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
/ Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

RA Survivors

Kimberley97
Kimberley97
So much is said about cancer survivors and. So it should be they are courageous indeed. But I think we are all RA Survivors. This disease often robs us of our lives it takes away our independence our feeling of self worth. We often are plagued by feelings of guilt as if we could help it. There is an enormous physical and emotional toll that RA has on us. More times than not we will never be able to beat it entirely we go thru flares and then better times but we SURVIVE it every day. We are RA SURVIVORS.
Kendra1234
Kendra1234
Yes, we are!!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Yeah, too bad nobody but other RAers understand. I get ZERO understanding. NOBODY thinks RA is a big deal. If only they knew, but I wish that on nobody. Just one day though I'd love to see all my critics walk (hobble) in my shoes....they'd be screaming in a fetal position before the day was done. It makes matters worse if I have a friend who knows of someone else who has RA and "take nothing for it".....well that's not the same RA I have then. But of course this "friend" sure wonders what the hell is my problem:(
MaryPop
MaryPop
Yes we are survivors! Thank God, we have each other on this forum!
coaltrain
coaltrain
I really have a hard time with this subject.

My last couple months of working, I would run into people in warehouse type environments that would notice I was limping or walking with a cane. When asked I told them I had RA. Then it would come back from them - "oh, I've had arthritis for years and know what you are talking about". Well I don't know - how could you have a condition like I do and move 400# carts of mail on and off trucks all day?

One of the hardest things I've found to cope with this RA, is when people look at you, you look like there is nothing wrong with you.

Only my wife truly understand as she has seen what has happened to me over the past 2 years. Actually I am quite spoiled - she knows I can't open a bag of potato chips and will automatically open it for me. This goes on for so many simple things all day long . I am truly blessed with that!

The other thing is I don't think my Rhuematologist actually understands what I am going through between the pain and my life being turned upside down. But again I am very fortunate in that my regular doctor really seems to understand and helps me however she can.

This group is great - we are survives because we have to be!
bluedogs2
bluedogs2
A "Tip of the Hat" to us all - what a great bunch of folks - Thank you for being you

Bluedogs2
deleted_user
deleted_user
30+ years with RA Survivor and everything else that has been thrown at me. Wellll, someone has to do it. May as well be me too.
Kendra1234
Kendra1234
Most people in my life don't understand my struggle with RA. When people ask me about it, sometimes I say, "well I haven't needed help to get dressed or brush my hair in a while so I guess I'm doing pretty good."