What are you most proud of in your life?
What am most proud of? It would have to be the way I bounced back from being bedridden with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) at 18.
I was diagnosed at 12 years of age. It was life changing. Over the next six years it got to the point of being bed ridden. It mainly effected my feet, ankles and knees, but also effected my elbows, neck and jaw.
I can remember after a very bad period I went to see my Rheumatologist. I asked, “If I am like this at 18, what will I be like when I am older?” He told me it was better to accept this is how is it going to be forever.
Looking back I am both surprised and thankful to my 18 year old self. I looked at the specialist and said to myself you are no help to me going forward. I never went back to see him again.
From there I started researching diet and exercise for RA. I found a lot of people had success in European health clinics with fruit and vegetable juicing diets. People went in to clinics in wheelchairs and walked out off all medication two months later.
This gave me more hope than my Rheumatologist. So I dived in wholeheartedly and before long I noticed a big change. The pain reduced. The stiffness reduced. The swelling reduced.
From there I decided to strengthen my legs with cycling. I built up to 50 kilometres per day. Then I added weight training. Something I continue to this day.
Looking back I am so proud of that 18 year old young man. He could have accepted what the Rheumatologist said and stayed on a pension, but he chose to fight for a better life.
What am I most proud of? That I chose to attack Rheumatoid Arthritis and not let it win.
