Andy Pendergrass grew up in rural Louisiana as an especially lively and athletic child. However at all times looming behind his thoughts was the truth that each his mom and maternal grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Pendergrass knew that his household historical past meant his probabilities of having the autoimmune illness had been increased than common, however he dismissed the chance.
“I performed soccer in highschool, so one thing at all times damage,” Pendergrass, 33, says. Even when he had had an inkling that it could be RA, “I might have simply mentioned ‘I’m a man. Guys don’t get it…’ and simply form of generalized it like that.”
At age 23, Pendergrass lastly discovered that he, too, had RA. However the street to his prognosis was hardly easy or easy. Coming to phrases together with his situation wasn’t straightforward, both.
Pendergrass now suspects his RA signs cropped up a lot earlier, in highschool. That’s when he observed ache that appeared “odd.” Nonetheless, he chalked up the signs to plantar fasciitis, a type of heel ache frequent amongst those that play intense sports activities.
It wasn’t till Pendergrass went to see his physician with a extreme sinus an infection that he sought medical consideration for his foot ache. The physician, Pendergrass says, agreed it could be plantar fasciitis, “’til I discussed that it was actually dangerous in my toes.”
Conscious that RA ran in Pendergrass’s household, the physician ordered blood checks. A few days later, the physician known as to verify a prognosis for RA and referred Pendergrass to a rheumatologist.
The rheumatologist, nonetheless, advised Pendergrass that his signs didn’t stem from RA however from flat toes.
The brand new verdict left Pendergrass deeply confused. “I’ve actually large arches in my toes, so it was weird,” he says.
On the time, Pendergrass was on the point of transfer to Alaska together with his new spouse, Polly. He didn’t have time to kind by way of the conflicting diagnoses. “I made a decision to not trouble with the ache and put it off.”
It was solely later when Pendergrass moved to Missouri, and as his joint ache continued, that he determined to get a second opinion. A brand new rheumatologist confirmed that Pendergrass certainly had RA.
The information took a psychological and emotional toll on Pendergrass, a younger man who prized being bodily lively.
“On the time, the most important query on my thoughts was what the remainder of my life was going to appear to be,” he says.
Acceptance of his lifelong situation got here after time, analysis, and help, particularly from Pendergrass’s mom.
“It’s laborious for individuals who don’t have the illness to grasp. As a result of you’ll be able to’t have a look at me and say once I’m having flare-ups,” he says. “That’s one of many issues she understands.”
Within the decade since his prognosis, Pendergrass has managed to maintain his athletic goals alive, even when he can’t precisely take up any sport with out hesitation, as he as soon as envisioned. Within the final couple of years, he has additionally gotten into CrossFit — a type of high-intensity interval coaching workouts that contain squats, pulling, and pushing with adjustable weights — and enjoys enjoying golf. He credit CrossFit exercises with strengthening his muscle mass and easing stress on his joints.
That sort of exercise might not be your best option for some folks with RA who’ve unstable joints. Examine together with your physician when you’ve got RA earlier than beginning a brand new train plan to make certain it’s OK for you.
“I need to maximize the time that I get to be an athlete. It’s my ardour; it’s the place I get my frustration out, and I be happy,” he says. “And I don’t need RA to mess with that. If meaning I must eat clear, steer clear of inflammatory meals, and stretch extra, then so be it.”
Pendergrass moved again to his residence state of Louisiana a few years in the past. Residing with a power illness will be isolating, significantly for many who dwell exterior main cities. However social media has given Pendergrass an avenue to search out help and to hyperlink with others.
Just lately, he arrange an Instagram account @rheumadad to share his journey.
“Truthfully, if there are any younger guys on the market, I want to actually join with them. As a result of I feel we lack a neighborhood of younger guys with arthritis to have the ability to commiserate with, to share concepts with, and to only really feel like I belong,” he says.
Pendergrass has two younger sons now. The thought that his kids would possibly grow to be the fourth technology with RA has crossed his thoughts. However Pendergrass refuses to dwell on it.
“I don’t permit these ideas to actually take root in my thoughts. I do know it’s attainable. I’m not going to place my head within the sand. And so, if it occurs, we are going to cope with it. It’ll break my coronary heart.
“The remainder of your life will not be going to be consumed with having RA. You may let it … however you should not. Life is about far more than having RA.”
