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Persevering with arthritis – Spencer Ward
I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2003. I was studying a Geography degree at university and was just 23.
It had a massive effect on me and my studies and I was unable to attend field trips, missing out on core parts of the course and instead taking up alternative, individual assignments.
I missed a lot of lectures because I was very stiff and moving was very painful. I wanted to stay in a warm, comfortable bed. I became isolated and depressed and started to lose my self-esteem. I was becoming self-conscious about the arthritis and frustrated. I felt older than my years. Two treatments were withdrawn because of side effects, which started to worry me more.
Finding a treatment
I moved to Leeds in 2007 and started going to the rheumatology clinic at Chapel Allerton. The staff have been thorough, really understanding and dedicated to helping me try treatments, such as Methotrexate and Humira. It’s an all-round fantastic clinic.
I have been working supporting disabled people (particularly people with learning difficulties) for the last few years. This work can be quite physically demanding.
At the end of each day (in one role), I would ache a lot, be in pain, feel very tired and have swollen joints. In spite of support from medication and colleagues in the daytime, I would often go to bed the minute I got home. This left me with a very limited social life.
One manager refused to accept that my condition was a disability or that my choices were limited by it. He said that arthritis was not a disability and that they did not have to implement reasonable adjustments for me. He was wrong on several levels and did not see me curled up in a warm bed as soon as I got home from work. This is an example of misconception.
Thankfully, my colleagues were great and helped me in the parts of my job that I struggled with. They all recognised that arthritis was a disability and could see how it affected me.
Bouncing back
Over the next few years, I managed my arthritis better and took up swimming, other sports and yoga. It was still debilitating in winter months but things have improved greatly.
The constant stiffness, tiredness, swollen joints and pain still depress me. I find I get embarrassed even by small things – like people shaking my hand too hard when I meet them, which makes me wince.
I still lack confidence in taking part in sport, but I try to push myself. I am much more positive about things now.
Spencer Ward
