Gosh, that’s a tough one. What would a dream day be like?
Right after I graduated college in 2010 – like literally, the next day – the boyfriend and I went for a magical vacation to Oregon, where I grew up. We spend a week in Eugene with family (including my adorable 5 little cousins who I just love the snot out of) before another week galavanting around the state. We spent the bulk of that time on the coast, which is just beautiful.
I think my favorite day during the whole vacation was one of those coast days. We went to the beach I grew up going to, Devil’s Elbow State Park and Heceta Head Lighthouse. I hadn’t been there in more years than I could count. I was so excited to see it again, and see how things had changed.
We hiked up to the lighthouse and got to wander around. Sometime during our travels, we did tour a lighthouse and I think it was this one, but I can’t remember for sure. The caretakers home also operates as a bed and breakfast, and it was really cool to explore that area as well. Coming down from the lighthouse, we wandered off the main path to another one. We found ourselves hiking and climbing down from the lighthouse along the rocky cliffs of the coast. I didn’t think that in a million years it would be something I was able to do. But I did it – barefoot I might add – and we reached the shore.
I should have been in so much pain. I should have been exhausted and unable to move. But I wasn’t. In fact, the only painful things about that were that being barefoot on rocky cliffs is kind of scratchy on the feet and there was a cave we had to cross before reaching the beach, where the tide came in and came in high. Ocean water is pretty cold.
I think that for me, going through a day like that again would be amazing. It really was a perfect day
EDIT: Ohhh! I found a picture from after our journey down the rocks!
Hi, I just found your blog by googling stills disease. I had jra as a child, it was terrible for 12 years I had spiking high fevers, rash, the vertebraes in my neck are now fused. I was symptom free from 13 until 3 years ago at age 26 I've been trying different medicines since then and in methotrexate again. 🙁 I felt good the past year until Jan when I had amother bad flare with joint and muscle pain and high fever swollen lymph nodes. I've been hospitalized twice since Jan total of 11 days and I've missed 20 days of work. The Drs now know it is this particular type of ra and I'm trying to learn more about it. I don't kmow anyone w ra Much less this type and would like to chat with you sometime? Thru email or something if you are interested?
What a fantastic memory and who wouldn't have loved such a day! I hope at some point you get more of them. We all deserve these types of memories!
I agree! Our long term plan is to move out there, but it'll be a few years yet before that happens. I'm definitely really excited about it though.
Hey Rebecca,
Those fevers and that rash is so horrible isn't it? I'm sorry to hear about your fused vertebrae and MTX 🙁 You can definitely shoot me an email. I have several addresses but I'll give you the sane one haha – kirsten@notstandingstillsdisease.com. I also have some links on the right side of the page to my facebook page and the fansite for this blog, where a lot of different people with JRA, RA, and specifically Still's can raise questions and things. I hope that things get better for you soon!