Member Profile Karen Age: 27 Hometown: Chandler, Arizona Arthritis types: Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritic for... 1 to 2 years

What don't you tell your doctor about how you manage pain?
To deal with pain I use a heating pad and if it is real bad then I take the pain pills.

What could George Bush do personally to make the lives of arthritics better?
Fund more money in health care in general to allow better benefits for everyone. Plus maybe make him realize that everyone can get arthritis no matter what age you are. I didn't even think about arthritis till last year when it hit me hard.

What could the Arthritis Foundation do?
I really think they do a lot from what I have read on their web site. I guess they could lobby more to congress to help with getting better medical benefits for people with arthritis.

Have you ever used your arthritis to gain an unfair advantage?
I wouldn't say I used it to gain unfair advantage but as my brother called me "our own personal fast pass" when we went to Disneyland for Christmas last year. I had to rent a wheelchair all three days or I would have never lasted.

When's the last time you felt humiliated because of your arthritis?
I've never really felt humiliated. I guess it just upsets me when I can see my friends out doing things that I want to do but can't because I'm in to much pain. Or frustrated when I can't stay all day work because the pain is making me sick to my stomach. I've never been embarassed by it. Well, I guess once when I was at Disneyland and having to be in a wheelchair. It was weird to see how people looked at me. It made me wonder what they were thinking when they were staring.

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