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I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when I was 13 years old. It was hard as I had no one really to talk to about it, and taking the medication was such a strain. But I made sure it never stopped me from doing what I wanted to do.
In my twenties my condition became very aggressive, and I had to stop my nursing training. This was very hard as I had started to set up my own life, but I had to go back home and be hospitalised to recover from my relapse. I hated having RA; I became very depressed. I felt like a freak because my joints had started to change in their appearance and I became very self-conscious.
Global travels
After I recovered from the relapse, I went travelling – which was the best thing ever, my joints calmed down and I felt so good. But when I came home it all went downhill: the cartilage in my knees became very worn and I ended up in a wheelchair as I was unable to walk very far and it was very painful. I looked like I had become shorter too, as my knees were constantly bent to compensate for the changes my body was going through. I was in so much pain – and my moods were really low.
My family were amazing at keeping me positive and my doctors were great. I ended up having two knee replacements at 25, which was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I was able to stand up straight and back to my normal height – and the best thing was that I was in no pain.
Looking ahead
I am 28 now and have recently had both my elbows replaced as they went the same way as my knees. I was scared about the operations but I would never look back. This illness will never take control of me; instead I will take control of my illness. I still get self-conscious about the way my body looks with the scars from the operation and the way my hands have become disfigured. But I am also very happy with the person I have become due to this illness.
Chantelle Folley
