The Girl With Arthritis

I'm a very sensitive person. Though I can be quite sensitive emotionally, I mean this in the physical sense. Be it temperature or touch, it can be very intense. I've never really liked being touched because it can be quite painful, especially regarding my back. I can recall the favourite game among friends at age eleven being to poke me in the back when I least expected it: They liked to watch me jump. It was a cruel game, but children can be cruel. However, when I was about thirteen I had a cruel teacher. I wasn't a huge fan of her to begin with, I thought she was a bit loud and too free to share her personal opinions. That and I thought she was an idiot, but that's a story for another time. Having been so young, my teachers were told about my juvenile arthritis and all that fun stuff. Unfortunately for me, this teacher couldn't hear over her own thoughts. I think I had even brought it up with this teacher, trying to help her remember when she made us do experime...

Everyday, people everywhere make a difference in the lives of people with chronic illnesses. Even people you only encounter once for a short time can make a huge difference. What's wonderful is when people who don't have to care, do care. Today,  I'd like to call them out and thank them. Dear Mrs. W, Thank you for really taking everything I was going through into consideration when you assigned class seats. I really appreciated sitting next to the heater, in the back where no one would bother me and where I could stretch out. Dear R, Even though we're just school friends, thanks for really caring when you found out I'm chronically ill.  I was so touched at how concerned you got the first time, and all the times you become concerned now. Dear Rollercoaster Attendant, Thanks for releasing the restraint for me when I couldn't do it like everyone else. I know it's a tedious job, so thanks for not appearing annoyed at all. And a huge thanks for when y...

There aren't many times people really get what arthritis is like. But there are a rare few who do. And I can't stress how much I appreciate people like them. And I'm very lucky to have come across a few. When I was about twelve years old I had this one teacher who absolutely loved me. She was sweet one day but could be very harsh the next, so I was rather wary of her. Regardless of her mood, however, she always had a smile and word of encouragement for me. Toward January of that year, she went in for carpal tunnel surgery. It didn't sound pleasent. Whilst talking to her after the surgery when she came back to teach, she told me about how painful her wrists were. That's when I told her I have juvenile arthritis. Her reaction was that of pure "I Get It." She was so upset to hear of the arthritis. So much so that she nominated me for an international student trip! She told me "You have perfect grades and go through all that pain everyday- you deserve i...

I was taught that teachers are there to help us. And typically this is the case. Except for gym teachers.  I used to go to school with very athletic children. Naturally, gym classes were very competitive and intense. And with extremely athletic children comes extremely athletic teachers. The worst was a woman who didn't take 'I can't,' 'I'm sick,' or 'My bone is literally protruding from my skin,' as an excuse to sit out of class or to take it easy. One can only imagine the fun I had in that class: Crying after a horrible game of basketball where she kept yelling at me to push harder. Her encouraging everyone to call me names when I limped heavily. Being treated horribly by her after my doctor made it clear I am not to participate and should do special excersises instead. And my favourite; The time she made me cry of embarrassment when she pointed out how slow I am, how 'stupid' my knees look and why I'm generally inferior. What ...