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I believe that very few people are fortunate enough to get through this life without a little sorrow or some misfortune.
The day everything changed
My arthritis began in 1994 with a stiff neck and a fairly mild pain in the balls of my feet. The pain gradually worsened so I made an appointment with my GP. I was probably a complete stranger to him because of my good health. As soon as I described my symptoms he explained that it sounded like rheumatoid arthritis.
Staying silent
To say that I was in shock was an understatement. My future was flashing in front of my eyes. I feared that I would lose my job and that my wife and children would be homeless because I would not be able to pay the mortgage.
I kept all my concerns to myself and did not tell my wife about what was going on in my head. I felt that there was no point in us both panicking. I did not understand how I could be so healthy and get such a debilitating disease. I ate well, cycled over 600 miles per month and worked full-time as a factory manager.
Later on I discovered that rheumatoid arthritis ran in our family. I knew nothing then of self-help groups or where to turn for help and information and the Internet was still in its infancy.
Taking control
I tried a whole range of medication in the 10 years that followed. Then it occurred to me that I could take more control of my arthritis through changes to my lifestyle. I began exercising for 30 minutes every morning and kept a log of my diet, weight and exercise. I replaced junk food with fish and fruit and vegetables, and drank green tea instead of beer (most of the time, anyway). I felt that I had to be in the best possible condition to win this battle.
It is great to have reduced my medication and feel I have beaten my arthritis. It is just like a bad memory and, for now, I can enjoy swinging from the trees with my grandchildren.
Dennis Rooney from Northern Ireland is now 62. He was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when he was 46.
