IT'S NOT LUPUS! - Really?

Well, for me it is.

Yesterday, I was coming home back from work in the crowded London underground. Thank god, I had found a seat at my station. But at some station a woman turned down to me and said “Excuse me, there’s a lady who’s not feeling well - would you ming giving her your seat?”

Errrrr… how could I tell her that, yes, I minded? I mean, I’m sorry for the woman feeling unwell, but my own knees felt like they could not support me much longer after that hot day. Dont you know? When it’s very hot -or very cold, or rainy : all the time basically- I’ve got arthritis. In my knees and hand. Sometimes it’s so bad I can’t walk down the stairs or even hold a pen in my hand. And yesterday in that tube, I felt like I would just fell if I had to stand for more than 5 minutes.

Anyway, my answer to the helping lady was “I’m sorry, I’ve got arthritis myself and I’m not well either”.

A look of contempt was all I got as an answer. Other passengers looked at me, like they were ashamed for me. Paranoid much, moi? Not really : I heard some 40-something people saying “Youngsters, they’re so selfish”. Ok, I look younger than my 28yo, and people are apparently not aware of arthritis affecting people under the age of 50. But it does! And it’s only one of the side-effects of lupus…

I wish people would watch more Dr House.