One man’s story of how RA has given him

a new direction in life

07/05/09: Phil Jackson

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis two and a half years ago. Before I discovered what was wrong with me I was fit, running a football team, playing squash with my, then, 12 year old son and thinking of going self employed.

My plans went out the window when I started to wake up in the morning wishing I was dead because of the sheer pain I had come to experience. The time it took for anyone to finally tell me what was wrong with me felt like a life-time. They thought I had gout, and one doctor even told me it was my age and recent career change ....... thanks for that. Things got worse, and I finally saw a consultant who told me 'I 'm sorry to tell you Mr Jackson, you have rheumatoid arthritis’, relief was not the word.

After various visits with long breaks in between I'm now taking an anti-TNF treatment, along with 20mg of methotrexate, 75mg fentanyl patches, folic acid, sulphasalazine, oxycodone tablets, ranitidine and indomethacin, plus various other things. That’s all well and good for the body, BUT ....... nobody thinks to try and sort out the things going on in peoples’ minds. For the love of God, you have just been told you have a disease that eats away at you for the rest of your life, so go home with all your medicine and see you next time, CHEERS! Then, you have to explain to everyone you know why you look, feel and carry on like a man aged 90! So I would like to see if I can help in some small way, as I am now coming to terms with this animal. I have changed my career as I could not do my job as a joiner anymore. I'm now back at college training to become an adult education tutor. It's hard work at the moment, but I will get through as I'm enjoying the support I've received on this college course.