If given the choice, would you rather live your life never having an ability or having an ability then loosing it?
“In 1986, I was diagnosed with Severe Crippling Poly-articulate Rheumatoid Arthritis. At the time of my diagnosis, I was physically strong, independent, athletic and 21 years old ...”
Typically when I’m asked to speak at an event or fundraiser, I open with something similar to the words above to give the audience a glimpse of who I was and my age at the time of onset. I then give information about the severity of my arthritis and share personal experiences of how the disease has affected my life as an individual, wife and mother.
Being diagnosed at the age of 21, I have spent my adult life facing challenges and battling this disease. While arthritis has not been good to me, I have always been grateful that my onset came during my adult years rather than as a child. Although my physical losses have been difficult, I feel fortunate to be able to reflect back on a relatively healthy childhood.
One of my young adult groups has had numerous discussions about adult onset versus juvenile onset. We’ve shared our views and opinions based on personal experiences, yet we have never been able to determine if one is worse than the other.
Some of my friends who were diagnosed at young ages feel they did not experience a physical loss because they never felt like they had the abilities to begin with. To them, the physical side has never existed so it’s not missed.
For those diagnosed as young adults, it’s entirely different. They experienced losses and feel sadness [not pity] for children who are limited and do not have the freedom to play as they did.
Share your thoughts. What is your experience and opinion? Do you believe arthritis at any age is bad or is one age group worse than the other? When responding, please include your age when diagnosed.
