Everyone likes to say that we are too young to have RA... we all hear that a lot as posted on here.
I think a good response to the comment that "you are too young to have RA" is:
RA is an auto-immune disease, not the arthritis most people get from just aging. A lot of young people get RA. Its the body attacking itelf... the immune system is out of control.
That is what I usually say. I get tired of that too... or the one, "well you are moving around sort of ok, are you really in that much pain?" I love that one... I said to someone, if I made a comment or noise for every pain I felt, that is all you would hear from me! And nobody wants to hear that. People dont want to hear others in pain and whining... but when we dont do that and try to be strong and force ourselves to move a bit less gimpy... people think we are fine... its a no win situation. Catch 22. We live with the constant pain and people just will never get that unless they live it. I had one gal that used to give me trouble about all I went through trying to stay working, and then she got fibro only... which is bad enough, but most people here have it along with their RA like I do and Sjogrens, etc... but anyway... she actually apologized to me for being so hard on me when she started to experience her life with it. Everyone has thier own pain and their own experience... that is for sure.
Pepper,I always just say, "Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable autoimmune disease, not like osteoarthritis, which is regular wear and tear and which most people eventually get."
As soon as they hear " incurable autoimmune disease" most people shut up.
I like that one! That would make em shut up! hehe! Of course I dont begrudge those that just dont know about it... we all are learning constantly about it also... but some people just CANNOT get what it is. That does make me not want to explain it also! It feels like being interviewed or something... when pretty much everyone has something in their life that they have to deal with, but we sure cant ask them about that or they would be so offended... but its ok to make us feel like crap and on the spot... like we owe them any explanation! We really dont but there we are, constantly having to explain it! doh! What is really wierd for me that is my hubby's neice has RA now, but I dont really want to talk about it to her and his family... I havent been to see them since she was diagnosed but I think its strange for me to feel this way. I normally like to talk to other people while at Remicade and I had asked another girl who had it before me a lot about it... so I dont know why I am so weird about this. Anyone else feel that? I think I dont want to be compared to her because she has gotten diagnosed early in the disease and is on the meds that will hopefully help her out, which is great... I just have it pretty bad (and fibro, Sjogrens) and cant work anymore, so I guess I dont want them to look at me like what is wrong with you? but... I will have to see how it goes soon... holidays! Maybe they wont say anything at all...but they usually are blunt and rude about anything. People also dont understand that RA is so different for each person. (speaking of, see article on AF site called "Opposite Immune Responses eplain different theraputic effects in RA"... its very intersting.)
Thanks for reading and lotsa love for all of ya!
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