Guest guest Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 I was diagnosed with RA about 2 1/2 years ago and told only my very closest friends for a long time. It was obvious that something was wrong because my feet were very affected and I walked very slowly and with an obvious limp for a long time. For many months I would tell my coworkers that I just messed up my foot - after about a year or so, many people just stopped asking. The reason why I didn't say what I had is because I am a professional musician and RA can obviously affect your ability to play. Luckily mine is mainly in my feet and only once in a great while are my hands affected. Because of this stigma and my own uncertainty about how to deal with this, I didn't feel comfortable telling people of the diagnosis. But now things are much more stable and if asked directly what is wrong with me, I do tell people I have arthritis in my foot. Most people don't know the difference between osteo and rheumatoid and usually I don't bother to go into details. Because I am relatively young and healthy looking, people are usually taken aback, but very supportive. I think given a chance, most people are very understanding and extremely supportive. But for your own sake, you may want to take your time and let yourself digest the news before you start telling those around you. good luck. gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 Hi , Sorry I'm a little delayed in responding but I wanted to share my experience. When I was diagnosed in 1999 I was in my last semester of college. When I finally got a diagnosis, I told people, mostly because it was a small campus & they had seen me struggling around campus, but I wasn't entirely convinced I had arthritis. After graduating I moved back home for 6 months. When I finally was able to work again, I didn't tell my employer because I didn't want it to be used against me. As I started to understand my arthritis and my limitations, I told more people about my it. In November 2002, the local paper did an article about my arthritis, my path to diagnosis, and my fundraising for the Bermuda marathon. Then I couldn't hide from it! People were so surprised to learn I had arthritis that I became the local "authority" on doctors/HMOs/etc. People have come to me asking what arthritis feels like, and how to get their doctor to listen to them. In fact, the article received so much great feedback, the paper still has it on their website! As many of you know, in August I learned my position was "downsizing". When I was hired by my current employer (in the same town) they knew all about my arthritis, but they hired me because of the work I had done with my former job. My current emplyer is very understanding of my limitations. Unlike most people, I am more energetic in the AM (after my long hot shower), I ebb around 3pm, and am falling asleep by 9pm if I sit still too long so I schedule my meetings in the late AM or early afternoon. I don't know if that answers your question (I ramble alot). Take care, Steph in VA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > I have a question: I was diagnosed about a month ago with RA, and > > have been feeling the stages of grief associated with a new > > diagnosis. I'm feeling better now, but the past month was tough -- > > more snippy with people, and sad and angry. I'm worried that I may > > have been showing this distress at work. What makes it harder is > > that I work in an organization that helps people with a disease > > similar to RA, and the constant exposure at work, and not feeling > > like I could tell people at work what I was going through, didn't > > help me emotionally. My workplace is great, I just hesitate to >bring > > in my personal life, or health, when I don't need to. > > > > So, I guess I'm wondering how you've coped with workplace > > communication as it relates to your disease. Did you wait until you > > had to make workplace accomodations, tell a few people, or just > > be "up-front" about it right away? > > > > Hope this is clear as mud. :-) > > > > Crave some Miles or Grateful Dead? Your old favorites are always playing on MSN Radio Plus. Trial month free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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