Friends & Support

"They're still a person and probably don't want to be treated differently."

I asked my friends some questions about how me having arthritis has impacted our relationships. Here is what they had to say. 
All opinions and advice is their own

1: Has your friend having arthritis impacted your relationship? 

E: No it hasn’t at all as I don’t really mind what friends have and I love them just the way they are.

A: 
I know many people with arthritis but having a really close friend with it does mean that there are somethings that we may not be able to do but that doesn’t stop us from having fun and making the most of things

S: No, you don't really complain about it.

2: Does your friend having arthritis impact you in any way? 

E: No, not at all.

A: Of course not, they’re still the same person. Just because they have arthritis doesn’t mean they have to be treated completely different.

S: You having arthritis just makes me worry about you when we are doing something more physical, like ice skating for example. 

3: Is it hard to plan physical activities with your friend? 

E: It’s not hard planning with you because you have arthritis, I’m just concerned because you’re always up to a new challenge.

A: I just make sure that they are comfortable with what we are doing and make sure we have fun.

S: No, you're not really the person that will let arthritis stop you from doing anything, which can be a good thing, but you need to look after yourself too. 

4: How would you help your friend if they were having a flare up? E.g) A period of time which is painful for them

E: Be there for them at all times. Make sure that they are okay. Try and make it like its a normal day, like what we do most of the days. Maybe watch videos that we like and have same interests in what we like.

A: I would make sure they are as comfortable as they can be and make sure they don’t feel bad about it and make sure they are happy too.

S: Take you to medical and make sure that you're comfortable and that I/we're helping as much as we can. 

5: What would be your advice to someone else who has a friend with arthritis? Any tips? 

E: I would say having a friend with arthritis is amazing as they inspire you everyday. They never give up on the things that are trying to stop them, they just keep going.
Make them happy. Let them enjoy their life, if they want to do something let them do it because not only will it will make you happy but it will make them happy too. 

A: Don’t over think it. They’re still a person and probably don't want to be treated differently. They are still your friend and you should be there for them whenever they want/need it 

S: Look out for them as you don’t know what they can be feeling physically. Though they may look okay, they may be suffering in silence.

This is what my friends had to say! I love them all so much and they've been amazing at helping me on my down days and enjoying my good days with me. Even the friends that I haven't known for long, they've all been supportive and understanding!