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Loss of Self

Stephanie Gonzalez's avatar image

By Stephanie Gonzalez

1 min read

I was diagnosed with seronegative RA in 2019 at the age of 36.

Diagnosed with seronegative RA

What started as unusual tiredness and pain in one joint on my pinky finger turned into an awful debilitating disease.

I had to quit the job that I loved a mere 3 months after diagnosis.

I was always active with my husband and kids beforehand. We would go on walks, go bike riding, rollerblading, as well as visiting theme parks often.

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Has RA taken my identity?

As my bike and rollerblades sit untouched I have struggled to figure out who I am now. What kind of wife and mother can I manage to be?

I can keep up with my husband in a grocery store nonetheless a theme park. Coming out of the isolation of COVID I find that there aren't many things I can do.

I thought that the infusion medications would be able to bring some of that back but I've found that is simply not the case. I am trying to stay hopeful but it's difficult.

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