Famous people with arthritis

What comic Lucille Ball, French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Hollywood actress Kathleen Turner and heart transplant specialist Dr. Christiaan Barnard have in common? All were suffering from arthritis, disability and serious illness that affects approximately 40 million people in the United States alone. Experts say another 20 million people live with the symptoms of arthritis, but has not yet been diagnosed and have no idea, who have the disease.

The U.S. Centers for Disease ControlPrevention and says that arthritis of more than 9,000 annual deaths, 750,000 hospitalizations, and limits the activities of more than eight million people responsible. The disease costs the nation more than $ 80 billion in medical care and lost wages.

One of the most common forms of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the immune system cells common, resulting in chronic inflammation and swelling of the joints. This is the form of debilitating diseasethat can make even the simplest activities - such as opening a jar or standing - very difficult.

Comedy queen Lucille Ball of "I Love Lucy" fame had rheumatoid arthritis when she was 17 years, but did not stop them from pursuing his dreams. Their first attack came while she worked as a model for Hattie Carnegie suit shop famous. He felt excruciating pain in the legs and the doctor who saw her said she would probably end up in a wheelchair because of illness. Lucywas later called in an orthopedic clinic in the vicinity of Columbia University, where he was given an experimental "horse serum" recordings for several weeks that drained his money, but not the pain. Frightened and discouraged, returned to his house parents' in Jamestown, New York.

"Little by little, the pain will subside, and finally one day with the help of her father and doctor, Lucy stood up, feeling shaky and uncertain. His left leg was a little 'shorter leg right and pulledlaterally. To resolve this problem, has begun to wear a 20 - pounds weight in one of his blacks orthopedic shoes. Although Lucy offered residual pain could take a piece he had with the Jamestown-player and she later returned to New York in search of their dreams, "said Carol and Richard Eustice - The people behind About.com 's Guide rheumatoid arthritis arthritis, though.

The famous French painter Renoir, whose works adorn many museums also battled rheumatoidRheumatoid, bothered him during the last three decades of his life. He suffered his first attack in 1898, and his joints are deformed after strong.

"In 1904, Renoir weighed only 105 pounds and could not sit in this situation. By 1910, he could not even walk with crutches, and he was a prisoner in his own wheelchair. His hands were completely deformed, like the claws of a bird. A gauze bandage was used to grow my nails to avoid meat. Renoir was able to take aBrush at this point and had to be wedged between his fingers, "he wrote Eustice. Nevertheless, he continued to paint every day and some of his greatest masterpieces.

Hollywood star Kathleen Turner was so through the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, had thoughts of suicide, and Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who has upset the first human heart transplant performed in 1967, was retired in 1983 from the disease since his youth afflicted forced.