I have been living with rheumatoid arthritis for nearly 12 years now, it has been a roller coaster ride of epic proportions, going from a terrific high, when medication has worked and made me feel alive again, to the depths of despair when the drugs no longer have the upper hand and life once more sinks to a depressing low. throughout all this life goes on and being a very positve person normally I keep telling myself to dust myself down pick myself up and start all over again! How exactly do we achieve this you ask? Well I acknowledge that it is not easy so here are a few things i stick to -

1. Be kind to youself, not in a destructive self indulgent way but in a positive one i.e. eat good food, full of vitamins and minerals, things which you enjoy and know are good for you.
    
2. Think hard about how to simplify your life on an everyday basis e.g. is furniture in the easiest position for you to get around? Can you honestly say the chair you sit on is good for you? If you work round your house a few changes might make all the difference without costing money.
    
3. Keep your independance as much as you can, this more than anything helps me stay happy, I am not afraid to ask for help when I need it but I am determined to keep on keeping on.
    
4. Consider the benefits of silk underwear! No i am not joking! It's the slippy effect that makes it easier when dressing! and is another example of being good to yourself, it makes you feeel nice and thanks to the internet you can source it cheaply and easily like many other things. (I hate getting exhausted in the effort to get dressed before I am due to go out).
    
5. However down you feel, take the time to keep up your interests and develop new ones I get most depressed when I allow myself to do nothing all the time.
    
6. Stay in touch with your friends they will stick around if they are real friends.

This might all seem rather obvious but I find it is good to keep remembering. It has helped me over the years to adapt to a house move, a divorce and loss of employment but it has also helped me to say yes to a trip to new york for a wedding (something I never thought I would manage but I did and it was terrific those big yellow taxis take a wheel chair no problem and people were wonderful)

I am about to have another hip replacement I had my right hip done a couple of years ago and am now heading for a matching pair! Drugs-wise I have had nsaids, demards and anti-TNF all with initial degrees of success but there is always something else coming along (I hope!) My background was in food and nutrition and hospitality management that's why I am so hot on eating well, I truly believe it makes a big difference and if I can help anyone on this topic I would be delighted to do so (good basic stuff nothing cranky!). Finally share how you feel with people who understand, and, if you are reading this, this is exactly how this is helping me right now sharing it with you! so thanks for listening and if I can help you in return I will add my replies to anyone's queries on the message board, after all we are all in this together, united we might not all stand but company is good on a long road!