It's as clear as...

I woke up this morning feeling not right.  I mean I had my usual problems of morning stiffness, tender, warm and swollen joints and even fatigue and a low grade fever.  But there was just something that just doesn't feel the same.  Could I have picked up a bug?  Could I be getting what has been going around my daughter's college campus?  That's the problem with having ra or any chronic condition for that matter.  It becomes as clear as mud.  How do we know when it is ra (or any chronic condition) causing problems or something new. 

And how do we know if it is temporary and not to worry about like a passing cold or something more serious like pneumonia or something that we should seek a medical opinion on?

Case in point:  The prevalent symptoms of ra as stated at mayoclinic.com are:

• Tender, warm, swollen joints
• Morning stiffness that may last for hours
• Firm bumps of tissue under the skin on your arms (rheumatoid nodules)
• Fatigue, fever and weight loss

Check, check, check, and yes, final check. Now what? I have had all these symptoms for about 13 years now and yet I know something different is going on. Maybe it is the slight dizziness that comes upon standing too quickly or the itchy throat that has suddenly appeared out of no where and an added pressure in my joints. An added ache that isn't like the normal aches of ra. And really, I wouldn't give too hoots about any of this except with chronic illness…well things can turn quickly.  We (well almost all of us) take immune compromising medications which can turn simple into ugly pretty darn quick.

For the time being I will wait and watch.  If my fever doesn't peek over 102, I won't panic. I have always believed a fever is the vehicle by which our body fights off the demons. I will let it run its course unless it becomes unbearable or unless I am going to sleep. At that point I will take a Tylenol for safety's sake. And just for extra protection I plan on making the best remedy I know for any illness….homemade chicken soup.

I don't know what it is about homemade chicken soup but I swear by the stuff. And yes, it should be homemade. I will add my check of approval though on Boston Market's chicken soup (picture is theirs). That is if you can't make you own and you have a wonderful friend willing to pick some up for you. As of this date they don't make home deliveries that I know about.

So until tomorrow when whatever this is I have going on makes itself known, I will stay just a bit confused, just a bit out of focus about what is going on with me. 

And for added measure, I will be adding  three cloves of garlic instead of two to my homemade soup to help ward off these evil spirits.

Further reading to help clear up the mud:

When Should I See A Doctor for a Cold or Flu? by Webmd