Woman with RA

[loneil]

I am a 58 year old woman who has RA. I have had it for a long time but have only been treating it for about 5 years. I was a certified paraoptometric and office manager for an optometrist for about 14 years. I retired 2 years ago because I couldn't cope with everything. I would get tired after only a few hours of working. My son is the one that wanted me to talk to other people about RA and so he put up this website, hoping to help me get more insight. I have to admit, I have never been on a forum before but would like to hear how other people are treated, how they respond to their meds and how they manage. I read about new medications and treatments all the time but have never found a forum where I could read how real people, not the doctors, feel about them. Hopefully, I will learn a great deal.

[jon]

Great to have some more people joining the forum! Hope I can learn a lot also.

[kmoneil]

Welcome to the forum!

[jumblue]

Hi
I'm a 58 year old from Scotland. I used to do bricklaying, blocklaying, and concrete work until about 16 years ago. I went to work one morning, and found that I couldn't get my fingers round the blocks to lift them. My wrists were in agony as well, and after months of tests, I was diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis. Nowadays, it's mostly my knees that bother me, and my left hand and forearm. I think of myself as being fortunate, though, as my right hand seldom gives me trouble, and so I can still write. I came across this Forum while posting a Press Release unrelated to arthritis, so I thought that I'd join, as I'm sure we can all pick up handy hints from others.

[purple]

Linda,

I hope that things are going well. I was trying to figure my way about this forum and saw that you worked at an
Optometrist office. So did I before I had kids. I worked in the dispensery front desk is not my forte'. I tried to replace some temples the other day I didn't realize how my fine motor skills had become limited it was kind of a shock. I know that cooking has changed for me. I have
days when mixing batter or something thick is a strain. Not
to mention chopping. Some would count this a blessing not to be able to cook as well but it is one of my passions. I have moved all my pots , pans and cookware to shelves that
are at arm level. It is much easier than reaching overhead or forget getting on the floor to get a heavy appliance.
Change makes us stronger or at least more creative.
Have a good day my 12 year old daughter is standing over my shoulder wanting the computer! So I will turn it over to her.

Lachele