Disability?

Thank you so much cause I have always worked and worked hard I always had two jobs at one time and now it hurts me so bad just to pick up my 8 month old son. I just found this site last night and I love it cause I dont know anyone who has R.A and it is nice to be able to talk with other people who understand the pain of everyday life. I am still trying to understand why me I am still so young. My boyfriend doesnt understand why I have to take pain killers he doenst understand how much pain I am in sometimes he treats me like some kind of drug addict when before this I never took anything for pain. I tried to tell him that the pills dont get me high they just help with the pain.

There are a couple of posts that may help to make people understand your pain.  I wrote one a little while ago about taking meds for the pain and Karen Lee Richards over on our Chronic Pain site wrote a letter to family and friends that offers a great idea for really making people understand.

It's hard to adjust to having this kind of illness and if you're able, I would recommend counseling, especially if you can find somebody who practices cognitive therapy. It teaches you different ways of thinking about yourself, the world and you with a chronic illness and it can be very helpful. You can also direct your boyfriend to our area about the basics of RA, which may give him some more insight into the disease and you can check out our area for the newly diagnosed where there are posts on a number of different aspects of living with RA, e.g., relationships and parenting.

Hang in there. It's not always this hard. Once you get your RA treated, you'll start to feel better - although you'll probably always have some level of pain, it will become easier to live with it.

I really loved those letters I am going some where to print them out because I dont have a printer but you are very helpful! Also you are right people dont get it maybe that letter will help!