The road to health. I got a crazy wake up call Monday when the doctor called to tell me my blood work showed my inflammation levels were high (I knew this) and that I tested positive for Rheumatoid Arthritis. ? I know my mom had it in her hands and they were mishappened. My hands look fine although the fingers swell sometimes and I get weird allergic (maybe) rashes on them. That was the sum of all of my knowledge of RA. I decided to look it up on google and found that it is an autoimmune disease sometimes brought on by stress and trauma. I have had plenty of both. It can be hereditary, my mom's hands. It could explain why I never lost weight even though I tried everything. Maybe this is why my toes tingle like they are falling asleep all of the time and maybe it is why I have lost some mobility in my right hip. Maybe. 

I have an appointment with a Rheumatologist Tuesday at 8. At 4 that same afternoon, I am having a mole further removed to catch the borders. That was my true reason for going to get blood work. Every mole they remove has been severely atypical nevi - severely inflamed. Having already had melanoma, and my mom dying from ocular melanoma I am diligent with checking moles. 

Im not certain I ever expected the diagnosis I received. I am grateful it wasn't cancer. I am reading this can be manageable that I will have flare-ups that it will be painful that maybe it can eat at bones and organs but I am fighting this.