Fall 2023 (Volume 33, Number 3)
Patient Perspective:
Trish Peters
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I was the kind of kid who jumped in puddles,
went on roller coasters, and played every
sport you could think of. I chased an adrenaline
rush. I wanted to feel my stomach drop
every moment of my life, whether it was school,
sports, or activities. Lo and behold, life
had something else in store for my family and
me. At the age of 11, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid
arthritis (RA). My parents and I had no
idea what that was or what to make of it. As a
kid who loved doing things, I didn’t know how
to stop doing activities I loved, and my parents
didn’t want to stop me either.
But the pain, flare-ups, and moments of
complete and utter failure where I felt like I
couldn’t function by myself anymore were frequent.
As a result, I threw myself into studying.
I was able to complete my bachelor's degree,
and I decided that I wanted to pursue not just
one but two masters right after I graduated. At
that juncture, I wanted to embrace the things I
could not do in my childhood: live worry-free.
I wanted to be worry-free from injections, pills,
pain, and pain management. I felt as though
doing a master's would allow me to live a life
where I was independent and finally had my
arthritis under control.
So, in January of 2023, I packed up everything
that was important to me into two suitcases
and moved 6,000 km away, to be exact,
6,103 km away. Two days of travelling later, I
landed on a new continent, in a new country,
and in my own apartment where I would officially
be alone. As a child with arthritis, I never
thought I could live alone. It hasn’t been easy;
I’ve had to find doctors, get bloodwork, and figure
out how to bring all my medication so far
away from the place I called home.
When I’m ill, I have to depend on myself;
when I can’t zip up my jackets because of a flare, I have to
figure out how to do it on my own. But I never thought I
would be able to do it as a kid with arthritis, and now, not
only am I proving myself wrong, but I’m hoping I’m able to
give hope to every child out there with arthritis too.
My goal was always to find a way to inspire kids with
arthritis. And now, with the things I’ve been able to accomplish
with a lot of support and perseverance, I know
that as a young adult with arthritis, there is always a way
for me and other kids who are in this situation to do what
we want in life. To all kids who have been diagnosed with
RA, I would say: “Never let arthritis stop you from accomplishing
any goal in your life, regardless of how big or
small. Sometimes, things must be changed to accommodate
how you live life, which is perfectly okay. Make the
world your oyster rather than letting it tell you that you
can’t do something.”
Trish Peters, BCom
MIB & MSCIB Student, Queen's University
Maastricht, Limburg, Netherlands
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