My best friend, who I call "Woman" just told me some bad news. Her husband has reactive arthritis, since a few months ago. The symptoms started not long after a flu jab, and he has been getting flares since.
A myriad of thoughts and feeling went through my mind, and I just wish to hug Woman tightly, and tell her, "It is alright. You will manage".
Woman is a strong woman. She dealt with many things in her life. She is a fighter, no matter how heart broken she gets. She was the one who, as a medical student, went through my initial symptoms with me and told me I was right. I had disagreed with the doctor's diagnosis then, but was not sure if I was right. Afterall, I was still a student, unqualified yet. I was angry that my complains of swelling were ignored, and basically "shoo-ed" away. I was treated as if I was making things up. Woman told me she agreed with my own diganosis. Migrating polyarthritis. My age. Sudden onset. My fatigue. All the signs and symptoms of something nasty.
Now Woman has to go through the process. This time, the patient is her husband. She had seen her cheerful and energetic friend became quiet and tired at all times, always in pain. Now her husband goes through the same process. When we last spoke, he valiantly tried to sleep through a bad flare. This time she understands more than she did with me, but i still have to remind her that RA saps your energy. You don't even have time/energy to feel depressed, unless an event set it off. He needs all the understanding and love a of a wonderful wife to go through this tough stage.
