Loving Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis, One Handed: Colleen’s Story

<h2>Episode at a glance:</h2><ul><li>Colleen shares what it was like to grow up with one hand.</li><li>Colleen’s diagnosis story for rheumatoid arthritis and treatments that have helped.</li><li>How Colleen met her husband and her tips for chronically ill relationships.</li><li>How Colleen maintains a “glass half full” attitude and a brief discussion of “toxic positivity.”</li><li>Pain management strategies that helped Colleen after over 4 joint replacement or fusion surgeries.</li><li>Colleen’s favorite adaptations and gadgets that help her function with one hand affected by rheumatoid arthritis .</li><li>Cheryl & Colleen discuss what brings them joy and how they’ve found meaning in “fandom” communities.</li><li>Colleen’s fertility journey and how she relishes her current role as a “bonus mom” to her best friend’s children.</li><li>Colleen’s best advice for people newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.</li></ul><h2>Speaker Bios:</h2><p>Colleen Hood:</p><p>My name is Colleen Hood.  I am a housewife and have been with my husband 34 years.  I was diagnosed with RA age 20 and it started on my hands and knees.  I was born with a limb difference of having just one hand.  But honestly,  I love every part of myself, even the RA.  It makes me ME.  I have always been determined,   strong, “I will get this” type person.   RA just made things a little harder,  but never stopped me.  </p><p>I am my own bionic woman.   I had my 4 knuckles replaced through surgery, my wrist and ankle fused surgically, my right hip was replaced and I’ve had lots of rheumatoid nodules removed from my feet, fingers, and my little arm elbow.  </p><p>OT and PT have helped me a lot since I have one hand. I use gadgets and tools and just practice makes progress.  I did develop cataracts at age 37 and early osteoporosis in my mid 30s due to long and large steriod use.  But no complaints... I am all good now.  </p><p>I love the infusion meds... been on different ones since 2008 and things have been way better since.   I did stop working in 2014 as