Dear Roy -

Welcome!

It is often a shock for people to get this new diagnosis, and quite
normal to be frightened of the implications. It took me a couple of
years to reach more of an acceptance stage. It also took awhile to learn
about the disease, to try various treatment options, and finally to
settle into a routine of treatment and self-care. You'll develop skills
to handle the minimal time that the doctors have. Be sure to write down
your questions before your appointment. Hang in there - you'll get
through this initial period.

If you live in the United States, there are three organizations you might
want to check into: The Arthritis Foundation, The National Psoriasis
Foundation, and, if your spine is affected, the Spondylitis Association
of America. They have a lot of info and resources to share. They all
have websites so you can get started.

PA can span quite a range in terms of severity. For some, it hardly
slows them down at all. For others it can be very debilitating. I think
we're on the edge of a lot of new medical breakthroughs, both in western
medicine as well as in alternative medicine approaches. If you had to
get PA, this is a pretty good time in history compared to my
grandfather's day. He lived on a bottle of aspirin per day! So,
regarding your question about disability, it all depends on how much it
impacts your life and your ability to work. This may change over time.
It's very difficult to predict.

This is a pretty general response to your note. Let us know if you have
more specific questions. Best wishes to you!

Kathryn





On Mon, 02 Jun 2003 16:32:28 -0000 "fivenecks" <bostic007@...>
writes:
> Hi everyone
>
> I have just been told that i have Psoriatic-Arthritis which is a big
>
> shock to me and i cannot get my head around it yet.
>
> what i would like to know if this is a disability or at what stage
> would it be, as i am not getting the answers that i want. And the
> specialists cannot wait to get you out of the room ready for the
> next case.
>
> So i am introducing myself now before i go to work and will be back
> soon.
>
> regards
>
> Roy
>
>
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