ArcaMax

When I was first diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, my rheumatologist told me that without treatment I would not live to see 50. I was 35 when he told me that and I did not appreciate his scare tactics. I know now that PsA is a chronic illness, not a life-threatening one, but the disease puts me at a higher risk for other conditions that might be. These comorbidities, as they're called, are things like diabetes and heart disease which can shorten my lifespan. That doctor did not remain my rheumatologist for very long, but his words stayed with me and age 50 loomed large as some sort of benchmark for me to pass.

I just turned 50 on June 5 and I am grateful for the good doctors who have helped me maintain my quality of life so I can enjoy everything life has to offer me. Chronic illness included.

Storms rolled in to help me celebrate my 50th birthday and I welcomed their magic. They remind me of my birth story and to celebrate this milestone, stormy weather was perfect.

I was born at 9:31 a.m. after what my dad says was the worst thunderstorm he had ever seen. My mom labored through the early morning, and I imagine the thunder and lightning setting the mood, underscoring my mother's arduous task.

I am the youngest of three and the only child my dad got to see born. It was the1970s, after all. Dad remembers the birthing coach had told him if he put his hands on Mom's belly during a contraction, he would feel it happening. Dad leaned in to do just that and Mom snapped, "You get your goddamn hands off of me."

She was a strong one, my mother. I was born a large 9 pounds 14 ounces. Mom lost a lot of blood due to trouble delivering the placenta. Mom and I remained in the hospital for a few extra days. Dad and my uncle Dave donated blood to support her recovery.

I am so grateful to know these details and for Mom's hard work to bring me into this world. They named me Bonnie Jean after my mom, and I feel a certain responsibility to live well and do her name justice. Mom died in a car accident when I was 7 years old. She was 32.

Thanks to medical advancements, specifically biologic injections, I live a life full of wonder, appreciation and happiness despite my chronic illness. I even delivered a healthy baby boy via cesarean section at age 40 thanks to those biologics. There are so many things I still want to achieve in this life and having faced the tragic loss of my mother as a child, I understand exactly how precious and fragile life really is. Every time I walk into our local YMCA, I remember that I am responsible for doing all I can to stay healthy and strong. I'm not afraid to die, per se. I just don't want it to be my fault. I'll do my part and let the good doctors do theirs.

I write this as the June thunder rolls. To me, these are the sounds of all the hope, love and strength that brought me into this world. So when the lightning strikes, I smile, celebrate life, and let it remind me that I'm not finished yet. I know, thanks to my mother, that lightning strikes for me.

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Do you know anyone who's doing cool things to make the world a better place? I want to know. Send me an email at Bonnie@WriterBonnie.com. Check out Bonnie's weekly YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/bonniejeanfeldkamp. To find out more about Bonnie Jean Feldkamp and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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