I am 30 and was diagnosed with RA at 24. I began having symptoms at 22 and refused to go the doctor because of my fear of finding out what was wrong w/ me. When I did go to doctor's to find out what was wrong, NO ONE could figure out what the problem was, when all it would have taken was a simple blood test. By the time I did go to the doctor, my body was as stiff as a board, literally,  I could barely get out the car to walk to the entrance. Every single joint had locked up and stiffened.

I've had 3 surgeries on my left hand, 1 on my right, the most recent being joint replacement of the knuckles of my left hand along with wrist fusion on 9/23/10, best surgery I ever had!

My goal in life is to start a second career in medicine, working to become a doctor as either a medical examiner, anatomical pathologist professor or infectious disease specialist.