Our Community
Find an Arthritis Walk event near you
Share Your Story
Your Stories
Ruby Northcutt, 36
Anderson, IN
Over the past few years I have undergone many injections, epidurals, and rhyzotomies to no avail in my back, neck and hip. When the muscle spasms started back in 2003, I thought I was lifting too much and just needed to cut back. Boy was I wrong. The spasms soon turned to very bad pain. It was first my lower back and my left hip (bursitis). So my pain manager gave me injections and all seemed to be well for about a week. He thought I was crazy when I called the next week and said the injections were no longer effective. He tried a series of others but they failed also.
I have a few different types of arthritis in my spine and neck, markers for RA and Fibromyalgia, which was found just recently. I knew there was more to the pain than what they were telling me. I had numerous medical tests done, and of course all came back normal. Then my pain manager requested I go see a counselor because he thought maybe I was bringing on all the pain myself. He thought I was crazy, maybe too stressed out, maybe wanting attention. I was so insulted and hurt. I reluctantly went and was diagnosed as being sane, and REALLY having pain. I have to say that was one for me! From all the seven or so specialists I was seeing, the rheumatologist was the one who I asked about Fibromyalgia. She said I had the pressure points, but to just keep doing what my pain manager had me doing, and I should be fine.
I am only 36, and I used to be in great shape. Now it is all I can do to get out of bed, turn my head, open a jar, turn on the shower, tie my shoes, or pick up something off the bottom shelf at the store. I struggle through the day with the hope that I can figure something out that will make me feel better. I recently became active with the Arthritis Foundation and am looking forward to learning as much as I can. For me, I am not going to take this lying down. I have a lot of life ahead of me, and will not submit my future to this thing we call arthritis!
