Aging

I am often told that I don't look my age. While that is flattering, I am beginning to appreciate it less and more wish I didn't feel my age. You see, I have arthritis. It was officially diagnosed when I was only 30. I went to see the doctor confident of my diagnosis, and wanting only to know how many aspirin a day I ought to be taking. The doctor, noting the perfect symmetry of my symptoms and my youth, insisted on running a blood test to rule out rheumatoid arthritis, which was more consistent with my age and symptoms. He didn't know the family history. So the doctor satisfied himself that I had simple osteoarthritis, which I already knew. He was quite surprised at how advanced the degeneration was then, as it was already visible on x-ray.

So now, 26 years later, I still have arthritis. I have it in my hands, particularly the bases of my thumbs, my knees, my neck, my hips and occasionally in my ankles. The cool season just past caused a dramatic increase in my pain level and stiffness. I was going down the stairs in the morning almost in slow motion. The hot dry season may not be my favorite, but it does help with the arthritis pain and stiffness.

What do I take for my arthritis? At the moment, nothing. I've always had a fair tolerance for pain. I am unable to take any of the fancy NSAIDs, or Cox-2 inhibitors, for reasons I won't go into here. Just believe me that if I could take them, I would. The doctor once tried to put me on Tylenol three or four times a day for my arthritis. His office called in a panic a week or two later to have me stop taking it. I already had; I knew I couldn't take it daily. Ever since then I have had a prescription for tramadol. About once every other week I take one at bedtime. I get a better night's sleep than usual, plus the accumulated pain and tension, particularly in my neck, is reset. I think I will begin to take aspirin again soon, though. While the tramadol works for the pain, it doesn't do anything about the inflammation. I can take aspirin on a daily basis, and it reduces the inflammation.

I honestly can't remember what it is like to be totally pain-free.