RA Famous

People glorify celebrities, sometimes to the point of making them seem immortal. But even famous people have to deal with the not-so-pleasant realities of life, and that often includes battles with incurable illness.

When I was first diagnosed I took to the Internet to make connections with other people just like me. Google suggested that I search "Famous people with RA." Sure, why not? I was actually a bit surprised by the information that popped up. I've included a few of these people here:

Lucille Ball

The star of the classic TV show I Love Lucy was diagnosed with RA as a teenager (some sources say 17, others say she was 19). She had to stop modeling because of a really bad flareup that made it impossible for her to walk. She launched her acting career after recovering from that flare.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Not even famous painters are safe from RA. RA caused deformities in his hands that made it impossible for him to paint like a "normal" painter. He could no longer pick up his brushes and had to have his relatives tape them to his hands. Renoir's situation takes the idea of the invisible illness even further. I dare you to try to find signs of joint deformities in any of his paintings. 

 
Sandy Koufax

The jury is still out for Koufax. The baseball pitcher definitely had an inflammatory disease like RA, but he was never actually diagnosed as having it. He eventually had to stop pitching because of the damage to his elbow. 

Christiaan Barnard

The first doctor to do a human-to-human heart transplant had RA. Sixteen years after this feat, Barnard had to retire from his surgical career because he no longer had the dexterity in his hands needed to operate.

Clearly, people with RA are able to go on and have successful careers. Having the disease doesn't mean I have to spend the rest of my life in bed. When I was first diagnosed, I thought that it would be a death sentence for my writing career. How could I be a writer if I couldn't hold a pen or type? I realize now that it was a foolish thing to think. If Renoir found a way to paint back in his day, I can find a piece of technology to keep me going. Maybe I won't have use of my hands for the rest of my life. That's all the more reason to live it up now and make the most of it.

Source: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20496769_4,00.html