Fear!

Fear is defined as:

fear/fi(ə)r/

Noun:	An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
Verb:	Be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening: "farmers fear that they will lose business".
Synonyms	noun.  dread - fright - apprehension - funk - awe - alarm verb.  be afraid - dread - apprehend - funk - be afraid of I have probably experienced more fear in the last 14 years of my life then in my entire lifetime pre ra.  When I was first diagnosed I was fearful of losing my job, being too sick to take care of my children, taking the medications that go along with treating ra, becoming too much of a burden on my husband and least I not forget, I was most fearful of the pain associated with my ra. I am not sure why fear goes hand in hand with a chronic illness diagnoses but it does. And although it is something that becomes manageable right along with the illness, it can take a long, long time to manage. I am proud to report that I have conquered one more fear recently and this particular one has not a thing to do with ra. I have always had this fear….. yup…the fear of heights.  I am not sure exactly when this fear snuck into my life but I really believe that after battling so many health fears over the years, conquering this one was the next natural step. I was actually surprised at just how easy it was to get onto The Sky Wheel and take the height challenging ride. And yes, my heart still was pounding, my blood pressure probably went up a tad bit but I chalk all that up to excitement of the best kind.  It was awesome!  And if by chance (betting you do have some) you have any fears over being diagnosed with a chronic condition like ra or life threatening condition, here are a few tricks (well rather steps) I did along the way to overcome my fears: Realize that it is normal to be fearful at times. Become a pro-active patient. Submerse yourself in knowledge about your disease(s). Don't worry if you have to fire a doctor here and there…it goes with the territory. Medications are a part of the plan but do know the possible side effects so you know what to expect if they happen to you. Surround yourself with support including online, face to face (friends and family that believe in you). And last, if it all becomes to much…don't forget their are professionals out there to help you overcome your fears. Did I mention, what a view…. So....do tell...what do you fear (or feared) and have you been able to overcome that fear?