Re: Younger people with ra/arthritis or disease

August 31, 2008

When my Rheumy diagnosed me finally he said, " What you are

suffering from is Rheumatoid Disease. " I asked him if that was

related to R. arthritis and he told me that the arthritis is only a

portion of it. He prefers to call it a disease because it affects the

body, not just the joints. My parents and husband seem to understand

that but my in-laws sure don't. They are, um, quite insensitive.

I am only 40 and that isn't nearly as young as what I have

been reading on this thread. When asked what is wrong with me and i

tell...3/4 of the time I'm told, Ah, honey, you are too young for

that, your Dr. is wrong. You just need a different Dr. " This is why

I could never work at Walmart. I don't handle stupid people well at

all. A guy in his 50s said that to me lately in a very

condescending tone and I snapped. Asked him if he is really that

stupid or does he have to work at it? Rude of me, i know, but it sure

shut him up and that's one more person that won't say that to me

again!

>

> Clora:

>

> The reason why they call certain types of Arthritis autoimmune

diseases is because an autoimmune disease occurs when the immune

sysztem malfunctions. In arthritis, the immune system thinks that

the body is a foreign invader, and wrongly tries to get rid of that

invader, thus get rid of itself. This is, of course, a very simple

explanation, but there it is... When that happens, then we have

things like bone loss, joint deformity, etc, all because our immune

systems are ramped up way to high and are out of control. That's why

we take drugs to calm our immune systems down.

>

> --

> Dodge

>

September 1, 2008

Are you a New Yorker???

Just asking and don't mean to be offensive..I AM a New Yorker!! Sounds like

something you'd hear here :-)

Dorothy

_____

From: [mailto: ] On

Behalf Of tombstone1968

Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 12:55 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Younger people with ra/arthritis or disease

When my Rheumy diagnosed me finally he said, " What you are

suffering from is Rheumatoid Disease. " I asked him if that was

related to R. arthritis and he told me that the arthritis is only a

portion of it. He prefers to call it a disease because it affects the

body, not just the joints. My parents and husband seem to understand

that but my in-laws sure don't. They are, um, quite insensitive.

I am only 40 and that isn't nearly as young as what I have

been reading on this thread. When asked what is wrong with me and i

tell...3/4 of the time I'm told, Ah, honey, you are too young for

that, your Dr. is wrong. You just need a different Dr. " This is why

I could never work at Walmart. I don't handle stupid people well at

all. A guy in his 50s said that to me lately in a very

condescending tone and I snapped. Asked him if he is really that

stupid or does he have to work at it? Rude of me, i know, but it sure

shut him up and that's one more person that won't say that to me

again!

September 1, 2008

--- In , " tombstone1968 " <tombstone1968@...>

wrote:

>When asked what is wrong with me and i

> tell...3/4 of the time I'm told, Ah, honey, you are too young for

> that, your Dr. is wrong. You just need a different Dr. " This is why

> I could never work at Walmart. I don't handle stupid people well at

> all. A guy in his 50s said that to me lately in a very

> condescending tone and I snapped. Asked him if he is really that

> stupid or does he have to work at it? Rude of me, i know, but it sure

> shut him up and that's one more person that won't say that to me

> again!

I can SO relate...I work retail and I swear, with every passing year, I

get worse at tolerating stupidity! Not knowing something is never

anything to be ashamed of, but not caring to inform yourself when

reality bites you is ridiculous. Last winter I was in a bad way with

all this RA crap but was still able to (barely) function at work. I was

just put on the register a lot, that I could manage but not much else.

Without really thinking about it, I was massaging my hands a lot to

help the pain. I'd get older folk asking me if I hurt my hand.....when

I would say no, arthritis is acting up, they would tell me quite

pointedly that I was too young for arthritis. At first it annoyed the

crap out of me, but I figured out a way to come back and not be nasty

like I was feeling lol. I would just put on my best surprised face,

look them right in the eye and say, " Really? Because my doctor says

that even infants get some of the over 140 types of arthritis, and that

I am lucky this type hit me so late in my life! " It just confused them

into silence, which made me happy. One or two intelligent folk asked a

question or two because they truely didn't know and were open to

learning, and I really respect that. But the idiots stay idiots by and

large, and that's OK too, just don't talk to me about it!!

September 1, 2008

Nah, just a crabby central Illinois housewife. My husband often says

of my people tolerance and mouth that I am not fit to work around

women, children, and clergy. That is a sad thing for a woman but,

hey, I have a knack for needling people. Shoot, sometimes they laugh

with me, sometimes I laugh alone. ;-)

It's the little things in life that make it enjoyable!

Dalanne

>

> Are you a New Yorker???

>

> Just asking and don't mean to be offensive..I AM a New Yorker!!

Sounds like

> something you'd hear here :-)

>

> Dorothy

>

> _____

>

> From: [mailto:RA-

SUPPORT ] On

> Behalf Of tombstone1968

> Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 12:55 AM

>

> Subject: [ ] Re: Younger people with ra/arthritis or

disease

>

> When my Rheumy diagnosed me finally he said, " What you are

> suffering from is Rheumatoid Disease. " I asked him if that was

> related to R. arthritis and he told me that the arthritis is only a

> portion of it. He prefers to call it a disease because it affects

the

> body, not just the joints. My parents and husband seem to

understand

> that but my in-laws sure don't. They are, um, quite insensitive.

>

> I am only 40 and that isn't nearly as young as what I have

> been reading on this thread. When asked what is wrong with me and i

> tell...3/4 of the time I'm told, Ah, honey, you are too young for

> that, your Dr. is wrong. You just need a different Dr. " This is why

> I could never work at Walmart. I don't handle stupid people well at

> all. A guy in his 50s said that to me lately in a very

> condescending tone and I snapped. Asked him if he is really that

> stupid or does he have to work at it? Rude of me, i know, but it

sure

> shut him up and that's one more person that won't say that to me

> again!

>

September 1, 2008

and group;

HAAAAAAAAA I worked public one time. I am timid about telling people

off, however; after a while I lost it and told someone off. He said

your crazy lady. He told my boss, but my boss knew i took all i

could. haaaaaaaaaa.

hugs

Clora

>

> >When asked what is wrong with me and i

> > tell...3/4 of the time I'm told, Ah, honey, you are too young

for

> > that, your Dr. is wrong. You just need a different Dr. " This is

why

> > I could never work at Walmart. I don't handle stupid people well

at

> > all. A guy in his 50s said that to me lately in a very

> > condescending tone and I snapped. Asked him if he is really that

> > stupid or does he have to work at it? Rude of me, i know, but it

sure

> > shut him up and that's one more person that won't say that to me

> > again!

>

> I can SO relate...I work retail and I swear, with every passing

year, I

> get worse at tolerating stupidity! Not knowing something is never

> anything to be ashamed of, but not caring to inform yourself when

> reality bites you is ridiculous. Last winter I was in a bad way

with

> all this RA crap but was still able to (barely) function at work.

I was

> just put on the register a lot, that I could manage but not much

else.

> Without really thinking about it, I was massaging my hands a lot

to

> help the pain. I'd get older folk asking me if I hurt my

hand.....when

> I would say no, arthritis is acting up, they would tell me quite

> pointedly that I was too young for arthritis. At first it annoyed

the

> crap out of me, but I figured out a way to come back and not be

nasty

> like I was feeling lol. I would just put on my best surprised

face,

> look them right in the eye and say, " Really? Because my doctor

says

> that even infants get some of the over 140 types of arthritis, and

that

> I am lucky this type hit me so late in my life! " It just confused

them

> into silence, which made me happy. One or two intelligent folk

asked a

> question or two because they truely didn't know and were open to

> learning, and I really respect that. But the idiots stay idiots by

and

> large, and that's OK too, just don't talk to me about it!!

>

September 2, 2008

I hear that all too often. I'm 23, was diagnosed at age 16. I

actually did work for walmart for 7 years, and it was horrible (did

damage to my shoulders and hands lifting freight when I shouldn't

have). I also HATE shopping at walmart and parking in the handicapped

spots there, some days I look handicapped (limping, stiff, etc) some

days I don't, however my Dr wants me to not walk too far even if I'm

feeling decent because of hurting my joints. I've had WAY too many

people at walmart follow me through the parking lot asking about what

is wrong with me and calling me things like " handicapped whore " and

things like that. Quite annoying. Usually when people look at me and

say " you don't look handicapped " I reply back " thank you!! you just

made my day:) " with a big smile. That usually shuts them up.

~Autumn M

September 2, 2008

Autumn,

I like your " You just made my day " response. The looks are one reason I have

never asked the dr for a handicapped parking. I don't normally go anywhere

unless I know I can park close or sit in the car. I'm scared of going out and

not being able to make it back. Paris

[ ] Re: Younger people with ra/arthritis or disease

I hear that all too often. I'm 23, was diagnosed at age 16.. I