UAE lecturer and new mum of twins recalls start of arthritis at 14: ‘I thought my life was over’
Ajman: At 14, Alya Al Marzooqi woke up every morning to a body that would not move the way it should. Nobody around her, including the teenager herself, knew why. "There were moments as a teenager when I truly felt my life was over," recalls the Emirati lecturer, now 34 and mother to ten-month-old twin girls. Today, she is completing her PhD at a university in Dubai, which she expects to finish…
At 14, Alya Al Marzooqi awoke to a body that refused to cooperate. The cause remained a mystery for years. A decade later, at 24, she is a 34-year-old lecturer at a Dubai university, expecting twin girls. She shares her journey with Gulf News on World Arthritis Day. Alya's symptoms began at 14, but she was not diagnosed until she was 17.
She experienced severe stiffness and lost her appetite, forcing her father to soak her hands in warm water, which provided temporary relief. After three years, she was referred to a rheumatologist who confirmed her diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Despite the challenges, Alya adapted, learning to understand her body and carefully managing her joints.
She balanced her career, studies, and now motherhood, never stopping altogether. Motherhood brought new challenges, but Alya's treatment plan, including biological therapy, helped her regain stability. She emphasizes that living with RA means adapting to the condition rather than allowing it to define one's life.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
