Fall 2022 (Volume 32, Number 3)
Patient Perspective:
Cristina Montoya
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At 22 years old, while living in my
hometown of MedellÍn, Colombia,
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) and Sjögren's
Syndrome. It was my last year in the
Nutrition and Dietetics undergraduate
program. My RA was so aggressive
that even lifting a piece of paper
or typing became a painful chore.
Within a year of diagnosis, I started to
develop joint deformities, because the
era of biologics was in its early stages
and inaccessible to me for financial
reasons. I was terrified of not being
able to graduate as a nutritionist and
dietitian with my peers. Thanks to a
load of corticosteroids, I was able to
reach the finish line.
I came to Canada in 2007 and thought the best way to
adapt to a new country was to hide my pain and move on.
There were no resources for new immigrants living with
autoimmune diseases. I pushed through my first Canadian
winter, worked tirelessly to validate my degree as a registered
dietitian, and focused my efforts on helping seniors
in long-term care homes. I wanted to feel normal without
thinking about my disease. In 2015, I joined the Sjögren's
Society of Canada and have continued to volunteer for
this organization in some capacity since my first meeting.
Unfortunately, Sjögren's has no clear treatment path, leaving
patients feeling isolated and dismissed by many health
care providers. In my dietetic practice and volunteer
work with support groups across Canada, nine out of ten
patients with Sjögren's suffer from xerostomia, dysphagia,
and digestive issues affecting their quality of life.
Now, at 40, I am a proud mama of a whimsical 3-year old
boy and was honoured to present at this year's CRA
Annual Scientific Meeting with the workshop “Beyond Dry
Eyes and Dry Mouth: Managing Digestive Disorders in Patients
with Sjögren's Syndrome.” I was pleasantly surprised
when my own rheumatologist attended the workshop and
thanked me for sharing my personal and professional experience
with Sjögren's.
Despite COVID-19 and another RA
treatment failure, I managed to run a
small 5-week group program for women
living with Sjögren's called “Surviving
Summer with Sjögren’s.” The
program's roadmap included starting
an anti-inflammatory way of eating,
building balanced meals and snacks,
implementing safe swallowing strategies,
creating emergency food kits,
self-care routines, and managing common
digestive issues. The participants
were also given access to an intuitive
meal planner to help them make their
own meal choices.
After 20 years of living with inflammatory
rheumatic diseases, I am reminded
that living with chronic conditions
is a marathon, not a sprint. We must focus on what
we can control. Self-advocacy, robust support systems, and
collaboration with our health care providers are our most
powerful tools to thrive with RA and Sjögren's. There are
hardships, sad moments, and times when you feel like giving
up; but then I look at all the meaningful connections I've
made despite RA and Sjögren's — and even because of them.
Cristina Montoya, RD HCP
Registered Dietitian
Holistic Cannabis Practitioner
AHPA member
Arthritis Dietitian
https://pico.link/arthritisdietitian
Oshawa, Ontario
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