Down but not out

I still go to work, laugh and

drink wine with my friends

I walk very oddly and my hands and feet don’t work yes RA does drive me beserk

I will never give up but it does get me down

Pain is intense but I smile and not frown

have figured out how to adapt when I have a flare I hold my head up high and pretend I don’t care

To al my RA brothers and sisters keep going strong with a smile on your face sashay a long 😀

[popsmith1874]

That's the spirit to have ,we know we can't beat it but as you say we adapt the best we can and always try to keep smiling😁

[bevlin]

My advice to anybody newly diagnosed would be to carry on working and carry on doing the things you love. The first year of diagnosis was a nightmare until the meds kicked in but I managed to carry on with work ( bit slower than before!) and although I won't be playing the piano or dancing any time soon I try to do what I enjoy. I think if you decide you are disabled and can't carry on as normal you will get very depressed and my RA is better if I keep on the move , nice to see a positive post for a change!

[TTCC]

Well said!

When I was diagnosed I thought that’s it, I’ll have to cut my work hours, not do the Masters Degree I was planning on doing and just vegetate!

THEN - I thought “stuff” this - If I don’t do stuff now I never will and to be fair I am in agony what ever I do, my RA seems to progress what ever I do - so I may as well struggle and be in pain with what I want to do not be in pain and struggle with just existing.

Have I found THE treatment for me? Not yet but I’ve decided my life isn’t over yet so yes I struggle with everything (can’t even cut cheese at the moment) but I struggle with living life NOT struggle with RA

[helenlw7]

That’s exactly my way of thinking - it will not beat me! There are things I can’t do now, but I’ve started other things instead.