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I can imagine that Thailand is a nice place for recovery. I find the culture and people here very caring and happy. We had a thai massage today, my therapist was so gentle and caring, my body feels very relaxed now :) have you tried thai massage yet?

I did try it, but with autoimmune disease it is too hard on me. I gave it a good couple of months but I was not getting help and it really hurt me instead. If I try again I will go to some leader in the field maybe. The massage ladies don't know what to do with me and consult each other trying to figure it out.

One lady I ran into had just finished a 3 month course to go back to Scotland and work. She spoke good English and tried to work on me. She started out all eager but then said she had never seen anything like me and she did not know how to keep trying.

I could not get massages in the states either but there they were so expensive I did not care. Here - it irks me that I cannot take advantage. Everyone else I know loves it and pays almost nothing for the thrill!

I sure do love the people here though. Actually all over SE Asia the people of all types have been amazing. Sometimes I think they are faking but no - they really are this kind.

That sounds like a terribly painful disease! Is there any treatment for it? I think the people here really enjoy their own kindness :D Im trying to learn this skill of kindness from them. It is much more sofisticated than we westerners appreciate

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of about 200 autoimmune diseases and there are many ways to go once you get it. I took a lot of Rx that almost killed me for many years. But then I cleaned up my diet and got healthier and now I pretty much deal with it on my own.

It's a western disease for the most part and deforms your joints over time. I'm in the earlier stages of that luckily. I do a lot of various natural treatments. I would be thrilled if massage would help but it doesn't for most of us.

I'm trying to "be more Thai". When people here find out I do not have another home, they say, "Oh! Then you are Thai! That is the end of it for them. I wish it could really be true.

So there is no permanent cure? No medisins? Sounds scary! I really wish you all the best and comfort for your body. Is there any exersice that makes it better? Like being in water to take pressure of the joints?

I think it is mostly an illution that we belong to a particular contry or culture, it might be a big part of our past but we are free citicents of the world belonging to wherever we happen to be. I feel more thai now than norwegian just because thai is what I experiece now :D

I'm an underwater swimmer and this is what helps me the most. I am not swimming now - no pool. I need one at my next stop. I just had a great pool in Kuala Lumpur. Here's me filmed by my son in California.

If I do this 2-4 times a week, I get better. I need a no chemical pool or I have to goop up and suit up to protect from chlorine. But so many pools here are clean!

I can do it either way or an ocean is fine if clean and pretty warm. I can do a wet suit. I'm a swimmer since birth and so is my son. I have a ton of writing published on it and Swimming is just my thing.

I know people who have done really well with various methods all over the spectrum. It's what you and your body can do and tolerate. All trial and error. I'm in a good 80 fb groups about it. It's highly common in the us so I got out and improved and now I'm stable but not strong.

I was thinking you are just on vacation. Do you live here in Thailand now?

I roam and stay where I feel comfortable which can pretty much be anywhere. I like everything as long as there is a bed and a roof and wifi ---- and supposed to be a pool but I lack right now.

I love your youtube videos! You are like a fish in water :D I have to learn that underwater swimming. You really need a good pool available. I do not live here, just holliday but would not mind staying for a month or two. The pools here at the hotels do not have that much clorine in them, I do not like chlorine eighter, feels very unhealthy.