Arthritis Insight-Member Stories-Pam

Pam's Story

My name is Pam Burress. I am 45 years old. I have 2 daughters ages 20 & 16, and 1 step-daughter who is 27 & a step son who is 22. I have been married for 7 years. Living with my second husband were my 2 daughters. My step-son was with his Mom and my step-daughter was married with 2 children. I have had arthritis for quite awhile. I know when I had my oldest child I was 25 and was sufering with it. It has became worse and worse over the years. My first husband never listened or understood what I was going thru. I worked a full time job and later he left to move on to a town 3 hours away for more schooling leaving me there in our hometown with 2 small children and 2 jobs. I had no help with my children but what my parents could do when they could because they also worked. I seemed to get worse and worse and decided to go to the family dr.. He decided to do blood test. He called me a couple of days later and told me that we needed to talk. He told me that he was going to send me to Rhemy. because I had a positive ANA. He thought that I had Lupus and Arthritis. I later saw the Rhemy. and he did test again and it showed the same. He told me that I did have OA and possibly RA and looked very much like Lupus. He watched me and cared for me for about 4 years and decided that I had FIbromyalgia. I have every single symptom that there is to have! I have been unable to take any ANSAIDS due to my stomach problems. I was very, very depressed for awhile and hurting all the time. My marriage ended in a bitter divorce. I later met a wonderful man in the medical field that is a Paramedic and Fireman. He understood everything and excepted me like no problem! WE have been married for 7 years and believe it or not he even changed my attitude about me saying that I couldn't do anything . I am a licensed EMT! I work on the ambulance. It is a little hard jumping in and out of the back of the ambulance, but I can do it! Right now for the last almost 2 years I have been suffering from a Closed Head Injury, Neck and Back Injury due to a Ambulance Wreck I was involved in. I was the driver of the ambulance and we were transporting a 5 month old baby boy that was in Resp. Distress to another town. The baby had quit completely breathing and the Paramedic was doing CPR and we got hit on my side of the door by a teenage boy that was not paying attention and had his music up loud. I was knocked unconcious, with severe concussion, severe whiplash, severe neck and back injury and sprained wrist. I have had horrible headaches now for close to 2 years because of the accident. The baby was fine and started breathing! The Paramedic hurt is hips and legs. I am hopeing to return to work back on the ambulance in April this year. I couldn't have made it without my family, my chihuahua, Sadie and most of all, MY GOD!