Tuesday 17 November 2015

What is Lupus?

The year was 2013 and it was my usual Rheumy, or Arthritis doctor to those who don't know the Arthritis lingo. It starts with a blood test that usually takes more than half an hour. This is because my veins are quite thin due to the thousands of times they have been broken because of infusions, operations and blood tests.
From here it's the wait to see the Rheumy and into her office I go.

Now I am referring to this particular appointment as this was when I was told I had an extra strand in my body that is known as Lupus in my case.
Up to this point I had experienced times of getting lost while out driving, feeling more tired than usual, random vomiting throughout the day and a rash all over my body that was made worse through sunlight. Now if you have any of these symptoms please do not assume that it's Lupus, please go see you local doctor.

This moment that the Rheumy informed me of yet another autoimmune disease was attacking my body, I did feel just a bit frustrated with the result but at the same time there was nothing I could do to fix it.

Now for those who don't know what Lupus is, I found an easy explanation on MedicalNewsToday.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system produces antibodies to cells within the body leading to widespread inflammation and tissue damage.
Any part of the body can be affected by lupus as it has an array of clinical manifestations affecting the skin, joints, brain, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and other internal organs.

When I am diagnosed with a new condition, which happens quite a lot these days. I ask as many questions as possible to the Rheumy and she refers me onto the internet for more information. Some of my favourite facts (sarcasm) about Lupus that I found online are:

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can be mild or life threatening.
- More than 90% of Lupus suffers are Women.
Staying out of the sun is perhaps the most important thing to do.

What does make me furious is that my Lupus may have been prevented as it's believed to be medical induced. Which means the medication I may have once taken or take now have caused Lupus. 

Even though it's another disease I now have to live with everyday, I do have a life and this life may be short for me, but I am determined to live everyday to the full and to live it supporting other children like me with Arthritis.

Until next time.

Keep smiling as you never know who's day you'll brighten.


Thursday 12 November 2015

Thanks for an Amazing 21st year!

I don't know about anyone else but on my birthday I not only enjoy celebrating the past year of my life, but thinking about all that I have achieved.

This year I was 21 years old and looking back, Wow I have achieved some pretty amazing things for someone of my age with my type of disability. 

Not only have I started an organisation that is dedicated to supporting Children living with Arthritis. 

I have also been successful in not needing an infusion every 4 weeks and a tablet every morning to stay alive, rather just the little yellow tablet.

Come into contact with some amazing KAWarriors who suffer with Arthritis everyday and who have been supported by Kids Arthritis (Yes you, Emily and Kristy!)

Organised and hosted my very own event, Big Blue Night in support of Kids Arthritis.

Began Life Bursts, a radio show every Wednesday from 4pm to 6pm on Hills Radio, with my wonderful other host Matt and had fun learning everything radio again from Crash!

Created hundreds upon hundreds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts all in support of Kids Arthritis.

Raised over $3,000 in support of Children with Arthritis.

Taken way too many selfies on my SnapChat, some even ended up on instagram; www.instagram.com/kidsarthritis

Thought Bitstrips were cool and annoyed all my friends with them.

Consumed too many cups of lemon tea while eating fresh fruit with oats, I say fruit with oats as there's always more fruits than oats.

Celebrated birthdays and deaths of love ones this year (this includes my pet chickens and ducks).

Had fun #Pranking4KidsArthritis with Rhys from RawCut and spending too much time infront of the camera telling lame jokes. www.youtube.com/pranks4kidsarthritis

Helped so many amazing people achieve their health and fitness goals through my Health and lifestyle group and personal training not only in my home town but Adelaide too!

www.facebook.com/sarahfitnessechunga


and the most important one.

Learnt that others do really care about my story, my pains and how I want to support Children with Arthritis. Before this year it was so hard but I thank everyone who has been apart of my life this year because you have helped shape me and made me believe that I really can change the world through supporting other children just like me with Arthritis.

Until next time.

Keep Smiling as you never know who's day you'll brighten.




Some of the wonderful Ladies Only Morning Fitness Class.










Myself and Emily at The Ethelton Entertainers Peformance this year. www.facebook.com/EtheltonEntertainers













"Arthritis doesn't just effect the elderly, it effects children too..."
Me at Big Blue Night for Kids Arthritis this year.













I love bringing Bursts of Peoples lives to our listeners every Wednesday on Life Bursts with Matt.
It's one of the highlights of my busy week.

Tuesday 10 November 2015

Arthritis in Children Sucks

I started writing a blog after many years of people wanting me to write down my feelings and share my story so others can understand what it is like to have Arthritis as a child.

As I have said in my other posts that having Arthritis Sucks! It doesn't just suck in the way that missing the bus home from work or the way when you get stuck at a traffic light you would have been able to beat if the slow driver in front has moved a little bit faster. 
Having Arthritis sucks more than you could ever imagine, what makes it worse is that I know no other way of living, breathing or being.

Through Kids Arthritis when I meet and speak with other children with Arthritis they also say it sucks, then I ask why?
One child said because I can not run around with all my friends in the playground.
Another said because I can't sit on the ground to read a book with my brother and finally the one I relate to the most is.
Missing so much school due to appointments, pain and swelling which them means tiredness and nothing being able to get done. This then leads to falling out with friends and study which then makes the Arthritis worse.

Once people realise Children get Arthritis, they then learn that it doesn't just effect your joints with pain and stiffness, but it effects your emotional state. I am no saying we get depressed, some may but in my experience you just feel useless. For example last weekend I was preparing my family getaway celebration to the beach for my birthday, but my father had to step in to finish preparing as I could not stand or walk anymore. It's times like that you feel useless because all you want to do is GET IT DONE! but you can't, because the pain just makes you stop and you can't do anymore until you rest for a bit longer.

So to all those children out there reading this. Yes Arthritis sucks, but what ever you do. 
Please don't give up. 
It may be hard now but you just wait until tomorrow because it might just be a little brighter.

Until next time,

Keep smiling because you never know who's day you'll brighten.
(Here's a Sarah Selfie from my Birthday Weekend away)

Saturday 7 November 2015

How was your morning?

Something that I get asked a lot is What's a typical morning for a Girl with Arthritis?
Every day is different but a typical day goes like this. 

Woken up by the birds in the trees and a pain in my right hip. Sometimes I can move it other times I just lie there waiting for it to decide what it's going to do. I feel it has a mind of its own but then I remember, I control that mind.

As many of you know I am blind in my right eye but have minimal vision in my left eye that requires a daily contact lens or glasses use. I prefer the contact as my eyes are too big and my face to small to find a pair that fit just right. The contacts go in and usually by then my hip has decided to move.

The Meloxicam pills are swallowed and the adventure to get clothed begins.

I like to keep the clothes I wear the next day fresh next to my bed so that if I'm in too much pain to do anything I don't have far to walk to get clothed. The part that annoys me the most are my socks and shoes. I have my shoes laces pre tired so that I don't have to rely on anyone else to tie them but the socks are the most difficult part. If no one is around to help then I have the 'Sarah Way' of getting them on. It does take more time so sometimes I ask my dogs for help (not really, but imagine if that could really happen) 

Once the PJs are away in the drawer next to my bed and the bed is made I head to the gym for my morning unstiffening aka workout as the normal people call it. 

During this 'workout' my key exercises I complete everyday to unstiffen myself are:
10 minutes on the exercise bike 
100 Squats at 60kg on a smith machine
80 Lat pull downs at 25.5kg 
60 Jack knives with a 10kg weight
60 Chin Ups 
40 Tricep dips 
80 Leg Press at 140kg
On days when I am not so stiff I do more (which isn't often)
You may be thinking WOW THIS IS A LOT! but you have to remember that I train very hard everyday because if I have strong muscles, I'll have strong bones which leads to a healthier life, hopefully.

From here I mix myself a fruit smoothie full of bananas, peaches and strawberries with a bowl of yummy oats. 

What is your morning like? Head to my Facebook page and please let me know. www.facebook.com/sarahhammondgirlwitharthritis 

Until next week,

Just keep smiling as you never know who's day you'll brighten.


Wednesday 4 November 2015

What is Family?

I come from a small country town where everyone knows everybody and on the eve of my 22nd birthday I thought I'd tell you a bit more about my family.

When you internet search 'Family' the following appears from Wiki:
"In the context of human society, a family (from Latinfamilia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage), or co-residence (as implied by the etymology of the English word "family"[1]) and/or shared consumption (see nurture kinship). Members of the immediate family includes spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, sons and/or daughters."

Family to me is everyone I am close to, the people who you can just pop over and have a cuppa with at any time. The people you have over for lunch and dinner. Those people that sometimes you don't mind if they're still over when the party has finished.

With my 22nd birthday coming up next week I have invited my family to help celebrate with me in a way that we do best. Over a lovely meal cooked that will be cooked with love by my father.
My father makes the best Weekend pancakes in whatever shape you want and chocolate moose with sprinkles. 
My mother who is always looking out for me with my Arthritis and there to take me to any appointments that I need. My younger brother who helps me with any computer or programming problems and I know is up for a game of COD at any time. (Call of Duty for those who don't know). 
My Great Auntie who is sisters to my now deceased Grandmother, and creates the most delicious pavlova. My Uncle who loves working on the farm but always has time to recreate my grandmothers famous slow cooked rice pudding that we all love! 
My other Uncle who when he isn't out fishing brings us his freshest fish. My Auntie who always giving me the latest copy of her English magazines so I can catch up with all the latest English gossip. 

Finally my boyfriend, who I never thought I'd ever find. Who understands what pain and suffering I deal with everyday and still helps me smile. His wonderful mother and brother who accepted me into their family. 
There's more to my family like our next door neighbours who we spend Sunday Night Family dinners with and so many more in my little country town. 

Family to everyone is something different, full of different people of different ages but we all have something in common. That is that we all care for one another.

Until next week,

Just keep smiling as you never know who's day you'll brighten.


Sunday 1 November 2015

I have hobbies too..

When I was 15 I took part in work experience at a local community radio station and at this time I had taken myself off Prednisolne and was quickly loosing weight that had been gained through this.
My passion for radio all started because of my Arthritis. At 12 years of age I was asked to have an interview on the SA Radio network ABC. From the moment I walked into the radio studio, it could see myself really liking this. Then when we were on air it just flowed so naturally and this is where the passion sparked.

If you have read my other blogs you will see time and time again that I don't look up to anyone or idolise anyone as I am my own hero, but in a radio sense. Peter Goers is the inspiration. When I am driving after 7pm only in the lighter months, you will hear his radio show bursting from my car.
I describe his shows to others as an old fashion type of program, which I love.

From my work experience it lead me to beginning a youth show on that very station and after 6 long years it was time to move on to bigger things in the industry.
Hills Radio was where just recently as a 21 year old created "Life Bursts" a show where my host and I bring a burst of peoples lives through the air waves to you.
Other radio shows interview people about their work and their job position but at Life Bursts it's all about where you came from and why you love life, which I find really interesting.

Radio is fun as a hobby as I get to meet new people and talk all I want as I produce and host the show with Matt my other host. We get along so well and couldn't ask for a better person to spend 2 hours in a room with each Wednesday afternoon. The passion flows from us both as we work as a team to do what we both love, radio.

Having Arthritis doesn't stop me from doing what I love and neither should things in life that you think are too hard stop you. Yes sometimes it's hard but just remember all those wonderful, pain free moments in your life and everything will be just fine.


Until next week,

Just keep smiling, as you never know who's day you'll brighten.