Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Muscles & Bones
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Impatient people

didyann
didyann
For a while now I have been embarrassed to walk acrossed the parking lots to get into the stores because I walk so slow. You know the way your legs and feet feel. Sometimes I am so stiff I feel like I look like Frankenstien. To others looking at me I'm just a middle age woman poking along and in their way. The looks I get from people have kept me from venturing out much. I finally told my Wonderful husband how I was feeling and he came up with a solution. He bought me a cane. Now people can see that I'm not doing the creep on purpose to irritate them. Such a simple solution has freed me from my humiliation.
nerot
nerot
I know how you feel. My inability to keep up with everyone else makes me feel bad too. Sometimes people I am with get way ahead of me while I "FrankenWalk" behind. I feel like the sick animal bringing up the rear of the herd. What I can't understand is how I don't lose weight when moving my body takes so much effort and energy.!

I always like to hear about the positive things people do to cope so that they can go out and about. I am glad you have found something that helps you.
sunnyinla
sunnyinla
My hubby did the same thing for me, he got me a cane. It works people usually just go around me : )

Roni
nomorera
nomorera
my whole life people have been telling me "slow down" or "you walk too fast", or "you're always in a hurry what's the rush?" Now I laugh to myself because I am forced to slow down. I don't worry about what's going on around me. I can only move as fast as I can move. Everyone else can hurry by me now. I try to move out of the way when I can.
I know I look "funny" when I walk sometimes but, "oh well"....

My boyfriend is completely supportive and that is such a great feeling. The other night he offered to drop me off at the gate to his sons football game and park the car, but I told him, "no I will walk with you tonight". He is such a gem and so supportive. I am blessed. So I am learning from this "don't take yourself too damn seriously!"
Angelpuss
Angelpuss
I use a cane when I need to and it does make a huge difference to the way people treat you in car parks, shopping malls etc. It also gives me more confidence rather than fearing I might fall.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I use a cane, and am trying to work up the nerve to use the in-store motorized carts. I have become the person who frustrated me when I used to zip around, quick as lightening.
altoclef
altoclef
When people see a cane they also steer a clearer path around you, not wanting to be the jerk that knocks you over!

Many years ago I knew a man in the early stages of MS. He learned to take a cne with him when he went out for the evening to cut down on the number of snide remarks implying he was drunk as he staggered off to the mens' room.