Both are autoimmune conditions. RA means the body to attacks the cells around the joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness, while Crohn’s is an inflammation of parts of the digestive system.She says that one of the most difficult things about living with her conditions is that people only see what is on the outside.
‘It was explained to me that Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune – before I heard this I always assumed that arthritis was caused by ‘wear and tear’. ‘Washing up actually takes a lot of finger power as you need to hold the weight of the item whilst pushing against it. ‘I have to be really careful who I socialise with and kindly tell my friends and family that I don’t want to see them if they are ill.‘I still manage to catch everything going around though and tend to get lots of colds, which almost always turn into an infection.’She takes medication, including injections to help suppress her immune system
‘A lot of my energy goes into my work. Thankfully they are really supportive and work with me to make sure I am able to continue working, by making adaptations like working from home and having the flexibility to go to all my hospital appointments. ‘I often miss the person I used to be because I feel like my life has changed so much, but my friends always tell me that I am still the same person they have always known.