Maxine's message of hope
At 29, Maxine was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. In 1979, there was limited understanding of RA and minimal treatments available. After two and a half years Maxine stopped working due to pain.
“It’s a big change in lifestyle … I had to give up work as a single parent.” – Maxine
In 1979 Maxine was living in Katherine with her daughter, Natalie, and working at the local telephone exchange.
At night she would wake up and struggle to get back to sleep again, riddled with pain. It wasn’t until she woke up one morning and couldn’t get out of bed – her limbs so stiff she couldn’t move – that something didn’t seem quite right.
Maxine struggled for the next 18 years until she found relief with methotrexate. A few months later she started on prednisolone after a lot of pain.
By 2010 Maxine was struggling to cope with her RA. She used to love gardening, but sadly struggles to pursue this passion due to such strong pain.
“I found it very hard to reach out for help. You don’t have any confidence when you’re struggling, you lose that surety.”
Today, Maxine is in her 70’s, living alone in Adelaide. Despite strong pain and being close to being in a wheelchair full time, Maxine is determined to continue to walk, and still finds herself and her daughter laughing about things.
“The only way things will get better is if there’s continuous research to live better with arthritis.”
Your donation this festive season will bring hope and healing to even more South Australians just like Maxine, and fight for better treatments for people living with RA.
