What Happened in a Year

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If you don't know anything about me, I am a red-headed brown-eyed girl who grew up in Japan. I have had arthritis since birth in multiple joints and am extremely stubborn. I have always viewed arthritis as an inconvenience that had to be ignored. Throughout my life when the pain was worst I gritted my teeth and pushed on. I adopted the Japanese mindset to "gammanshite," or persevere. That worked until last October.

It was just a year ago, October 2014, that my knee started giving way while I was walking, causing me to fall. I was a manager in a call center with close to 100 licensed health insurance agents looking to me for guidance. Falling at work was not part of the image I wanted to portray. More than once did fellow managers have to lift me off the floor and help me to a chair. I had to delegate agents to be my legs for me and walk around assisting other agents. If a message had to be delivered by management I had an agent push me around in my desk chair. That worked for a little while, but as call volume increased the chances of pulling agents off the phones to be my assistant became slim. It was a high demand job that required me to work 50 to 60 hour work weeks, most of which was spent on my feet. I was exhausted, but the pain in my joints prevented restful sleep.

Then in December, after our peak season at work had ended, I had mornings where I would get out of bed and crumble to the floor because my legs wouldn't support me. I had no choice but to stay home from work. In January I finally relented to my fiance's urgings to stop ignoring the pain and go to the doctor. I won't bore you with medical details. I filed for Social Security Disability and felt like my arthritis had finally won. I was angry with my job for speeding up the joint damage.

By the time I found WA I had decided to steer my perseverance towards a different goal. If I was going to stay home for good I wanted to find a way to contribute and not be a lump on the couch. It was frustrating seeing things that needed to be done around the apartment and being unable to do them. After a few months my medications started working and I am now able to complete one task or chore per day, such as washing dishes. I had to swallow my pride and ride electric carts in grocery stores and wear a knee brace whenever I leave the house. We got married in July and although it took days to recover I was able to walk down the aisle without my brace and danced with my new husband.

I am no longer angry or feeling jilted. I actually got over that quickly. I decided instead to be grateful for the fantastic life I have led so far. I don't even regret working hard at my last job. I can't be angry with them for the level of service I chose to provide. Life is good, God is great, and it's been a humbling year!

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Recent Comments

22

What can we not suffering people say except you are to be so much admired for how you have handled all thrown at you. Best wishes

Thank you!

Amanda, your story is an inspiration. MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU and YOUR SPOUSE!

Thank you!

Amanda, you are a strong person! Good for you. Keep up your positive attitude and keep moving forward. Many blessings to you.

Thank you!

Amanda, congratulations on finding a way to enjoy life and be productive despite the daily pain and difficulties with the arthritic joints. No one can appreciate what you have dealt with who hasn't been there. I hope things are going well for you now.
Harold

Thank you Harold! I'm glad you're able to overcome as well.

Always think with a positive mind about things, and I wish you good health and fortune for your future. Take care.

Thank you!

Glad to hear you're loving life.
Be well!

Thank you!

You look so beautiful. God bless you :) Keep at it, you have a wonderful life ahead of yourself :) wish you more success in the future :)

Awwww, you're so sweet! Thank you!

That could not have been easy for you but it seems you are on a brighter road now.Wishing you well in your future.

Thank you Mark!

Wow, what a year you have had. It's good to be grateful and I guess we do all have to be humbled at times, been there. Take care and keep on going with WA. Thanks for sharing. Best wishes. :)

Thank you Judy!

Thank you for sharing. :O)

Thank you for reading!

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