My crooked fingers
Woman finds out after years of pain affecting her fingers that she has rheumatoid arthritis.
KUALA LUMPUR: When Florence Tan first realised her fingers were starting to bend, she thought nothing of it.
She was over 50 years old at that time, and her fingers, which were gradually becoming crooked, didn’t cause her any pain, so she didn’t seek any medical help.
Now 83, the former primary school teacher admitted that she shouldn’t have ignored it.
“My friends were telling me that my fingers were bending to the side, but because it wasn’t painful, I didn’t bother about it until it worsened.
“I don’t know what made me so stubborn I didn’t go.
“My doctor told me that if had I gone to him earlier, I wouldn’t have these crooked fingers,” said the retiree, putting up her hands to demonstrate.
She said that the pain was manageable and only built up gradually.
“I don’t even remember when the pain started, but it didn’t come suddenly,” she added.
Hence, it was only when her fingers became excruciatingly painful in 2013 that she went to see a rheumatologist about it.
“It was so painful, I couldn’t do anything because my fingers were too stiff.
“I experienced throbbing pain in my fingers, and because of the pain, I couldn’t lift my hands. Writing, cooking, even showering became difficult,” she said, adding that it was hard for her to pick up objects.
She said that she could still move her hands, but the pain was unbearable.
“Even to lift your fork and spoon to eat was difficult,” she said.
After going to the doctor’s and having it diagnosed, she discovered that it was rheumatoid arthritis.
According to the US Arthritis Foundation, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints.
This would cause inflammation that thickens the tissue that lines the inside of joints, known as the synovium, and would result in swelling and pain in and around the joints.
There is no hard evidence that shows what the specific causes of RA are, though some links have been made to lifestyle and genetic factors, according to Arthritis Research UK.
Tan shared that she had two other sisters who had arthritis as well, though they did not seek medical help for it. She suspected that her exposure to the cold weather in England could have worsened her condition.
“My son studies there, so sometimes I would go there to visit him. When he had exams, I would go there to help him out.
“I didn’t stay there for long, just for about three to four months. I was there for winter only once,” she said.
She also speculated that her condition could be triggered by leaving her hands wet after completing household chores.
“It could be because when I was younger I would try too hard to wring towels dry,” she said.
After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, Tan makes it a point to keep her hands warm and dry, especially after washing up.
“I need to sleep in an air-conditioned bedroom because the weather is hot, but because of the cold, I wear gloves to bed.
“When I go out, I make sure to pack either a shawl or coat to make sure I’m warm,” said Tan.
She also said that she would wear rubber gloves when she prepares meals or washes the plates.
“I don’t wash the plates with my bare hands, if not I’ll get flare-ups, and I need to dry my hands properly,” she said.
When asked whether her crooked digits prevent her from doing her tasks normally, Tan said no.
“Now I’m so used to my crooked fingers that I can do any task. It happened gradually, so over time I learnt to live with it,” she said.
With the medication that she takes, she said her pain is virtually gone and the rheumatoid factor in her blood tests have gone down.
“I visited my doctor for a year before my condition became better,” she said.
“I still get pains at times. When it’s cold, the pain worsens. When I’m stressed out, the flare-ups occur,” she said.
However, she is positive about her situation and has recently decided to stop her medication.
“I’m getting better. Now I don’t feel the pain so much. I can still move, I can still do work – though I still have ugly fingers,” she joked.