I used to explain it to people [not children] as this. You get up in the
morning and spend the day raking leaves in your yard. The next day you
wake up and as soon as you open your eyes, you know you hurt. It hurts
to lift your arms; it hurts to sit up,.....
Or if you have decided to wash all the windows in your house and the
next day all that achy mess that accompanies it. You just know you can
not possibly make that circular move with your arm because it just hurts
so badly.
The difference is that they will feel better by the next day and it will
be a distant memory by the next.
Pre Remicade, every morning was the day after raking leaves and a lot of
times that morning lasted all day.
BTW, I don't do either anymore.
Duckie

I think that analogy is just about right for the age group.  Because you
certainly dont want to frighten them with tales of how they could develope it
and how you hurt all the time, etc, etc. I think you did a good job.

And when they are older, if they continue to ask questions, you can give them
more information.
Char

"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'. We're all in this together." Red Green

I always say it's like having a really bad case of the flu, where you ache
all over and are always tired, but it never goes away.

Walt

I've described the joint pain similarly, but generally use bruising instead.  
Heh, that might be because I bruise so easily and frequently.  But I say it's
like when you crash into something and bruise up a joint bigtime, except you
have it in many joints at once.  Use that with adults, too.  I also say that
the pain when you hit a tender joint is like hitting your funny bone.

And of course I compare the fatigue to that of a really bad case of the flu
which I think is fairly common.  I'd probably just stick with one angle of
that with kids though.  You don't want to overload them with too much info at
once.

I was going to respond, but the analogies that everyone has posted hits the
nail on the head. Today (at this moment) I am feeling like day 2 after
raking leaves. That is wonderful! Too bad I have a sinus headache, but I'll
take what I can when I can.

Hi Donna,    You did it better than I did.  I did not do as well as you did.
As a matter of fact, 20 years have gone by some of my 4 kids still do not
understand.   For my two older children, they could not understand my
retiring in the prime of my earning power and if anything, my two younger
children accept it better.  They saw more of the loss of function in my
everyday life and they paid the price of having a grumpy father that they
could not talk to until after 10 each morning.  My youngest daughter thought
the best time to hit me with something was when I was soaking my hands in
hot water in the bathroom in the AM.  I realized this and started to work on
it not being their fault for my being this way.
Harv

I use the same analogy that Walt does - to both adults and children.  Most
children over 5 have had the flu or know someone who has.  They can kinda
understand.

I think you did fine, Donna.

DeeTee
________________________________
DeeTee and Bob Taggart
http://www.marykay.com/dtaggart3
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze8fwov/
________________________________

I like your analagy. Although I work with little kids, no one has ever
really asked me what it feels like. They have asked me why my fingers
are crippled, why I limp, why my toes are crooked, etc..
In general it seems to me tha kids take in this information in bits,
and come back with more questions. I usually tell them that when I was
15 I got sick with something that hardly any people get, and give them
a few particulars. Then they usually take a day or two to absorb that
and come back with more questions.

I actually find it easier to talk to kids because they have no
preconceived notions about treatments, etc. Whatever you tell them
they accept at face value. They don't have an Aunt Fanny who got
better by drinking tea made out of ground horse hair (lol) or don't
know someone who was cured because they did  not give up but pushed
themselves harder to exercise.I find that adults can be rude in their
questions and answers sometimes, but children are very accepting.

Actually a lot of children are fascinated by my feet and hands because
they look different. But once I explain how we all have things about
us that are different it is no big deal.

Rose
@}>-->>>
Please remove "Ima" to reply privately!