23/11/2025
My wife was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Her knees took the worst of it, and before long she could hardly manage a step. She ended up in a wheelchair. Her left hand curled in too, so even lifting a teacup became nearly impossible.
It’s just the two of us at home here in Toronto. The kids are scattered, so most of the time we only see them on video calls. I’d take her out in the chair for a bit of fresh air, but the pain was wearing her down. Nights were the hardest — she’d wake often with sharp pains shooting through her legs. Yet every morning she’d put on a brave smile, as if nothing had happened. She never wanted me to worry.
Our daughter, who works near Toronto General Hospital in Toronto, spoke with a consultant there about her mum’s condition. He mentioned a cream called ʙᴘᴄ-157, so she got some for us to try.
Within just a few days, my wife was finally able to sleep for a stretch without being jolted awake in pain. After three weeks, the swelling in her knees had eased and she was starting to move more freely. Then came the day she stood up from the wheelchair by herself and managed to keep her balance. Even her stiff hand began to loosen, and she could hold things again.
Now she can walk about, sometimes holding onto my arm as we go for a gentle stroll. She jokes, “I don’t need to lean on you all the time anymore.” To me, she was never a burden — she’s always been my partner. But seeing her back on her feet again has been a gift.
That cream didn’t just ease her pain. It gave us back our everyday life together — the walks, the little routines, the simple things we’d missed.
