NEWBIE & Newly Diagnosed

[Guest guest]

Hey all, been lurking a few days. Diagnosed yesterday morning, and

quite honestly, never saw it coming. Head is currently spinning and

just woke up from a 3 hour nap, gotta love that feeling.

My name is , I am a 36 yo wife of 18years and mother to a 7

and 2, 2 year old boys. I am a nurse and work part time from home

auditing hospital charts, a desk job, and part time 1-3 days a week

at a local drs office, neither is horribly demanding and allows me

alot of time for my kiddos.

I have had variable symptoms ever since I got strep/mono 7 years

ago but nothing anyone or any doctor could put their finger on,

including cycling fatigue, fevers, infections, and feet pain, after a

while I just quit going to the doctor or saying anything because I

was starting to be treated like a " whiny female " as they are known in

the business. This last year the pain in my feet has almost

incapacitated me, rising to stand and walking is soooo painful. 3

positive bones scans and dx of " repetitive stress fractures " 2 ortho

drs later I wind up at a foot surgeon who on a hunch does a RA panel

and lowe and behold, its 117. I guess the rest is history now. Am

awaiting an appt with area rheumatologist whom everyone sings praises

about. I live in Columbia MO.

Mostly relieved to have a reason for all the weird stuff, and

also very angry at what I percieve as my body failing me, I am not a

grouchy, pessimistic person by nature but I am allowing myself a

little time to sulk. I didnt wait all those years to adopt my boys

not to be able to hardly play with them some days.

Hey guys, thanx for letting me vent, husband dosnt understand

ramifications yet, his family, I don't think ever will God love em.

Will probly mostly lurk and ask questions as I think of them, I

have so much to learn.