Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy has got to be the best bloggers about this disease I’ve read yet. His observations, his attitude, his humanity and empathy all work together to make his writing compelling, educational and — delightfully — humorous. Laughter is truly great medicine.

Today he’s talking about “disability” — what it used to mean to him and what it means to him now, after several years of living with rheuma. Here’s a taste:

When I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I clashed against the label of “disability”. (Having just been diagnosed, this was not the only thing I was fighting against.) For all of the grief that I sometimes give others about comments suggesting that I am too young to have arthritis, I found myself doing the exact same thing to myself. “I am only in my 30’s…I am too young to have a disabling disease.” Silly me, as if disability had anything to do with age! So, along with many other aspects of my illness, I shelved any thoughts related to disability. My perception of a) who I was and b) what it meant to be disabled just did not match up in my head. (Never mind that I had completely lost the use of my left knee and was only able to walk short distances with the aid of my crutches.)

I was also diagnosed with rheuma when I was in my early 30s. I know exactly of which he speaks. Do hop over to his blog and read the rest. This is a young man with insight and wisdom beyond his years.