I feel in limbo.... | Arthritis Information

I don't know what I have anymore.... does JRA eventually BECOME RA? Or are they really two different things? I was diagnosed at 18months and am now 23yrs old. I've never been without pain and symptoms for longer than 1 1/2 years. So I never "outgrew" it like the docs always told my mom I would. I always feel funny posting things in a regular RA forum because I'm generally SO much younger than everyone, and in a JRA forum, I'm no help to anyone and vice versa because everyone's always addressing school issues - which I TOTALLY understand. I dunno. I just feel out of place. :/

Hello Katie. So we meet again! lol I have the same problem. Is it just RA now that we are adults, or do we still call it JRA because that was when we were diagnosed? And I saw that they have a section here for teens with JRA, which I once was, and I'm sure there are plenty of older people who are just getting arthritis at the age most associated with arthritis, but what about us folks in the middle? We are to old to really be mingling with teenagers, and too young to be hangin' with the old folks. The fact is we have different issues than those other age groups. We already been through the teen experience, and could maybe give them advice, or let them know we know what they are going through, but lot of the problems they would be discussing are no longer relevant to us. And the older people have their own issues as well. But those of us in between have other things to think about, like our work/careers, social lives, relationships, and what our futures are gonna be like after already living such painful and exhausting lives.

So I don't know what to tell ya other than we are both in the same boat. I know there are others out there like us, but as far as this site goes, it might just be us. But that's better than nothing.

Take care,

Jesse

LOL Everywhere I turn, it's, it's JESSE! Haha I know, I feel sometimes like my problems seem silly, when I'm around older people who are struggling to take care of themselves in VERY different ways. And then sometimes, I get frustrated with teenagers who have such different social issues with it. Me I'm like...well sh*t...I REALLY need to wash the dishes, but I KNOW how bad it's gonna hurt to hold all that crap and scrub...Haha And it's very hard to explain to people sometimes that I even HAVE JRA/RA whatever. They look at me like "are you nuts? You're so LITTLE" :| I'm not THAT little...But in the world of typical arthritis, you're either a baby or you're well...at the risk of sounding mean...old! :( Our generation is so expected to just...suck it up and quit whining...it's hard to....WHINE

Hey Katie and Jesse! It's good to see some other "young
adults" with JRA on here. I have been posting on this forum for
awhile, but haven't been able to find anyone else our age to
talk to. Katie, from reading your posts (stalker, I know) you
seem to have the same crazy sick sense of humor that I have.
For example, when I was 14 they decided I needed to have an
endoscopy and colonoscopy to check for Crohns, etc. When
the doc gave me the pics of my colonoscopy, I put them on a
hat and gave it to him as a present! Yeah, I'm unhinged, I know.
I scare my husband sometimes. I will get so upset or frustrated
about something that he thinks I'm going to cry, but I end up
laughing hysterically. Now, he knows how to handle me crying,
but laughing? Anyway, look forward to chatting.

Hey there Sara. Welcome to the board. It is nice to find other people on here who are roughly our same age dealing with some of the same issues. I have found a few different people on here who were DXed with JRA and are now in there 20's. And there are a few teenagers on here, and some parents with children with JRA. It is nice to know your not alone. However, so far, I seem to be the only "guy" who was DXed with JRA. Was 18 months old when I was DXed. I'm 29 years old now. My case is very extreme. Growing up, I remember several occasions when my doctor would bring in med students to observe some of my appointments. And every time, the doctor would say how I was one of the most severe cases. All the med students seemed to look at me like some rare oddity or freak.

And speaking of crazy/sick senses of humor, I think that might just come with the JRA. lol My fiance has a little trouble understanding some of the jokes and comments I make. She thinks it's cause she doesn't have a very good sense of humor, but I have to remind her that it's not her, it's just that I'm a total freakin' nut! LOL After reading your post, I kind of wish I had a colonoscopy done. I would put the picture on a t-shirt though. Put some witty slogan on it. Maybe something like "It's what's on the inside that counts". lol But yeah, a believe a sense of humor is very important.

So keep on smilin',

Jesse

LOL I love it.

My b/f has crohn's, so he's had that done. He wants to get a t-shirt that says "Got Guts?" He also wants a tattoo of a semi-colon (;) GET IT!?!? OMG I love him. Hahaha That's the kind of crap that keeps us going!

My doctor was at a teaching hospital too. Although my case
isn't too severe (just painful), my doc brought in med students
for me too, because of my odd blood tests. I would have almost
no range of motion, extreme swelling and HOT joints, but my
sed rate would be normal. I always got annoyed when the med
students were in there, and even though I was young I was
well-read about JRA. When my doc would ask them questions,
I would be a smart-ass and answer for them. I liked to get the
med students all flustered!!

Well, I don't know that I qualify as a young adult.

My disease cooled off during puberty but never went into remission. When I was 21 I was in a car accident and that did it, I flared like crazy. The disease jumped from my knees and elbows to just about every joint I have. I've been disabled for about 15 years - been on everything meds-wise, enbrel just quit on me, I'm switching to humira. First shot (hopefully not the stinger

My rheumy told me recently that Adult JRA and RA are almost indistinguishable. I beg to differ. How irritating it is that we get left in Limbo, as you say, simply because we're the unlucky 25% that doesn't go into remission. I don't have RA, thank you, and no matter how similar the two diseases may be, I think they'd be hard pressed to find someone who's had RA for 35+ years!

It's like we're in the Land of Misfit Toys.

EVERYBODY! SING ALONG NOW!

Off topic, did anyone else think that Hermie might swing the other way? Just a thought.

Oh yeah. Hermie is at the very least a little "confused", or maybe "curious". Not that there is anything wrong with that. lol

[QUOTE=arriscolwell]Off topic, did anyone else think that Hermie might swing the other way? Just a thought.[/QUOTE]

I don't know about swinging but there was a whole lotta swishin' going on!

Let's see, I can't find the misfit's names anywhere (by anywhere I mean googling it once) I remember there was a doll that couldn't cry, the elephant with pink polka dots and Charlie in the box. (which I remember because my brother's name is Charlie and we taunted him relentlessly

Lynk38988.4524768519

Haha I didn't think anyone would know what I was talking about....wow.

My b/f has a friend they call Hermie. For reasons already noted. Haha he even carries a little hermie keychain :) It's CUTE.

I love it.

I actually used to have a Charlie in the Box keychain. My sister got it for me. Just cause we love our holiday cartoons, and especially the mistfit toys. That, and I also had a two-man band back then called Creeping Charlie. I don't know what happened to that keychain, I liked that one though. I actually have kind of a thing for key chains. I only have like 3 keys, but have about 4 or five keychains, and I've actually had more than that at times. I see one I like and just add it on til I end up with my 3 keys hooked up to about 5 pounds worth of keychains. LOL My g/f always says she's gonna "thin them out". But I say a man's keychains are his own business.

Misfits & keychains Rock!

Jesse