Arthritis Insight-Member Stories-Vickie

Vickie</font></b><font face="Verdana" size="3"><b>'s Story

My name is Vickie Vitale. I am 48 years old, married to Phillip for almost 27 years. I have an adopted niece Kimmie, who is 29 years old, a son Dezi 25, a grandson Dalton 11 months, our dog Mitzi 11 and many other wonderful family members, too many to name. In this aspect of my life, I feel very blessed. I also have had RA for 12 years. Ten years ago I was diagnosed.

Here's my story...I'll try to make a very long story as short as possible. When I was a child I had rhematic fever. After I recovered I steered clear of doctors until the birth of my son and for those dreaded yearlyvisits. I pretty much just had a simple life taking care of my family, working just leading a normal life.

By the time I turned 36, for the first time in my life I felt at peace with myself, my life, and life in general. Never really being satisfied with me, I truly liked the woman-person I had become. My soul was shining through. I was in the prime of my life.

At first I didn't know what was wrong with me. My hands were swollen and painful. Since I had worked at a grocery store for years, I thought I had carpal tunnel, like so many of my friends. Then I started hurting everywhere. I went to two different doctors until I finally found my rhematologist. Over the years I have been on prednisone, naprosyn, darvacet(not for long), methotrexate and gold shots. I have had many side effects. The drugs would work for awhile and then stop.

In a three year period I tore a tendon in my right thumb and had a ruptured tendon in the left thumb. The first surgery did not work, although I didn't know it at the time. The second surgery was called tendon transferal and was very successful. I also had a joint fused at that time and wish I hadn't. Both were very painful. I didn't realize how much you need your thumb. At that time I also found out I did have carpel tunnel, although I haven't had surgery for that.

After the second surgery the grocery store I worked for went bankrupt and I had to change rhematologists because of the insurance. This was a very difficult time for me since I loved my doctor and had a very good relationship with him. The new doctor I went to see told me I was deformed . I asked him about enbrel because this was the next drug I was supposed to try and he said he would not prescribe it because it was too expensive. I left there feeling worse physically as well as mentally than any time in my life. The next day I went to work at a car dealership. This job was so much easier than my old job and I could hardly handle it. I was constantly worn out. Eight months later I was laid off due to downsizing and I actually thanked God.

Luckily I have found a new doctor that I really like alot. He put me on Enbrel right away and I am being weaned off of prednisone. Even though I still have flare ups it feels like a miracle drug. I still worry about the long term use of this drug and hope it will continue to work. I'm trying to be positive. I am doing alot of soul searching lately and feel that I have grown in many ways because of this disease.

I feel very fortunate to have found this web site. Not only is it full of information that I am very interested in, It is truly inspiring to read all of the members stories and see how supportive and fun everyone is in the chat room. Thank you.