Mugged!
by John T.

Dear Ed, I just had to write and thank you for the website and, in particular, the "Don't Say This!" page.

I got mugged today, at the end of my road, by two thugs.  No fun for an able-bodied person, even worse when you've got PA.  One held my fingers clamped — vice like — between my two walking sticks while the other kicked me repeatedly in the lower spine.  Fifty or more people stood by and watched for ten or more minutes, ignoring my screams for someone to help.  When the police eventually arrived they thought I was making a big fuss about nothing.  "Your knuckles are just a bit red and swollen!" they said.  "And all this noise you're making, you're not really crying because there's no tears."

The ambulance man asked for medical details but didn't understand psoriatic arthritis so I tried to explain it simply.  "So does your psoriasis come from drinking and damage to the liver?" he asked.  Our lives in their hands? My heart sank.  Then I spent six hours waiting in Accident & Emergency, just for them to recommend pain killers I've been prescribed for years!

I got back too late to call any friends and lick my wounds, so distracted myself by coming onto the internet and joined the wonderful Psoriatic Arthritis Yahoo group and found the FlakeHQ site.  A side effect of the many medications is dry eyes.  But you got the tears rolling for me tonight.  I read "Don't Say This" in one batch, from top to bottom, and I was in stitches, tears of joy rolling down my cheeks!

Many, many thanks! –John T.

*****

Ed’s Response:  Man, John.  You’re a lot more than welcome.   I’m glad the laughter helped and just wish I could have provided something a little stronger!

And I’m very glad you could come home at the end of that awful day and visit FlakeHQ.  Please take care and stay safe!  -Ed

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