Real life I began having problems with my thumbs in 2015. Both were painful, although the left one was worse. It got so bad sometimes that I was unable to pull up my pants as I couldnt close my thumb to grip my knickers or trousers. Even holding a pen was challenging, as was turning lids on jars and opening bottles. I called my health insurance company, who said theyd refer me to a physiotherapist. The physio recommended a mixture of acupuncture and ultrasound, which I alternated once A handy kneeler helps Ros tend her plants a week. It eased the pain, but didnt fully resolve it. In January 2016, I moved to Dubai, and thought the heat there would make my arthritis better. But, if anything, it worsened, to the point where I would hold my hand up to my chest to help mitigate the pain. I lived with it for around two years before it got too much. In May 2018, I made an appointment with orthopaedic surgeon Dr Osama Attia, who was able to see me within a day in Dubai, everyone has health insurance, so there is no waiting around. He arranged for me to have blood tests, an ultrasound scan, and another X-ray. The results were back within days, and I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The scans showed wear and tear around both thumb joints. They also showed inflammation, which would sometimes be visible on the outside, as both hands would swell. Finding treatments The next step was to try a steroid injection into the sites of inflammation. My mum had had them in the past and said I should try it, as it would help but she didnt warn me how painful it would be! I had one in both hands and wasnt given any numbing cream. It was over quite quickly, but the pain was intense, and lasted for about four days. It did help, though, as it reduced my RA symptoms for two to three months, but they eventually returned. In April 2019, Dr Attia suggested stemcell therapy, whereby your blood is extracted and put it in a centrifuge to get the white blood cells. This plasma solution was then injected into both my thumb joints this time using a numbing solution, so it wasnt quite as bad as the steroid injection! I had several days of pain, but, within a week, I noticed improvements: the joint pain had virtually gone! I had also regained full function in both hands and could once more open jars and pull up my trousers without pain or difficulty. It was amazing! 24 versusarthritis.org PP22-25_Inspire_Summer 2023_Real life.indd 24 17/05/2023 16:01