Melinda Winner learned how to persevere through arthritis pain and find life again.
In her words, “Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) came calling in the wee hours of a cold, December morning and stole my life. RA is the worst of my five forms of arthritis. It has caused substantial damage over the past 25 years.”
She continued, “I allowed my disease to define me. I gained over 100 pounds. Everyday seemed worse than the day before. My pain levels were 8 - 10 on pain meds. Most days consisted of the couch, eating and crying. One morning, I looked into the mirror and I was sickened!”
Melinda had a reality check.
She explained, “A friend told me, ‘If you don’t get up and move you’re going to die.’ My life was passing by. I had to re-learn everything; the way I thought, ate, walked, managed pain and basically enjoyed life within limits.”
Melinda talked about her motivation,
“I took my 3 year old for a walk. I was in so much pain! I remember making it 1/8 of a block before I thought I was going to die. As I held my baby's hand, I looked into his eyes. They were filled with excitement. Something as simple as a three-minute walk meant so much to him. I walked again the next day. I didn’t make it much further, a few steps. I felt a little pride trying. I continued to walk daily, walking farther each time.”
She embraced a lifestyle change.
Melinda discussed, “I cut out fatty foods and after a month, I lost nearly 10 pounds. I joined a support group for arthritis, talked with my doctors and began a new med, a biologic drug. The weight continued to melt away as the months passed. I was able to stop steroids and this helped my weight loss.”
These changes surfaced hope.
She shared, “I began to dream and feel happy again. In a year, I’d lost over 100 pounds.”
Melinda’s closing words, “I have written two books, won national recipe contests, been on the food network, and became a public speaker for arthritis. Losing the weight and finding the right meds didn’t make my diseases go away but it gave my mobility back and made my life manageable. It is important to find your dreams and never lose sight of them!”
Comments