Exactly 10 years ago today my life changed forever. On 2nd August 2002 I was officially diagnosed with rheumatoid factor positive polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
This morning the boyfriend wished me a happy 10 year anniversary before he left for work. I realise you may find it strange for someone to use the word 'happy', or to even acknowledge it let alone celebrate the occasion as I plan to do this weekend. After all, what could possibly be happy about 10 years of pain? And you'd be right, there have been more tough times over the last decade than I can count on my crippled fingers and toes. At 14 years old I was being fed, washed, and dressed by my mum, carried by my dad, and was so unwell that I dropped down to just six and a half stone. If someone had told me back then that in 10 years time I would be able to walk and have the majority of my independence back, let alone being just nine months away from becoming a doctor, having run four marathons and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, with a boyfriend who isn't freaked out by my condition, and having just carried the Olympic flame, well...I wouldn't have believed them that's for sure.
I may still have a life long battle with this disease to contend with, but in the last 10 years I have come a long way, and THAT'S what I'm celebrating.
