Ever since I was diagnosed with RA, I have held myself to a much higher standard as far as pushing myself to DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN, even if you don’t want to, even if you just plain shouldn’t.
And if I fail to cram a million things in, I feel just that…failure.
Trying to live an overcommitted life while also sharing the life with dang RA…I set myself up for that a lot.
The funny part is that prior to diagnosis, if I didn’t have time or didn’t want to do something or just simply found a better option, I didn’t give a rats ass about bailing. I remember thinking ‘screw the spin class. I work very hard. I deserve a night on the couch.’
I have various theories as to why I now am very concerned about multiple little rat booties but those don’t matter.
Because tonight I blew off the gym to go to the gym. More specifically, I blew off the whole working out part and instead plopped my bathing suit clad rear in the hot tub and then the steam room and then back to the hot tub. Taking away feelings of failure one fantastic jet on my back at a time!
If I could somehow find a way to navigate my day from a tub of hot jetted water, my joints would be happy, happy, happy! Alas, that could make sales presentations interesting.
Normally, I’d come home and be disappointed in myself but when I really thought about it, I really see no point. How am I failing when I’ve done something good for myself? Sure, it wasn’t cardio persay but it is still healthy and now I feel great!
Take It Back Tuesday: I’m taking back realistic expectations and the ability to make a healthy compromise.
What are you taking back?
All Flared Up: An Arthritis Blog 
YAY! Go girl!! (Sorry you can’t manage the sale presentations from the hot tub though!)
I swear, NOTHING feels better than a hot tub of water on RA joints–whether they’re flaring or not. No guilt, amandajohn. With RA we push ourselves to and then over the limit every. single. day. So you didn’t force your body to work like hell after working all day long, instead allowing yourself to just relax, let that hot water and those bubbles ease the tightness and pain. That’s a GOOD thing. I like this take-it-back Tuesday idea.
I have never sat in a hot bath to relieve my RA. That sounds like just about the best darn thing that I can do for myself today. I am going to go right now, fill that tub with lots of bubbles and warm water and hopefully, ease some of this darn pain that I am experiencing today. I am going to Raleigh tomorrow to help my daughter decorate for Christmas and I need to feel better for the car ride and the decorating!
Maxine, it feels amazing! Are you in NC? I’m in Greensboro!
Hey There…yes…I am in Wilmington!
Hot tubs are better than sex. Seriously, when you’re aching and stiff and feel like utter crap, it’s practically orgasmic to have that heat seep into your joints and let those jets massage away all that muscle tension that develops when your joints hurt. A whirlpool tub is my big no-compromise feature that I’m insisting on for my bathroom remodel (I seriously can’t wait, since I can’t use my current tub due to a lack of grab bars and general bad design). I’ll probably need one of those bath lift things (I call them butt lifts) to actually use my whirlpool tub when I get it, but it’s worth it. I did decide not to put a TV and sound system in the new bathroom, though, since I’d probably never want to leave, then, LOL.