Don's story

"Attending an Expert Patient Programme course was the best single thing that could have happened to help me control my condition."

Don
Blackpool

Don attended an Expert Patients Programme (EPP) course after his rheumatoid arthritis nurse suggested it during one of their sessions. She had initially suggested a telephone based self care course but the idea of a group sharing their experiences and supporting each other appealed more to Don so she suggested EPP. He returned home to a message from his nurse with details of a course starting the following day.

He went to the course not knowing anything about EPP and what to expect but soon realised this was something he could benefit from, “After the initial introductions about yourself and your condition there is a great sense of ‘we’re all in it together’.” Like most EPP courses, the one Don attended was a generic course open to anyone with any long-term health condition and this was something he liked, “Although we all had different conditions, we could all identify with each other and offer support.”

There were three parts of the course which Don felt helped him the most. Each week course participants are encouraged to write an action plan for the following week and then report back to the group how they got on. Don had enjoyed watercolour painting but the pain in his wrists and fingers meant he had not painted for months. That was his first action plan – to paint a watercolour picture and he did it! This gave him the enthusiasm and confidence to get back into painting.

The second part of the course which helped was the breathing exercises, Don describes this element as “the best physical activity” from the course and is something he still does and benefits from.

Finally, after being very happily married for many years Don realised that he was not communicating with his wife about his condition. The course helped him to do this. Together they shared ways of making life easier for them both, Don jokes that his wife “now brings his sleeve to his arm rather than his arm to his sleeve” which helps to manage the pain.

When the course finished Don decided that self-management was definitely for him and went on to train as a tutor for EPP CIC. He now delivers courses to other participants and is a firm advocate of EPP, doing radio interviews, visiting doctors surgeries and doing local talks to promote his local courses.