Rheumatoid Arthritis by drdoc on-line:

"It has enormous socio-economic impact
There is a :

6 times probability of severe limitation of activity
90% of patients have significantly reduced function after 10 years
50% of patients are severe disability after 10 years
80% of patients are moderately disabled after 17yrs
30-50% of patients are able to work after 15 years
Costs : $777 million (USA 1983) / year
It is a mistake to think that this is a benign disease, and there is significant mortality associated with the disease.
Mortality at 10 years is 26.7% vs 15% for the average population. "

"aw," you think. "but betsy doesn't seem that disabled!"

(or, "wait! betsy's disabled?")

i'm not too badly off, actually, but reading about what i have to look forward to isn't precisely a cheerful process at the moment.