Chronic pain is an unavoidable, close companion of Karen Harbin.
The persistent aches in her many joints – from her surgically rebuilt feet to her repaired hands – remind her every day what she has endured in her long battle against an aggressive, insidious form of arthritis.
But she does so with a smile, a will and a way.
“You just deal with it,” said the humble, determined 49-year-old Auburn woman, gesturing with her gnarled but gentle hands. “I might have a lot of pain, but I don’t let it define who I am. … I don’t just think about it. I just do.”
To describe Harbin as one tough, resilient woman is an understatement.
The gingerly woman, a former oral surgeon’s assistant, has bravely struggled with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since she was 2, although she was not diagnosed until she was 7.
Arthritis affects more than 50 million Americans today and is one of the leading causes of disability in the country.
To recognize the millions of children and adults who suffer from arthritis, the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation will honor Harbin and four others in Sunday’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk in downtown Seattle, a major fundraiser to find a cure.
Harbin will join Synnove Solberg, 9, Daria Jamtaas, 13, Meaghan Victory, 14, and Nadina Khalil, 22. Each was diagnosed with arthritis under the age of 13, and all have committed themselves to stay active and keep their symptoms under control.
Harbin’s team of 47 strong, “Karen’s Kringles, will participate. The group, led by her two sisters and brother, hopes to raise $5,000 for the cause.
Harbin’s sister, Laurie Marino, and her husband, Tom, nominated her for the honor.
“It was a total surprise to me. I was shocked,” Harbin said.
Harbin, if she’s physically able, intends to walk the 5-kilometer distance – not necessarily for herself, but for the many others who suffer from arthritis.
“For me, I don’t know what life is like without it,” Harbin said of her condition. “I still feel it, I don’t like it, and it’s hard.
“I could sit home and be miserable and not feel good,” she said, “but I choose to live life and be positive.”
Harbin has come a long way.
When she was first diagnosed, research and treatment for arthritis wasn’t as advanced as it is today. There simply weren’t the effective means, the impact biological medications necessary to help a child with a destructive disease.
Harbin, who grew up in Auburn, was one of the unlucky few, a vibrant girl who was in denial of having an “old people’s disease.”
By the time doctors and specialists began to aggressively combat her plight, the damage to her deteriorating joints had been done.
Harbin has persevered through more than 20 surgeries, many of them intensive, to replace joints and repair tendons. She had both knees totally replaced before she turned 38, and most recently had her right ankle fused.
Despite the heavy toll on her body, she considers this a good year, and looks forward to some “down time” from another possible corrective surgery.
Her ability to walk has improved. She stays active and optimistic as she continues treatments and takes guidance from her pain management doctor.
As difficult as it can be, she sees the good in it.
“My family and friends have been a huge support,” Harbin said. “My husband (Michael) has been amazing. He’s compassionate when he needs to be and pushes me when I need it. He doesn’t feel sorry for me.
“Nobody likes to feel you’re different,” she added. “You just want to be normal, especially when you’re young.”
Unable to physically work full-time, Harbin helps out at her husband’s sign manufacturing business.
Michael calls his inspirational wife, “Sunshine,” for her ability to light up a room and the people in it. She is passionate about family and friends and helping others.
“She refuses to let what she has get her down,” he said. “She’s chosen to accept where she’s at and embraces it.
“There’s a lot of people who have different types of diseases or find themselves with conditions, and they get upset or angry. But she’s not like that at all.”
Harbin faces an uncertain prognosis but vows to keep fighting as doctors try to stem the progression of her condition.
“I take it one day at a time. I focus on quality, not quantity,” she said. “I’m sure I will be here for a long time. That’s how I look at it.”
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Jingle Bell Run/Walk
• What:
• When: 6:45-11 a.m. Sunday, downtown Seattle, starting at Westlake Center, 400 Pine St.
• Field: At least 12,000 participants expected. The annual event has become one of the largest “fun runs” in Seattle. The 5K includes prizes, giveaways, a beer garden, kids’ activities, visits with Santa and holiday music.
• Information, donations: www.seattlejinglebellrun.org.
