Happy belated New Year! I didn’t make any resolutions; I just promised to get my relationship with God, my health, and my finances together.

Today, the RA is in my chest, and the cold air when I was out earlier this morning made the pain worse. The pain was breathtaking; I had to use my inhaler once I returned home. 

My former rheumatologist would say that Rheumatoid Arthritis was the cause of the distress in my chest. Although my present rheumy agrees, she gave my pain a name. Costochondritis.

(Costochondritis is inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone). 

Costochondritis can be very painful. You think you’re having a heart attack because of the chest pains. Once I thought I had pneumonia because the pain in my back was so huge. It would get real bad I would rush to the Emergency Room. 

Once in the ER, the attending doctors would convince me I hadn’t had a heart attack, and then I would relax. Nevertheless, I would spend a couple of days in the hospital to ensure I was okay. I am so grateful to God that things weren’t as bad as I had initially thought. 

When I was in the process of retiring, I spent several months in bed due to chest and body aches and shortness of breath every time I moved around. I was miserable!

I saw several doctors and had multiple tests. I soon received a diagnosis of an undifferentiated collagen vascular disease. ( UCVD is a systemic autoimmune disease; with overlapping symptoms of various autoimmune disorders).I found out later that chest pain can be a part of RA.

A diagnosis of Costochondritis would come sometime after the diagnosis of RA. The treatment for the chest pains stayed the same; pain meds and steroids.

During this period, I got huge, so big that I looked like I had eaten a couple of folks. Lol.
Although my chest was bothering me today, I don’t experience Costochondritis as much, but I sometimes still think it’s a heart attack because of the suffering.

I still have issues with coming to terms with my disability. It isn’t right. Even though I am incredibly thankful that my illnesses aren’t worse, I can’t believe how hard this is for me sometimes. It’s depressing,

Depression aside, I will pray for strength tonight as I get ready for bed, take my meds, put my C-pap machine on and relax.