From the article: People With Disabilities - Living in a "Normal World"
Do you feel robbed by arthritis? Do you feel the disease has taken something from you that you can't get back? Perhaps the disease forced you to quit your job. Perhaps you chose not to have children because of arthritis. You may be unable to participate in your favorite activity or may have had to give up traveling because of arthritis. You may have lost friends. Whatever the case -- are you missing out on something and do you feel robbed by arthritis? Share your story and explain how you adjusted to being robbed. If you have not felt robbed, explain why not. Share Your Story
Hate It
- Has depleted me of my self worth. Am struggling to live with it. Just don't really know.
- —Guest Scott
Yes
- I can no longer do many of the things I enjoy in my off time. Golf and tennis are very hard on me and that was something I looked forward to in retirement.
- —kid44
There is always a silver lining
- I found out I had RA when I was 19. At first I thought it was going to be pretty easy but I found that my walking status has become almost non exsistent. I'm 21 now and I am on medication. I am blessed with a really supportive family and a cool boy friend. Most days I stay sane and positive by doing a routine. My silver lining is my art work -- it's my way of expression. I feel robbed by my arthritis but it has opened a new door for me kind of a out of the box thinking about life and how to maneuver with challenges. I am hopeful and I'm going to stay forever positive.
- —Guest Jessica
It's just life!
- I was diagnosed very quickly at the age of 14 with RA, within MONTHS I had to have both hips replaced, ops on my ankles, knees and countless procedures. I was diagnosed in the April 1982, had been a very good dancer, asked to model for a London agency, was always busy with sports, never in if I could help it, then literally overnight almost I'd gone down to 5 stone and couldn't walk. Lost 18 months of schooling. Just to top it off after returning to education I had an accident that resulted in almost 2 years in/out of hospital with a broken leg that the doctor then broke AGAIN! However, I have NEVER thought 'why me' 'poor me' etc; I am nothing like I was physically, I had 5 years of bad luck but so what! I've got a law degree, have travelled far and wide (met a group of strangers to go trekking around Africa at 21....fantastic, never thought how will I cope, just did!) Life is for living whatever cards it deals, be yourself, RA lives with me I DO NOT live with it and I give it a rough ride.
- —Guest stiffstix
Up hill struggle
- I was diagnosed 8 years ago at the age of 22. I have tried lots of different meds currently on Humira, nothing works completely. Some days are better than others but I feel angry at RA. I have a 10 year old son and a 19 month old son. I have always worked until recently. I feel sad that I cannot run with my children and do things other parents can, but I am going to fight this and try to be the best mum I can even if some days I can't walk. I am lucky I have a good supportive partner, family, and friends but unless you have RA, I don't think you understand quite how bad the pain is. Some nights I cry myself to sleep, but each day I wake up, I am trying to fight it and keep my spirits up. Keep fighting people don't let RA destroy us. Life is precious. No we don't derserve it but we can learn to live with it!
- —Guest Danni England
Yeah I was robbed!
- I was diagnosed with JRA when I was about 12 years old. But it took many doctors many years to figure it out what was wrong with me! (This was about '81 or '82.) I had had a rash on my thighs, and EXTREME joint pain for months! Some days it was my wrist, and then my knees, but always my fingers! I had a really high fever for a long time before they figured out what I had. I lost at least 18 months of my childhood, and because of the fever, I am unable to father children. Now I am forty years old and my fingers are failing me. I know it has to be RA creeping back up on me!!! I hate this!!
- —Guest Lee
Do you feel robbed by arthritis? Yes!
- Yes! It cost me my 1st marriage, my career, and much more.
- —Guest Forever
I Hate Arthritis!
- Yes, I have been robbed by arthritis! I was diagnosed in 1996 but told I have probably had RA since childhood. Both hips & knees have been replaced-one hip has been replaced twice & had 14 surgeries due to staph infection. After not being able to fix a broken knee cap (3 surgeries & infection), I have a metal rod in my leg & the leg will never bend. I am in a wheelchair full-time. I can no longer drive, go anywhere alone or shower without help. Worst of all, I can't play with my grandchildren like I would like to. Yes, they come to my home but it's just not the same. I have to sit on the sidelines & watch. My house is "picked up" but no where close to how I used to keep it. It's an effort to cook a meal. Thankfully, I have a WONDERFUL husband who helps me a lot! I would be lost without him! My family is also great! I can't take a lot of meds because of the infection risk so I stay in pain. But I try to remember, the Lord has a purpose for me being here!
- —Beth
Need a life
- I got RA at the age of 49. It seemed to happen overnight as I got it through seafood poisoning. Do I feel robbed Sometimes, but I am glad I got it and not 1 of my 11 grandchildren. I have a wonderful understanding husband, and although I have had knee, hip, finger joint replacements, I miss my beloved gardening but still try to do it my way. Although gardening caused my hip to pop out and took 5 goes to put it back in, thank goodness or it was going to be another hip. I have always taken fish oil capsules, shark cartilage capsules and Arava. At present I am on 20mg prednislone per day and monthly infusions of Orencia which goes hand in hand with methotrexate, but I can still walk and move so I feel blessed. Oh yes panadeine forte and myself are the best of friends.I don't need a miracle I need a life.
- —Guest ann donnelly
I was robbed at the age of 3
- I have literally had JRA (Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis) since I was 2 1/2. I was diagnosed at the age of 3, after several doctors visits. I am 18 years old now. As a child with RA, you feel as if you have done something wrong that made you different from everyone else, mainly your friends. When I was younger, my RA was so bad I could never play sports with my friends, play on the playground, and somedays it was so bad, I had to have a friend push me around school in a wheelchair. I look back on that now and I am okay with the fact that I was never able to do any of that. But now that I am older and I am starting to think about my future, I genuinely feel robbed because what I have always wanted to do as I child, I cannot because of my arthritis. Military will not accept me because I am more of a liability to them. It's wrong, and I would like nothing more than to be in the military, but I can't. I am upset with disease and what it has stolen from me, but it has made me stronger!
- —Guest Samantha
Robbed...
- There are days when I feel really like robbed. Fatigue and pain stolen from my life a lot. I am limited in many ways. No running, jumping, long days and a few hours sleep any more. I can't work full time and have not too much choice about what I can do. I have to rest after most of activities and I know if my day is 12-14 h long, next one I spend in bed exhausted. I can't have a baby when I want but when doctor decides my RA is fairly under control. I know RA stolen a few years of my life and energy I could use to do many things. But there are days when I take it as a challenge. Every morning I look life into eyes and make effort not to give up. Sometimes I do. I don't pretend I am strong and can always manage. But I make this effort to live my life fully. I adjust my dreams to what I can do. With help of my wonderful husband I win many fights and manage not to be robbed completely. My heart and mind always will belong to me. Only me. And they are not RA positive.
- —agnieszka1977
Not a thief just a borrower
- Do I think RA has robbed me? I am lucky. I still have the ability to walk, talk, and generally move all my joints. Pain, yes I suffer. I was diagnosed a year ago, although I believe I have had RA since I was a teenager. RA has made me think. I think about the things I want to do. Let's call this my bucket list: Travel again to Europe, keep my retail job that pays my bills, go back to school to get a job that is not so taxing, ride horses again. I'm 43 years young. I've never been married or had children. Do I regret this decision? Marriage, yes. Kids, no and yes. RA borrows my strength. RA borrows my mind. RA borrows my health. RA borrows my sanity. Somehow, I always bounce back. It will never steal my friends. It will never steal my laughs. It will never steal my spirit. RA is the neighbor who borrows my tools and keeps them until I take them back!
- —Guest Maria Marino
Robbed and fighting to take back
- I have been robbed of job, friends, activities, my self esteem, and energy. I have to think every day what can I do and can't do today? I have been an RN all my working days and to have to give that up is a major loss. Even while battling cancer I was able to return to work...for a while at least. But that illness precipitated the RA and finally I lost the dream job. In taking back, I'm fighting the RA with as many guns in my arsenal as I can. I take Enbrel inj and voltaren and ultram. These help me have at least a good morning. But eventually the fatigue creeps in and by 2pm I need a nap. Every day is the same. I hope that by helping others with this disease that I may be able to help my own peace of mind. RA continues to try and sock it to me, but I keep coming back! Never give up!
- —Guest Ruth
Robbed, Wrangled and Run Over
- Like I was hit by a truck...that is how this horrible disease feels. Hands feel like they were hit with hammers, toes too and everything in between. The worst part is I have exhausted all possible medication. I have allergic reactions to all of them...A to Z. Cant stay awake-can't fall asleep. I have an absolute desire to work out, can't do that either. Barely walking the dog, laundry, working. All this and I live ALONE. But I wake up every morning get ready for work (takes 2 hours). Keep my head held high and smile. I know by 8pm I am ready for bed, I know going out is not an option. BUT I KNOW EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT BEAT THIS DISEASE-IT WILL NOT NOT NOT BEAT ME. I am no longer searching for a cure, simply an existence. I HATE YOU RA...But I love me :) So I keep on keepin on.
- —daiseyjan64
It's made me think...
- Think about life and how wonderful it can really be if you slow down long enough to take a peek. Don't get me wrong, I have my pity party days...lately, quite often. But when I take a look at what it has done to my life, I realize that I wouldn't have such a wonderful husband and in turn, have a precious little boy if it wasn't for this disease. My husband has a life altering disease as well (type 1 diabetic since he was 6) and I don't think I would have understood his limitations if it weren't for me having a chronic illness. I used to travel and do a lot of very physical activities such as hiking before my diagnosis. Unfortunately, I've had to alter my way of doing these things and sometimes cut them out of plans completely but I'm not angry or upset. I love my life and love everyone that has stuck with me through my bad days SO MUCH more! Yeah, it sucks sometimes...and often for days, weeks and months at a time...but I love my life and it wouldn't be this wonderful without RA in it!
- —Guest Kira
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