@Silverthe1Wolf Thanks for the follow and all the votes on Splinters, I'm glad you seem to be enjoying reading it!
Yes, I know about RA - in her 20s my mother was diagnosed with it in her hands and wrists. She was told she'd lose the use of her hands by the time she was 30. They were, I'm glad to say, completely wrong about the last bit! In the end she lived until she was 96 and her hands didn't get that bad.
All the best, David.