Another newbie

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. My name is Gidget and I found out a couple months ago

that I have RA. I decided to see if there are support groups online

because I am having a hard time dealing with all of this. I am 26 and

am shocked at how much my life is changing. I have 2 beautiful kids

and a full time job (desk job that does wonders for my hands), a

husband and like everyone else a million responsibilities. I guess I

thought that if I could exchange thoughts with someone who knows what

I am going through it might help me to cope better. Some days are so

painful I can't make it through work if I even make it in at all and

I worry about losing my job. As luck would have it I found out about

the RA around the same time I found out I am up for a promotion.

Right now I am just praying they will be patient while I work on

stabilizing this and not change their mind. My husband is wonderful

and helpful but I feel bad for everything he has to make up in what I

don't have the ability to do. I have no idea how to explain to my

kids why I can't hold their hand going down the street. My ten year

old stepdaughter understands somewhat but it's harder with my 4 yr.

old. It's gotten to the point that everyday is difficult. I'm so

tired all of the time and taking 3 different medications. Is it

difficult to come to a point where the days aren't quite as painful

and energy level returns or am I stuck like this? I'm taking care of

myself and following doctor's directions. I'm exercising as much as I

can when I am able to. I don't know what I am looking for here.

Advice? Sympathy? I guess I really fear that I am looking for

sympathy because I am tired of feeling sorry for myself. Everyone I

know hears arthritis and believes that I have occasional achiness

when the weather is bad and that is aggravating because there is so

much more to deal with than that. Anyway, if there is anyone that can

help me to understand what to expect in the coming years or what I

can do to cope better now I appreciate anything that you might be

able to tell me.