Dear Jan, It was good to receive your letter, but I m sorry you have had so

many health problems. Your letter sounded so much like mine would

have sounded several years ago. Perhaps if I share my story with you,

it will give you comfort and encouragement.

Remember how carefree, energetic and full of life I was in

college, and how I would eat anything I desired and never gain a

pound? You always said, "Everyone has to watch their waistline, why

don t you?"

Well, I took that same habit with me into my career. When most of

the other employees had their roll and drink, I had to have creme pies

and rich pastries. They were all so envious of me. But Jan, not one of

them would envy me in the least had they seen me several years ago

-- it all caught up with me.

After receiving my immunization shots before going to Europe in

1962, I became very sick. I just assumed that everyone had the same

reaction. By the time I arrived in France a month later, I was miserable

and in so much pain, I literally could not carry my own purse.

After three months trying to ignore and bear the pain, I had to

return home, only to find that my body ws full of Rheumatoid

Arthritis. This crippling disease is often brought on by stressful

situations and settles in the weak areas of the body. In my case, the

shots and foreign travel were more stress than my body could handle.

It settled in my back, which was weak from a childhood injury. In any

case, I was in pretty bad shape. This was the only time in my life I was

considered "fat." I had gained 50 pounds and had that puffy, blown-

up look.

After I returned home and received treatment from numerous

doctors, and received very little encouragement, I decided I would

just have to live with the pain. Since I was unable to return and teach

school because of the frequent pain, and my inability to grasp a

pencil or chalk, I finally got a job as a receptionist. I sat on a "donut

pillow" with a heating pad at my back. It wasn t too bad as I fixed a

fancy cover for my pillow and madea pocket in the back of my chair

for the heating pad. In this manner I endured the situation while

always seeking out any new doctor whom I thought might give me

some relief.

About a year and a half later, I met my husband and we were

married, When I started out with my first pregnancy, I had a very

difficult time. I got Bell s palsy, then Pneumonia, which lasted about

two months. My delivery was very difficult. I didn t realize just how

serious thincls were until I learned that the doctor slept just outside