Part 5 - A little of me

Here’s a little about me... medically speaking. I have Polyarticular Rheumatoid Arthritis, the polyarticular is just a fancy way of saying that I have the disease in more than 5 joints. I actually have it in nearly every single joint though luckily not in my back. I was diagnosed when I was 10 years old after I had suffered the symptoms for the previous 2 years. I've lived every single day since then with moderate to severe pain.

I’m sure there are days when my husband feels more like a caregiver than anything else. I know this has to be frustrating at times for him, not fully understanding what’s happening to me on days when I can’t walk or dress myself. This is nothing new for me, waking up one day feeling like I can do anything and then waking up the next day asking my 4 year old to help me walk a few steps. I went through depression in high school, through the “why me” phase until I realized that there may never be a cure or amazing treatment in my lifetime. I have so many hopes for my life and I can’t let the pain ruin them. One of those hopes is for my family, to have my children, and for Johnny and I to get old together watching them grow.