Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior’s Birthday

One Month Birthday

Today Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior on Blogger is one month old. This page is more than my blog about Rheumatoid Arthritis. It is my battleground. But it is more than my personal battle. Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior is a small part of a larger crusade to understand and cure this devastating disease.

It seems like ages ago, in my fourth RA blog post, I just blurted out these lofty aspirations. I’ve had some time to eat my words. But, I have instead embraced these as my goals for Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior:

1) Education of the whole world about what RA really is.
2) Helping a few people with RA to get more out of their lives.
3) Be one tiny (but bright and shiny) dot in the “connect the dots” puzzle that is finding a cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I am grateful for the encouragement of the first “blog Followers” who have encouraged me and spurred me on. There have also been lots of emails to cheer me on. That is especially valuable to me, since this is my first blog. I jumped in with two feet one Sunday afternoon while watching my son play on the swing set. I just started typing in the little Blogger window…

Actually, I have been researching Rheumatoid Arthritis and preparing for this blog since I learned I had RA. I just did not know it! I kept learning… and thinking… and dealing with one new symptom after another one… until one day, I could not hold it in any more. I think it was like a volcano at that point.

There is obviously momentum building among many with RA. It is more than just an outburst like the old “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” rant from the 1976 movie “Network.” This is not a passing tantrum: we are working for change. I plan to continue to work in concert with other RA’ers, bloggers, and friends of RA’ers to continue to extend our influence.

This week, Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior surfaced on Facebook and found out there are plenty of RA’ers and friends of RA’ers there. I hope you will pay a visit to the Facebook page. There will be more fun links, photos and good opportunities to get to know people. You can start a discussion topic or post on the Wall. In only four days, we have found 50 Fans!

• Thank you to all of you who blog on your own: Go get ‘em!
• Thank you to all who comment here: You keep the conversation going!
• Thank you to all who post links to this site on Facebook or anywhere else.
• Thank you to paint.net for cool free photo editing software.
• And thank God for friends who encourage me to do crazy things like this.

This post was published in June 17, 2009. Updated 10/23/09.

Recommended reading:

• The Rheumatoid Arthritis Self-definition Fairy
• Blogging, R A, and Mary Poppins
• 10 Commandments of a Chronic Illness