Take Control

Back in the 70's and well into the 90's CAD or computer aided design was unheard of. Architectural drawings and plans were done manually. Being an architect I had an array of drafting pens, pencils, triangles, T-square, scale and oh yes, drafting table, to be able to do my craft. The work was long and tedious. There were times that I draft for hours on end. My hands were almost always stiff. I had trouble folding my hands which was a problem for I play the piano at the church service on Sundays. At first the stiffness were negligible but as I grew older, I find that the stiffness became painful. One day the pain drove me to see a doctor. A series of tests were done and I was diagnosed to be on the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

What is RA? RA is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, patients may experience long periods without symptoms and lead a fairly normal life. I take Celebrex on a regular basis and it helps manage RA. I keep hands mobile and active and these do eliminate the stiffness. I am glad that there are more drugs available for the disease now. More women are affected by RA and untreated, these afflicted women would not even be able to do housework. If I were to do an ad for RA I would probably say Don't let RA rule you. Take control of this highly manageable disease. See your doctor today.