Day 1 of 365

My first day- of my 365 Rheum Blog. An introduction, I was diagnosed with Crohns and Rheumatoid Arthritis in May 2010. Not understanding the magnitude of the diagnoses, I kept living life, taking medications prescribed by my GI and Rheum. Yes- I hurt some days and I had fatigue, but, I wasn't going to let these two diagnosis get in MY WAY. I was set on training my dog, Stoneridge Can't Miss JH  aka  "Annie". She was originally going to be working with my husband, and he loved Tracking and Obedience, and was starting in on Hunt and Retrieve work (A new venue for us) I fell in LOVE with hunt and retrieve work. There were arguments, and finally Tom, allowed me to take over the field end of the training, he continued with the tracking. I regret- that decision to this day, I felt like I was taking Tom's dog away, but, I loved the sport so much, I saw it as an opportunity for me to keep healthy and, walk, and move. After all, I have "arthritis" I need to move. I had not educated myself on Rheumatoid Arthritis (Now called Rhuematoid Autoimmune Disease *RAD*) by my community of RAD friends. (You will hear about this name change later in the blog I am sure! )
One year ago--- I became really ill, requiring multiple hospitalizations, a change of doctors, and a much better understanding of what Rheumatoid Arthritis can do to your body, not just your joints, but your entire body, from fatigue, to pain, to swelling, RAD can get in to your organs, etc. The best resource for me was finding the site http://rawarrior.com/  Through that site, and through the actual people met through that site, I have learned and continue to learn about RAD and the limitations the disease can put on you. I have also learned who my friends are, and who I can count on. I have also learned, what a wonderful man I have in my husband, Tom, and that "Marriage is an Art"... and through better or through worse, he is there. I love him for that and so much more.
Which brings me to the purpose of this blog- in scrapbooking, a hobby I enjoyed so much, there is an "exercise" to document a year with 365 pictures in a scrapbook. I can no longer scrapbook, or rubberstamp, my passions and my hobbies. I saw someone else on the Rheum boards, doing their 365 exercise using RAD as their focus. After brainstorming with my friend Kelly, I thought about it, and decided, a blog, a 365 day blog with pics, and sometimes words... to raise awareness of RAD.

Now, the thing about RAD, you can't predict one day to the next how you are going to feel, so, on some days, there may be great, happy, pictures, on other days, there may be not so great pictures, and on other days, there may be NO pictures, the unpredictability of RAD causes this in my every day life, and I am sure it will impact my 365 pictures. BUT-- it just means, tomorrow is another day, and maybe it will be a better day. If you are a person who is diagnosed with RAD, or a caregiver of a person with RAD, or a friend of a person with RAD, awareness is what I ask you to have, awareness that, we may look fine and feel great one day, and the next day, things can change in a heartbeat. Today- was a good day for me, so today, I start the blog. 

The above picture was taken in October of 2010. I had my diagnosis of RAD and Crohns, but I had not educated myself. My body had not been affected by the medications and diseases yet. I was happily living in blissful ignorance, training my dog, Annie. I love this picture, the smile on my face is genuine, and I remember so clearly that just prior to the photo being taken, Annie had to have a "training session" to remind her that she was to sit, and STAY sitting. You would never know it in the picture, we both look so relaxed. Smiles on our face. Blissful Ignorance, wearing my favorite color, pink, with the camo hat!

The above picture was taken today, January 10th, 2012. Tom is now training Annie, and they are the perfect team. Annie did not need a reminder to SIT in this picture, Tom only has his hand on her, to duplicate the picture of me above. She has no collar and no lead. She has just finished a training session doing awesome work, while I sat under a tree in the shade and snapped pictures. I gave no suggestions as to training, I simply snapped pictures and enjoyed watching Annie and Tom work as a team. Tom titled Annie this past December in Junior Hunter. She is certified in Tracking, and Tom has plans of entering her in a Tracking test in March. He continues to work on her hunt and retrieve skills as well, Senior Hunter is in his sites, I could clearly see that today. I was impressed and told him so, at the observations he had made and the progress he has made on her training. (He has been training with a friend, in the fields, as I can not go) So, I will live my goal of being the handler, happily through Tom, knowing that, Annie and Tom are the Perfect Team. My goal is still there, Annie will get those titles, the goal has been modified, I will see it happen, from under a tree, sitting in the shade, snapping photos.

Today I was reminded by a good counselor of the quote, "Man makes plans and God Laughs." While I truly do not believe the Lord laughs at us. I do believe he has a Plan, and He has seen our life from beginning to end, the lead singer of Casting Crowns,  Mark Hall, explained it best at a recent concert, "The Lord has seen our parade, from beginning to end" We march in it, we participate in it, but we don't know how or where it ends.  Whatever plans we make, we make, but, it is truly only God's plan that is going to be the end plan. We will see what the Lord plans for me and all of us, tomorrow--- Blessings-- Kim 
** A note- this Blog is dedicated to the Ultimate RA Warrior of them All, Kelly Young, Kelly, I would not come as far as I have in my education of RAD if not for you.