MY HEALTH EXPERIENCE:I WAS 18 AND in my second year at the School of Journalism in Rathmines, Dublin, when I first felt a swelling in my right foot. I had been playing GAA football since I was 10 and was in both the minor team and the under 21s with the Thomas Davis GAA Club in Tallaght.
Initially, I thought it was an injury, but I had some tests with my GP who quickly diagnosed arthritis. The speed of the diagnosis was partly due to the fact that my older sister had already been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis a couple of years earlier. Psoriatic arthritis is associated with psoriasis although I had very little psoriasis.
The arthritis moved quite quickly from my right foot into my left foot and very soon, I was unable to walk even short distances.
By Christmas of that year (1983), I got my first job at the Tallaght Echo. The walk from my house to the office should take about 10 minutes, but it took me between 20 to 25 minutes.
I had such a burning sensation in my feet that if I was sitting down for a while, it would take a lot of effort to stand up and start walking again. I was prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and suppositories.
I worked as a news and sports reporter which sometimes involved standing on the sidelines at local football matches, which was difficult. I had seen my sister experience the same difficulties and I quickly realised that the pains in the balls of my feet, my ankles and my toes were here to stay.
I went to St James’s Hospital to have gold injections, but while there I spoke to someone who still had symptoms after the injections, so I changed my mind and discharged myself. Later that year, I was back in St James’s Hospital for a few weeks because the pain was so bad. I had cortisone injections.
The following year, I got a job in the Cork Examiner. I found myself back in hospital again – this time in Shanakiel Hospital in Cork city for another three weeks.
Over the next few years, I tried lots of different things to help my arthritis, but with little success. I tried herbal medicine to no avail. I tried reflexology which nearly killed me! I tried acupuncture, which was of some benefit.
I became resigned to having to take tablets all my life. Every morning I woke up with puffed ankles and very delicate toes. A lot of people saw me hobbling along and found it difficult to believe that I had arthritis.
I was given a lot of books on diets for arthritis and was constantly being bombarded with information. I tried eliminating red meat. I even tried drinking apple cider in hot water first thing in the morning. I would try something for about a month and then stop because I never had the discipline to keep going.
In 1992, we moved back to Dublin and I worked in RTÉ from 1992- 1995. I then worked with Mary Harney and the PDs for the next five years.
Throughout the 1990s, I spent a couple of periods of time in hospital. By this stage, I also had to get fluid taken off my right knee on a regular basis.
However, the pain was better controlled with new medication and again I was resigned to continuing medication for the rest of my life. I played the odd game of golf but when I did I would suffer afterwards.
In 2001, my wife Miriam was assigned the post of foreign correspondent for The Irish Timesbased in Beijing, so we moved there with our two children, Stephen (who was 11) and Catherine (who was 9).
After a few months living in China, I noticed that the inflammation wasn’t as active. This was the first real relief that I got from the condition and was able to cope without drugs for the first time in 20 years.
I wasn’t sure whether it was because of the dry climate, the regular foot massages I went for or the acupuncture treatment I got there. I was even able to play short games of football at the GAA club which I set up while in Beijing.
When we came back to Ireland, I had a big flare-up and was quickly back on medication. I also developed arthritic pain in my chest and was hospitalised again for a few weeks in 2003. This was very demoralising.
Upon my return, I set up my own PR company, but within a year I was back working in RTÉ on Morning Irelandand the Business Show.
Around this time, I also got orthotics (custom-made foot supports) and they give brilliant support to my feet. I’m sorry I didn’t get them earlier.
In 2007, I went on a new drug for arthritis for about a month and very quickly I began to experience extreme stress-related symptoms. I was advised to go off all medication and rest. In fact, I had to take five months off work to recover fully.
During this time, I found that the inflammation stopped completely. I thought that when I went back to work, it would start up again, but it didn’t.
Since that time, I have been able to walk with greater freedom and play golf without the old after effects. I began to feel that the arthritis had burnt itself out of my system. Physically and psychologically, it was a huge relief. I made the conscious decision to exercise more.
I started walking a lot more and I lost nearly two stone in weight. We started the walking outings on my radio show and I realised I could walk six to eight kilometres with listeners. I started to cycle to and from work every day, which takes about 25 minutes each way.
Now I realise that I should have started exercising earlier. I know I still have irreversible damage to my feet, but I can now walk about three miles a day.
I’d have to say that I’ve had a wonderful life in spite of the arthritis. Last month, my wife and I walked the Camino in Spain for five days. Things like this I would never have thought possible when I was younger.
John Murray will speak about his experience of arthritis at noon on Friday October 14th as part of the open day to celebrate 50 years of rheumatology rehabilitation services at Our Lady’s Hospice Care Services, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, tel: 01-4912501, olh.ie.
Arthritis Ireland helpline is at tel: 1890-252846, arthritisireland.ie.
In conversation with SYLVIA THOMPSON
