A Journey Through the Early Days of RA
A Journey Through the Early Days of RA: From Diagnosis to Adapting to Life When I was 33 years old, my world changed dramatically. I was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a condition that would become an intricate part of my daily life. At that time, I was a mother to two young sons—one was just 3 years old, and the other was a teenager of 13. Little did we know how much our lives were about to be tested. One morning, I woke up and found that I couldn’t move from my neck down. Panic set in as I realized the gravity of my situation. My ex-husband had to help me out of bed, get me dressed, and navigate me down the stairs to the car. The journey to our GP’s office was arduous. Each step was a struggle, but we managed to arrive. The GP observed me as I walked painfully down the hallway to the exam room. I described my symptoms: excruciating joint pain, stiffness in my hands, aching knees, and sore feet. The simple act of getting in and out of the car had become a Hercu...