Life with Arthritis is a Marathon, Not a Sprint: Christy Williams’ Story

Christy Williams is a certified health coach, wife, mother of two and endurance athlete/triathlete. She has been living with an autoimmune disease called Sero-negative spondylarthopathy (blood negative inflammatory arthritis) since the age of 24. She is now 48 and has been in remission for 15 years due to a combination of Remicade (a biologic disease modifier) and an active healthy lifestyle.

Cheryl Crow is an occupational therapist who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for seventeen years. She is passionate about helping others with rheumatoid arthritis thrive despite arthritis. She formed the educational company Arthritis Life in 2019 after seeing a need for more engaging, accessible, and (dare I say) FUN patient education and self-management resources.

Episode links:

• Christy’s Instagram: @coachchristy10
• Free Handout: Cheryl’s Master Checklist for Managing RA
• Cheryl’s Facebook group: Arthritis Life Podcast, Practical Tips & Positive, Realistic Support
• The Happiness Trap book by Russ Harris
• Cheryl on Instagram
• Cheryl’s website: Arthritis Life
• Cheryl’s Tiktok: @ArthritisLife
• Arthritis Life Facebook Page
• Cheryl’s Twitter: @realcc
• This episode is brought to you by the Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, an intensive online education and support program Cheryl created to empower people with the tools to confidently manage everyday life with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Medical disclaimer: All content found on the Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show Breakdown:

• 01:00 – Christy shares her diagnosis at 24 after the birth of her first child, and her transition into adulthood.
• 03:20 – Christy’s tenacious drive to stay active, her journey completing an ironman challenge.
• 5:35: How Christy has managed her inflammatory arthritis over the years: it’s a marathon not a sprint! How she went from being in a wheelchair to completing triathalons after figuring out the right medication and lifestyle interventions such as exercise.
• 8:00 - Christy explains how fatigue still affects her quality of life, and how she copes with it by pacing herself.
• 13:05– Christy shares why and how she became a health coach for people with autoimmune disease, after she achieved remission.
• 20:30 – How having an autoimmune disease sparked Christy and Cheryl to confront their mortality.
• 23:10 – Christy’s definition of “remission,” and additional reflections on the fact that no two paths towards remission are the same.
• 30:10 – Cheryl and Christy share different debates and challenges within the chronic illness community, including medication shaming, or shaming of people who celebrate natural methods.
• 34:40 - Cheryl reflects on how she’s tried to strike a balance between celebrating how well Western medications have worked for her and also respecting others’ choices if they differ, and how patients within the chronic illness community can unite in our common goals and consider the intent of our messages when we communicate our journeys.
• 36:00 - How Christy & Cheryl cope with unsolicited advice.
• 38:00 - How Cheryl’s therapy helped her cope with uncertainty and gray areas during treatment for RA.
• 41:25 – How Christy has managed her attitude and mindset during the ups and downs of life with inflammatory arthritis.
• 43:38– Cheryl shares how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy transformed her relationship to uncertainty as a chronic illness patient, and how anxiety makes you want black and white answers and certainty.
• 50:00 – Common misconceptions and myths around arthritis and remission.
• 54:27 – Christy’s advice for anyone battling chronic illness and her best coping mechanisms dealing with uncertainty
• 57:00 - Christy’s pre-diagnosis challenges with people not believing her.
• 1:03:00 - The importance of sharing our stories, even if we get criticized or misunderstood!

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