-it affected my job. Missing work because my body refused to function or I was too tired.
My PCP sent me to a Rheumatologist for further evaluation, MRI's, bloodwork, and x-rays all confirmed that I had RA with Fibromyalgia. I was glad that my illness had a name, now it was time to treat it. Monthly bloodwork (8 vials of blood drawn everytime, my poor viens) to track the progression of my RA and to monotor my liver and kidneys-as the medication can cause severe damage to those organs. Years go by (3 to be exacrt) and my RA seemed to be under control and I returned to my normal life. My performance at work improved greatly, to the point that I forgot all about my RA. With my RA under control-I began to realize how much I cherrish my ability to move about.
It wasn't till August of this year that my health took a downward spiral. I was rushed to the emergency room twice for what I thought was a heart-attack. Battery of tests (EKG's, bloodwork, MRI's, CScans, ultrasounds) ruled out MS, my heart was in good shape. Then the questioning began, "have you ever had any illnesses" I inform the doctor that I have RA and Fibromyalgia. He ran bloodwork looking at my RA factor, and it showed to be high. He recommend that I see my RA specialist, you know that feeling of dread surfaced. I knew my RA came back but I didn't realize how bad it really was. I'm had bloodwork taken (again, my poor viens) and my results showed that my RA had returned with vengeance! I went from a moderate case to a SEVERE case in matter of a month. New steroid medication along with my regular medications don't come cheap, and I knew this was going to costly. The "talk begins" Denise, you are now at a SEVERE stage, medication will slow down the progression but there is NO CURE for your RA. Your mobility will become limited and the use of a walker possibly a scooter depending how fast RA is spreading. Now, that isn't a talk I wanted to hear, but I have to realize that it will only get worse for me. As my illnesses progress, simple daily routines (picking up dropped items, opening doors, getting in and out of bed,etc) have become more challenging.
After my DEPRESSING talk with my speacilist, my search began for a mobility dog. I found a wonderful organization Service Dogs for Independence that train mobility dogs for people who suffer from RA.The cost of a dog is expensive, the dogs are rescused from shelters (awesome! :-) ) and trained in the area requested. With time I won't be able to move around with the aid of my walker or scooter. A service dog will provide me the security and help me remain independent when my mobility deteriorates.
For those who do not know what RA and Fibromyalgia is, here is the definition:
Rheumatoid Arthritis-an autoimmune disorder, certain cells of the immune system do not work properly and start attacking healthy tissues cells. A chronic (long-term) disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and limited motion and function of many joints. While RA can affect any joint, the small joints in the hands and feet tend to be involved most often. Inflammation sometimes can affect organs as well, for instance, skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels.
Fibromyalgia-a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain anied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. It amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals).
Any donation will be greatly appreciated, please share this with friends and family.
Thank you.
Denise
Organiser
Jekyll Hyde
Organiser
