I am 50 and disabled. One thing that happened to me was I became depressed and more isolated with out my work. I am a therapist and the brain fog made it where I couldn’t remember patient info from one week to the next and wasn’t able to document after left and right wrists fusions. I wish I could have worked longer. Proud of you for working as long as you have.

I am right up there with you all. I am 52 and still working. I work 32 hours and I need 40 with times being so expensive but that just ruins my body and fatigue. we must keep up the fight, reaching out to each other for support.

To CherryBerry and mcadwell. Talk to your dr first about disability. Call HR. I hired a law firm in Utah to help with my SS disability claim. They did a great job doing everything. It’s a lot of work to do yourself. My claim was approved the first time. I received a call from a man at the SS office who told me that my claim was approved and explained more about it. I had to give him my checking account number. Be cautious about that. I started receiving my benefits soon. I don’t get that much cause I didn’t work many years when my kids were little. Look into it. RA is a debilitating disease as you know. I can’t remember if I got Medicare then. This isn’t charity. You paid into it. I can’t do housework so my housekeeper comes every other week. She takes good care of me.
I wish you well and will send prayers to you. Jan

Some company's have good insurance plans and disability plans. I am 59 and had to stop work due to the fatigue and joint pain. I hope you can get some help or look into SS disability maybe? I could not see me working to 65 - 67 and then not have much quality of life. I get the rest I need now and my pain levels have really decreased. Best of luck to you but please see what s out there to help replace some income.

I have had RA for about 24 years diagnosed at age 26. I had to quit work three years ago at age 27. I guess I knew it was time to quit when I could no longer do my job and was just too sick to work. I had to apply for disability, which brought on a myriad of negative self feelings. However, it took less than a month to get approved so that made me realize I had made the right decision.