Monday, September 20, 2010

Old Enduro Riders Never Die

I have all of your normal RA pains (sitting, standing, walking) everyday, but overall I have been feeling good for the last two weeks with one exception. My wrists and hands have been hurting. There are a couple of factors that could possibly be aggravating them. We have had a lot of rain lately and the humidity has been consistently around 80% over the last 10 days. The other factor is work. I have had a rough, but rewarding two weeks at work. Two out of the last seven work days, I have worked by myself on the front end of the press, doing the work of two operators. I can do it, but I pay a price for it. After all of the crawling around to get to the bottom print decks, lifting and carrying metal ink pots and climbing up and down stairs and ladders, I anticipated more areas hurting me today, so I guess thats a good thing. Temporarily, my fatigue is almost down to nothing. Now this feeling... I could learn to like.

I think the switch to Humira will turn out to be a good one. I may not be feeling as good as I did right after an Orencia infusion, but I feel more leveled out now. With Orencia, I felt great after the infusion, but the last two weeks of the month, before another infusion, I was hurting. The thing I don't like about Humira, is the injections hurt like a big dawg!

I'm packing my bags to fly to Minneapolis tomorrow. It's not a vacation, it is a company training trip. I will be gone four days and have to test at the end of the training. If I pass, I will have my Level 1 Flexo printing certification. Not a big deal, I don't plan on leaving the company, but these days you don't know what big companies will do. It could come in useful later, if I have to look for another job.

Not much going on this week around the shop. I have a couple of items ordered for my bike. By the summer of 2011, I may finally have my bike set up for hardcore dual sport rides. When I first bought my KTM, I didn't expect to get wrapped up in dual sport riding like I have. But I didn't anticipate not being able to ride single track trail either. It has been a bitter sweet adventure for me. I miss riding the woods and every time we pass a good looking trail I want to point my bike down it to see where it goes. I sometimes weigh the options and if it looks good enough to hurt over later, I will ride it. I saw a bumper sticker last month that read "Old Enduro Riders Never Die ... They Just Start Riding Dual Sport". Obviously I'm not alone since I used to race enduros. I need one of those bumper stickers.

10
comments:

I hope you'll have a great time in Minneapolis, Terry, even if it's a work-related trip. Sometimes a change of scenery is good for the soul, too. It's terrific what you've been doing at work in spite of the RA and osteoarthritis -- you're one tough fella. And getting that certification can do nothing but good for you, now and in the future.

Enjoy those four days of routine change. Hopefully it won't be humid in Minn while you're there, and you'll get a break from the RA, too. :oD

Thought I would stop by to check on you and let you know that I have a couple of awards for you at my blog. I am sorry to hear about your wrists and hands. Humidity is always a beast for me. I live in Texas--aak! Looking forward to cooler temps. with mixed emotions since cold also means creaky joints. Hope you enjoy Minneapolis. I'm sure you will do fantastic on your test.

Damn the rain. Damn the weather researchers who tell us that arthritis pain and weather changes are not related when every arthritis sufferer knows they are. I hope you are feeling better today after all that crawling, lifting and carrying for the past couple of weeks. I do not know how you are able to do all that physical activity but knocking on wood as I am typing this (actually had to stop typing to do it). Humira has been helpful to me considering where I was a year ago and I do not want to go back there. I know what you mean about the hurt when you give yourself the injection. It is like a bad word that you would soap in your mouth for saying. I get shivers when I remember that it is time to do my shot. Good luck with the testing and training. You have got to get yourself one of those bumper stickers.

Kelli, thank you, its great to hear from you. I had not heard from you or seen a new post from you in a while. I was hoping you were doing ok. I just got back this afternoon from up north and man what a change! Tuesday and Wednesday were absolutely gorgeous fall days. Yesterday it started raining and turning cooler and when we flew out this morning, it was 50 with a 30 mph north wind. When we arrive back home, it was 88 with 74% humidity.

Hey Lana, the weather has wrecked my good run this week, but I have enjoyed it anyway. I laugh every time I read one of the experts telling people that the weather doesn't affect arthritis. I had a great time in Minneapolis this week, just got in and have to go to work tomorrow morning. I try not to think about my shot until it is time to do it quickly and get it behind me.

About Me

I live with a chronic disease (RA) but still ride all that I can. Riding is my therapy. RA is a strange disease to live with, one day it is all I can do to get out of bed and walk to the living room, the next day I may go ride 150 miles. I do not live or ride pain free but will not give up on enjoying life. I have been reduced to adventure riding, the least strenuous type of off road riding. RA limits my mileage to 150-200 miles a day. I currently own a 2013 KLR650 which I ride every chance I get.