Waking up has a new mystery

I’m newly diagnosed — maybe six months or so — which means I haven’t gotten a handle on the ups and downs of chronic illness. Today, I am coming out of a new flare. It included fatigue and muscle stiffness that I can’t stretch out. When I wake up, my legs are sore. Like I’ve been running or lifting weights, but all I did was go to bed!

This stiffness has been going on for about a year. I’ve only recently associated it with Sjogren’s. When I read over symptoms, I skimmed right over “muscle pain.” I thought I was just getting old, despite being in my mid-to-late thirties.

What other surprises do you have in store for me, Sjogren’s?

Now that the flare seems to be subsiding, I am going to get back to the gym and into my workout routine. I have been doing some weightlifting, which helps me fight the feeling that my body is withering away into weakness. So much of my attitude relies on the feeling of a small piece of control over my life. Having some physical strength reminds me that I can move my body, which is something I took for granted for years. I don’t know what will be true in the future, so I want to be grateful I can move today.