Traci Walters
My name is Traci Walters, born 1959 and was diagnosed in 1970 at the age of 10 years. Severe onset at that time. My father had also died just months before the full onset. The Still's was very active and I was hopitalized sometimes for weeks at a time as a kid. I eventually ended up on gold shots and in 1977 the year I finished high school I went in a remission until I was 26 years. I also happened to be under significant stress at age 26.
It was a rocky ride for a number of years and I have been on pretty well everything. In 1988 I went on Methotrexate via injection and I am still currently on 20 mg per week. I started briefly with the pills however, they made my stomach too upset and the needle to me was the answer. I have been on so many different combinations of drugs I can't even remember which ones but methotrexate has always been constant.Ê Sometimes I was on Prednisone,Ê Plaqunelle, celebrex and the list goes on and on. I also live with chronic depression (fairly well controlled with medication) for years. Throughout my life I have seen many different types of doctors and the depression was basically treated separately. Only the past couple of years in my life and my experiences have the doctors and various specialists began to look at the situation as a package deal. Mind you I have lived in numerous locations and countries at various times so I have seen quite a few doctors.
Now on the good side, I have pretty well always managed to work. Sometimes I have been off sick for periods of time however I was a single mom for about 8 years and also had no choice. There were days that it was unbearable and many times I was told by doctors to think more about the quality of my life and family. Almost two years one doctor, my rehab/pain specialist strongly urged my going on long term disability and signed the forms for me and I couldn't go through with it and after 5 months of work I returned and I'm doing great now. No matter what work does force me to keep my body and mind working and not only that I am passionate about my job and love the work that I do.
I have two children; a daughter 20 and a son who is 16. I remarried five years ago and have an amazing husband who never had children. When we fell in love I went into a huge flare up due to other stresses in my life and so he got to see the worst right at the beginning and accepted the entire package deal as any decent man should.
My Occupation is National Director of a national Canadian disability organization. I promote the Independent Living movement and philosophy in Canada. I have been in this job since the end of 1992 and did similar work at a regional level prior. My life has always been full and colourful however with pain and fatigue. I have learned the hard way to pace my activities, rest during the day (my cat naps) and be accommodated at work now working a four day week with a day off in the middle.
Today my medications are Methotrexate, Celebrex, Oxycocet and periodically oxycontin for pain, Wellbutrin, Triazadone and my doctor is recommending the daily injections of Kineret. That's why I was just visiting the site, to see how it works for other people living with Still's.
Traci Walters
Ontario
Canada
