Ronee' shares aother entry in her brand new journal.

Saturday, October 23, 2004~

Dear Journal~

This is your friend, Ronee' Le-Anne Reaux, again. Today is a better day; I still feel like heck, and am still in a great amount of pain; but such as life when one has a flare. I just have to get used to it, and know that I will be over it in a few days. At least I didn't have to go to the hospital this time; last time I had a flare (almost a week and a half ago, as a matter of fact), I had to go to the E.R. to get a shot to stop the pain coarsing through my body; the pain was that bad. The pain is pretty intense this time, too, but I didn't have to go to the hospital, and for that I am VERY glad of!

I am still lying around in bed, with my kitty, "Cajun", lying right beside me. Her warm little furry body feels good against my achy breaky joints, and she is purring up a storm: she sounds like a little motorboat. My kitty is so cute; I wish I could tell you how much I love her! She is my best friend, and she is always there to cheer me up when I am having a bad day or am sick; she is very good at that! She does things to make me laugh, and when she meows at me it almost sounds like she is holding a conversation with me. It is absolutely aDORable!

I wish I could have gone to school; I know I will have tons of homework out the rear when I get back! I bet Mr. Gee is mad that I missed so much school as of late, but it isn't my fault; it's my stupid arthritis' fault! I HATE missing school; and I HATE not being with my friends, especially Nicole!

I have known Nicole Aldape since she was seven; we met at Camp SteppingStone, which is a camp for kids with arthritis, and during the summer, we have one week of fun and camp-filled excitement to make us forget of our pain or disabilities; it is held in August, and we always have the best time. It is put on by the local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, and I have gone there since I was six-and-a-half. Nicole and I have been the best of friends ever since.

As I told you yesterday, I happen to be physically disabled. I walk with the aid of Lofstrand (forearm) crutches and leg braces, or I use a wheelchair if I am having an awful lot of pain or if I have to go long distances (like if I go to school or to Wal*Mart or to the fair, something like that). I usually manage pretty well, but I still hate it when people stare at me or make comments. It's like they think I am not even there, but I hear their comments, and it makes me mad! I also hate it when they look at me like I am some type of yucky bug, and I hate it when they think that just because my body is disabled, then my brain is too, and they treat me like a two-year-old instead of like the nearly-twelve-year-old kid I really am! I get so mad and so frustrated at people sometimes I wish I could just smack them one with my sticks or buzz their toes with my wheelchair! That'd teach them a thing or two on how to treat us people with disabilities! I may be disabled, and I may not get around as well as most people, but STUPID is ONE thing I am NOT! I happen to be VERY smart!! I also have asthma and allergies, but as I get older, that is getting to be less of a problem for me. But I still can have an attack when I least expect it, which is why I still have to be careful.

I will write more later; I have to use the potty. The only bad thing is I have to have my kitty to move, so I can get my crutches and get out of bed! I know she will NOT be happy about THAT! But what to do when I have to go pee?

Bye for now!

~Love, your friend, Ronee' Le-Anne Reaux, aged 11 1/2. :D

P.S.: My kitty looks a lot like the one in the picture; she is too aDORable!