My Story

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. I'm fairly new to the group and up until now have been

just a " lurker. " I'm 26 and was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis

about 3 months ago. It's been a long and painful journey as I'm sure

all of you know. Unfortunatly, I was not diagnosed early and my

condition is severe as my rheumatologist calls it. About a year and

a half ago I dislocated my knee cap just by getting into my car. It

never got better and a couple months later my other kneecap

dislocated. So for a couple of months I had 2 dislocated kneecaps

until I had surgery on the one in Feb. 07 and the other in May 07.

My kneecaps havent dislocated since but then I still was unable to

walk without crutches and developed severe pain in both my feet,

ankles, knees, and my right elbow. I seriously thought I was going

crazy because none of my doctors could find out what was wrong with

me. Finally I saw a rheumatologist in Oct 07 and was diagnosed with

PA. I've had P since I was a little girl but had no idea that there

was such a thing as PA. I'm on Methotrexate, Voltaren,and folic acid

and am able to kind of get around with a cane. It's so hard and NO

ONE understands what it takes for me to get through each day. I am a

single mother of a six year old, work full time, go to college part

time, and am stuck living with my parents because I wouldnt be able

to get along on my own. I can't tell you how much this group's

messages mean to me. I can read these and feel like someone FINALLY

knows what its like to be me. I see the rheumy at the end of the

month (I am counting the days) so he can increase my methotrexate.

Hopefully I'll be able to walk without assistance soon and stand for

longer that 5 minutes at a time. If anyone has any helpful

suggestions Id love to hear them. If not, thanks anyway for letting

me get this off my chest. Take care!