A decade of Arthritis

BluesWalk

Hey guys, I have Psoriatic Arthritis, which is the sores and the sores!

I was diagnosed in my early 20s out of nowhere, my active lifestyle and circle of friends dwindled and ended up going off work sick.

For the next few years I would continue to feel like a human Guinea pig with treatments, while I eroded the patience of those around me with my complaints.

Chronic fatigue and Chronic pain became my new best bros. If the pain of a flare up was bad, it was nothing on the mental anguish of missing out on experiencing life - because I was too tired.

After a decade, I have a wife, a mortgage, set of twin boys in their terrible 2s. I have a disabled badge for my automatic car, got PIP and even managed to get some medical marijuana! I plan my journeys ahead of time, as with a young family, there is always plenty of lifting. I push back with doctors and nurses if I feel im not being heard.

I often think of how to describe what arthritis is like and I think being in jail sums it up. You might want to leave the pain behind but its going to greet you everyday and you can't get out.

If you new to the prison, I have some recommendations.

1. Realise that no one is going to care about your body and health as much as you. Although people can empathise, they won't know what it's like and that's ok.

2. Most medicines will clash with booze, so I think Cannabis will push more into the Arthritis Community, as its legal now and we can be open and honest about its effects. This is not available on NHS but worth looking into!

I don't know what the next decade holds for me, hopefully my boys will give me some slack.

https://youtu.be/cOP_fQdKgrs

I have Arthritis, it does not have me