Hi there guys, my name is Ryan but you can call me Darth. I am a 30 year old male from Australia and I love life though I live in constant pain and fear of my life being cut short.
I like to use the term Darth for myself because for a while there I felt more and more the pull of the dark side and that I was cursed, not unlike young Anakin Skywalker.
The reason I say this is because between the age of 24 and 29 I was diagnosed with cancer, Ross River Virus and recently Psoriatic Arthritis. Growing up I missed a year of school with viral meningitis, had extremely bad asthma and allergies that would set off over anything…Surely the odds of one person having all of this before they were 30 must be in the billions right?! Wrong, and it was those kind of thoughts that brought the dark side ever closer.
However, I refuse to let the above define me and at the age of 30 am proud father of a beautiful 18 month old boy, partner to an incredible Canadian woman and founder/owner of an accounting practice, mobile phone app service, bar and restaurant. I live in hope that one day the Wizard of Oz will appear and I will click my heels and the pain will go away but for now I take joy in the simple things, pleasure in the company I choose to keep and making the most of every day.
I put off joining a forum such as this for a long time but then thought if I can help someone else then its a good thing and I should join
Welcome darth - what a great attitude to life - one that I strive for but don’t always achieve. This forum is great for support, especially in those times where you’re a bit lost, down or just everything hurts! Are you currently receiving treatment? I’m a relative newcomer - diagnosed a couple of years ago but still struggling a bit to get it all under control. I’m also a Brit living in canada - apart from my larger family which is tricky at times … Others will be along soon to chime in and welcome you
Hi @Darth!
welcome on board. Sorry you’ve had such a complicated run of events but good grief you’ve let none of it get in your way. Let us know what we can do to help you. Sometimes knowing there’s a group of people who get it is enough. But if you have questions or concerns: let 'em rip!
Welcome Darth! Sounds like you grab life with both hands & nothing’s going to draw you into the dark side these days. I’m especially jealous of the bar and restaurant side of things, that sounds like the perfect lifestyle to me!
You have had a rough ride and I’m sure you’ll have developed strategies and insights that will be of interest to many of us here.
How are things going with PsA treatment?