I have arthritis. Yes, I'm 26. No I'm not "awfully young to have arthritis." In fact, I was diagnosed at 18. My mother was diagnosed somewhere around 15. It's called psoriatic arthritis. Because, evidently, my psoriasis got lonely- it was working a solo gig from 7th grade up until the fall of my freshman year of college.
Psoriasis makes my life annoying. Arthritis can make my life difficult. It can also make me feel like I'm on trial. Like when my boss demands to know why I'm not using a speed icer to base-ice cakes. It makes my right hand turn into the hamburger-helper glove the next day, that's why. When I simply state "it flares my arthritis. I'm sorry." (my sarcasm isn't appreciated at work) he looks at me like I'm lying and asks with raised eyebrow in a voice saturated with skepticism, "Really?" "No, actually I just don't like the way it looks. I want it to take me a full 45 seconds longer to ice your precious cakes."
Even my trainer, Anne, gives the knee-jerk, "Aren't you too young for that?" *Sigh* Sweetie, I know you're 22 and kind of, well naive and maybe even a little dumb, but this is your job. I told you three months ago that I have psoriatic arthritis. I said, "treat me like I don't have it until I speak up." So when I say "The humidity is making me flare" why do you look at me like I have three heads??
I'm not asking that everyone know that young and old alike can suffer from this disease. I guess it isn't common knowledge yet. But if it comes up in conversation, could you at least refrain from treating me like a liar?
Sorry. Just needed to vent.
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