Everyone has heard of Arthur Itis. In the same way that when you come from the country everyone knows someones who knows your friend or cousin, on a basis more regular than you would probably guess you have met someone with Arthur too.

In fact, most people haven’t even taken a second to consider Arthur. Have you? There are a few Arthur’s out there so I will only tell you about mine because he is the only one I know well.
Rheum Atoid Arthur Itis is his full name. This particular Arthur has been a personal friend of mine for 5 years, since I was 18. Most people aren’t familiar with him until they are over the age of 30. I guess I am just lucky in that respect. I once knew a girl who has been with him most of her life. I think she was only 4 when she was diagnosed and most of her childhood was spent in braces and probably more pain than you can imagine.

For me Arthur is a tease and a nuisance reminder of what was at an age where I shouldn’t yet have a need to reminisce. As an active little girl, I have always been much more active than my friends. Running rings around everyone else simply because the energy and the joy was there to be burned.

Until one day I woke up and my hands were burning in a cold flame for some reason. The fingers couldn’t wriggle too good, not to mention the elbows and shoulders wouldn’t extend or move at all. I wasn’t sure what had happened, or what I had done, but I lay in bed for a while wriggling the joints around until I felt strong enough to get up.

….