Forty years ago I was told by my doctor that in five years I would be in a wheelchair due to my arthritis. I proved him wrong.
Forty years ago I was told by my doctor that in five years I would be in a wheelchair due to my arthritis. Having a young daughter I was determined to prove him wrong, there was no way I was going to miss the fun of being able to enjoy my daughters company as she grew-up.
I still have arthritis, and at times I am in pain. I am however, not in a wheelchair and able to get out for walks with my dog on a daily basis. Over the years I have tried several treatments and medications and new research is being introduced quite frequently. In fact I have learnt with help from doctors, specialists and the Arthritis Society how to live a full live in spite of the pain.
My local hospital runs on a regular time frame every year, a series of three seminars each two hours long. These seminars cover everything from diagnosis, pain management, and nutrition and weight control.
By the end of the program I had a good working knowledge of arthritis from a medical perspective, the medications most often used. I also learnt the importance of exercise and knowledge of different models of treatments which gave me control over my live and allowed me to live a full life.
Over the next two weeks we will learn about the different types of arthritis and how they affect our bodies and then we will learn about the medications and treatments.
