Today (October 12) is World Arthritis Day — a day to create awareness and show support for the millions of people who are affected by more than 100 different forms of arthritis — like me.
I was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis when I was 30 years old. One in three Americans live with one of the more than 100 different types of arthritis. It’s the leading cause of disability in the United States.
Unfortunately, there are many preconceived notions and incorrect assumptions about the disease. It’s not just “an old person’s disease.” Kids get arthritis, too!
My life was forever changed by severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Living with RA doesn’t just mean adapting to the visible physical deformities and irreversible damage that has been done to my body — chronic pain, inflammation, and fatigue are also part of living with an autoimmune disease like RA. It often results in other comorbidities (more than one chronic disease or condition is present in the same person at the same time). It’s difficult to fight off infections because your immune system is compromised.
I had to stop taking my “toxic cocktail” of methotrexate, leflunomide and weekly biologic injections when we wanted to try to start a family.
The difficulties we faced while trying to conceive resulted in irreparable damage to my body. I had both of my hips replaced in 2013 — and both knees 14 months later. I still face numerous reconstructive surgeries in the future, including restoring the collapsed arches and substantial deformities in both of my feet.
Fortunately, research into why rheumatoid arthritis attacks healthy joints and tissue has resulted in many new and exciting treatment options for RA and other autoimmune diseases.
If you or someone you know is living with or affected by arthritis, there are many resources available to help — and new and exciting treatment options available.
I invite you to visit my friends at the Arthritis Foundation to learn more — at arthritis.org.
My wife Amy and I are also dedicated to educating others when it comes specifically to fertility issues and autoimmune disease. We hope you’ll continue to follow our journey — and P.S. — Never Give Up.
#WorldArthritisDay #PSNeverGiveUp #arthritisawareness #petescalia #autoimmunedisease #arthritisfoundation #RAwarrior