Kak Long (not her real name), 43, has had rheumatoid arthritis for nearly 10 years now.
Her fingers and wrists are stiff and uncomfortable in the mornings. Her toes are a bit crooked and she has calluses on her feet.
Her knees are slightly swollen, as are many of the small joints of her knuckles. Things people take for granted, such as sleeping, bathing, brushing teeth, getting dressed, preparing meals and driving, are extremely challenging.
When she sleeps, she needs to shift from side to side because her shoulders become sore after half an hour. When she wakes up, she has to sit up slowly and carefully get to her feet as her knees are particularly stiff in the mornings.
She slowly makes her way to the kitchen and prepares coffee and packed lunches for her two primary school-aged children. With breakfast, she takes her medication. Then it’s time for her morning ablutions.
Using the toilet can be challenging, so she has added a raised plastic toilet seat to avoid straining her joints when sitting down and getting up.
An electric toothbrush does a better job with her teeth than she can do herself. Her arthritis is complicated by severe dryness of the mouth, also known as Sjogren’s syndrome, which makes her susceptible to tooth decay. She visits the dentist regularly, and brushes and flosses every day.
The syndrome also causes dryness in her eyes, so she applies artificial tears throughout the day to maintain normal moisture and prevent discomfort.
She showers while waiting for the medication to kick in, preferring it warm as it helps her joints loosen up. She is very careful entering and leaving the shower because the instability of her legs puts her at risk of falling.
Getting dressed is again challenging, so she chooses clothing that does not require much buttoning. Most of her blouses are pullovers or have Velcro attachments.
Her bra is fastened in front and then reversed, or she asks her husband to fasten it for her. Her pants have elastic waistbands that do not require buttoning or zipping. She dresses for comfort and not for fashion.
Kak Long likes to exercise lightly every day, and starts with a variety of stretching to loosen up. Then she either pedals a stationary bike or goes for a walk. Once a week, she uses her condo pool to swim.
Exercise makes her feel good and offers her some sense of control over her body.
As with any family, her household chores are endless. She makes use of vacuum-cleaner attachments for places that are hard to reach. Their doors have lever-style handles instead of knobs, which are easier for her to turn.
When she cooks, she uses special silicone grips on the handles of pots and pans. She has an electric can opener that is kind to her weak fingers.
Her family eats salmon often, which her husband cooks on the grill. Her doctor says fish oil reduces some of the inflammation in her joints.
She takes her evening medication with dinner. Everyone pitches in with washing the dishes by helping to load and unload the dishwasher.
After dinner, the kids do their homework. She and her husband are frequently called upon to assist with some subjects, especially maths.
Afterwards, the family watches television for an hour, and then it’s time for bed. The children are tucked in with a kiss.
It is clear that despite her condition, she lives a normal life with her kind and supportive family. Kak Long encourages people to get checked as soon as possible if they experience any symptoms of arthritis, as taking the proper medication helps to reduce inflammation and get the disease under control.
TELEME Healing Life Stories is a collection of inspirational stories of how ordinary people triumph over their health conditions and recover to lead a healthier life after that. Feel free to email [email protected] to share your story.
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