Let me introduce you to Tigger. Here he is - Tigger is my trusty walking stick - with attitude. When it was plain I needed that kind of support, I wanted one that was not regular grey issue. So he came to live with me. Delighted to say that I've very recently had to speak to Tigger and tell him that, for the time being, he's retired, alleluia!One of the well known sayings about inflammatory arthritis is that: it may not kill you but it can take your life. Sadly, this is true for some suffers. Amongst typical manifestations are exhaustion, fatigue, pain and inflammation. It's a condition that cannot always be seen by onlookers, or even carers, but it can be devastating, especially in a 'flare'. A flare may range from being utterly debilitating, with one or more joints inflamed, to finding it tough getting about, particularly first thing in the morning, to just feeling out of sorts. In a severe attack sometimes the sufferer just wants to withdraw from life.
If you suffer from a chronic illness, knowing about it can help. Knowing, too, where you can turn for support will also help. Here on the Island, we have a terrific arthritis team made up of Drs, Consultants, Special Arthritic Nurse Ellen, OT Mandy, Pharmacist, Physio, Podiatrist (Hope I've not missed anyone off). They offer a course about Arthritis, which is full of all kinds of information. It's one afternoon a week for six weeks. I have learned so much, and that knowledge is very empowering. Diagnosis for Psoriatic Arthritis happened about 6 years ago, and had this opportunity been available all that time ago, I may have been better equipped to cope. Big Big Thank You to the SAS Team.
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