Anne

[Guest guest]

(((((((((((((((Anne))))))))))))))))

Hi there, I know we haven’t “met” yet but I wanted to send you a big hug and

say welcome to the group and I’m so sorry you have to be here. I also found

this group when I was first diagnosed (about 18 months ago), and it helped

me enormously to understand what was going on with my body and mind. You

will find this is a safe place to come for information, support and

friendship and whatever you are going through there will be someone with a

similar experience and a bunch of people who really care. I remember being

really scared at first too, I don’t have children yet and I even questioned

my right to have one with the chance of them getting one of these diseases.

After much soul searching I decided I was still really happy to have the

privilege of being in this world and I love life, even with RA – so I’m

really glad my mother didn’t make that choice for me. I think that by the

time your daughter is old enough for it to affect her (if it ever does –

there is a good chance it won’t) then we will hopefully have a cure by then.

It sounds like your doctor is taking the right steps to helping you get a

diagnosis, please don’t be surprised if your tests don’t exactly conform to

an “official” RA diagnosis – it’s a difficult disease to diagnose and there

is a lot of controversy surrounding the tests used to diagnose. I have RF

negative RA but was diagnosed on the symptoms I was having and other tests

that were off the charts like ESR and CRP.

It is true that with the right medications you could live a very normal life

again. I work full time, exercise and still socialize a lot – I have a few

more limitations than before mainly due to fatigue and the occasional flare

up, but my life definitely hasn’t fallen apart like I originally thought it

would. Once the medications kicked in I was amazed and relieved to realize

that you can still have a life with RA. I consider myself very lucky as my

RA does not seem to be as aggressive as some of our members and it was

diagnosed relatively soon.

So we aren’t strangers here’s a quick intro! I’m 26 years old, South

African, live in Mauritius with my husband n (who is French-Mauritian)

and our 21 hunting dogs (n hunts not me! Though the dogs are both our

babies). We don’t have children yet but are trying.

I’ll be away for 10 days on holiday but look forward to getting to know you

on my return.

Take care,

Heidi

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[Guest guest]

Thank you Judy. I had a talk with my hubby about the problem and he

said he would help out more around the house and stop expecting me to

do everything. I just hope he sticks to his words. My mother has also

offered to come over one day a week to look after the kid and help

out with a few chores while I rest. I think that is what spooked my

hubby into shape. I think he sees that if a woman with schleroderma

(although it seems to be in remission or slowing down alot the last

few months) can come over and tidy, then he can do it to!

Thank goodness for mothers!

Anne