hi all

juliep123

Hi all.
I have had RA for 8 years and OA for a while longer. I was coping really well until 2 years ago when various problems with my health led to me being medically retired from the DWP after many years. I am lucky in that my husband's job is paid enough to support us , but I find it difficult- I feel that I'm on the scrapheap in my forties! Hoping to give and get support from you all - I've been reading the forum for a while before posting and you all seem very supportive and knowledgeable.

[Deleted User]

Hi JulieP123

Welcome to the forums where I'm sure you will get a lot of help and good advice from all the lovely people on here.

It is a little quiet being the weekend, but I'm sure that someone will be along shortly to help.

We are here if you need any support to do with using the forums. Many of the mods have some of the many varieties of arthritis and we all know about the feelings that go along with having it.

Do read and post across the different topics that you will find here.
All best wishes

Mod JK

dreamdaisy

Hello, it's lovely to meet you and I hope we can help with, well, maybe not information but definitely with support. Arthritis is a demanding lodger in that it pays us very little for providing its accommodation but it ensures that we have to make huge adjustments to our lives to ensure its 'comfort'. :roll: I have PsA plus OA and fibromyalgia, I had to stop work and am fortunate in that The Spouse is still in full-time employment so we can still get by.

It is frustrating for us that on our better days we can do things but, because we cannot guarantee how long they will last, employers are naturally not that enthused about employing us because they require reliability. I have recently emerged from a flare and can currently get on with things but I know that if I am not careful I will overdo things and set myself back once more. We teeter along tightropes of varying widths and strengths which can be very irksome and not only for us - family can become frustrated too because they feel 'powerless' to help.

You say you have been reading for a while so there's no need to explain how things work on here, is there? I look forward to seeing your name here and there around the boards; I wish you well. DD

stickywicket

Hi Julie and welcome from me too So, welcome to the not-very-exclusive doubles club. I, too, have RA and OA but my OA came due to years of RA.

I understand how you must feel 'on the scrapheap' if all your friends are still able to work. I wasn't able to work after the birth of my first son. I had another but only really started to feel 'different' in that respect when the younger one started school and all my contemporaries were returning to work after getting their own children to school.

I solved my problem by doing voluntary work. There are always loads of organisations calling out for very varied kinds of help and, unlike paid work, one can choose just how much one wishes to do. I did one half day per week on telephones for many years. Later I started doing Riding for the Disabled and soon found myself on the local, then regional committees in various posts. You can check out possibilities here http://www.voluntaryworker.co.uk/ and here http://www.volunteering.org.uk/

Plus, of course, there's us to 'talk' to. We're always here

theresak

Hello Julie, and welcome.

I have RA, but recently diagnosed with OA too, so another member of the `Doubles Club.` I can understand you feeling as you do with regard to being medically retired. I think it must be hard to adapt to different circumstances when you have led a busy working life, and that life suddenly disappeared.

I was much older than you when I had to stop work - I was a teacher - and I soon had grandsons to help occupy my time.

Do keep posting and let us know how you are doing.

frogmorton

Hello Julie

Did you say the DWP???? :shock:

YOU can probably help us lot over on the benefits and work matters forum

They may also still be after extra moderators on here as well as at your local arthritiscare branch????

Best of luck and please do join in the forums everyone will welcome you

Love

Toni xx

bangorlass

Hi

Welcome I can't offer advice as I'm newly diagnosed with Arthritis myself only last week but thought I'd say hello

juliep123

Thanks for all the kind messages, I look forward to posting more soon x