It's Not Always Due to Sjogren's Syndrome

Image of common, mundane, ordinary, osteoarthritis knee found here. 

I've been having issues with my right knee lately. It HURTS, to put it simply. And, I've wah wah wah-ed about it before, so I won't go into the boring details.

But.

The point I want to make about it all is that I realized a few things as a result of this experience.

First: I'm thinking the Middle-Of-The-Night-Corn-Meal-Mush incident was an excellent example of one of my most frequently used coping mechanisms (which is not to say that it's the most effective, btw) when I'm uncomfortable be it physical or emotional or whatever in cause. A major player in this coping mechanism is food that contains all those things that are not good for me: sugar, fat, salt....  yeah. I have been wondering why my sweet tooth has been driving me crazy over the past few weeks and it finally occurred to me that I might be seeking for ways to deal with my knee pain that don't involve an ice pack made of frozen peas. Especially since NSAIDS, ice, elevation, and rest really isn't making this all go away.

I'm not sure how to handle this little flash of inspiration, but perhaps it will at least slow down the parade of junk food entering my body.

One can only hope.

So the second realization came about when my x rays and lab pathologies showed that my knee was down to owie bone-on-bone due to common garden - variety osteoarthritis.  It's swollen a bit, it hurts like heck, but it's just an old worn-out cranky knee. I can't blame a bit of this discomfort on Sjogren's syndrome, and that's an interesting concept, isn't it?

I'm so accustomed to attributing anything and everything including hangnails and dandruff to Sjs that the idea that my body would develop anything that wasn't autoimmune related is totally foreign.

I mean, I can't move furniture because I HAVE SJOGREN'S SYNDROME.

I wouldn't dream of mowing the lawn because I HAVE SJOGREN'S SYNDROME.

There's probably some really good reasons why I shouldn't do the dishes and laundry because I HAVE SJOGREN'S SYNDROME. I can't think of them at the moment, although I have used that rationale before, I'm sure.

No, my knee is just worn out and cranky like the rest of me. And, a cranky knee like mine is pretty common.

Common?!

Sniff. I'm used to dealing more with exclusive illnesses here. Gee. I'm certainly NOT used to describing myself as common. Tsk. There must be something unique about my particular knee. There must be. I simply don't see myself mixing with the osteoarthritis commoners in the clinic waiting room. Sigh. But, if I must, I must...

I'm meeting with Dr. Young Guy on Monday to discuss some treatment options for my knee. It will be interesting to have a non-autoimmune discussion with him.

I wonder if since this isn't autoimmune in nature; and won't be influenced by my rituximab infusions.........if this office visit warrants a mouse-themed treat?

Hmmm.