Surfing Around the Traffic Exchanges

My name on the TE’s is Surfergirl54, and in real life it is Margaret or Maggie. I am a 50 something wife and mother of 3 adult sons. I was born and raised in Melbourne Australia. I have a Bachelor of Commerce and Economics from Melbourne University. I am no longer in the workforce due to health issues.

At the present time I am waiting to get the proper diagnosis, and yes I have arthritis. I have known for some time that I have Spondyloarthropathy which affects my back, especially the sacroiliac region. However, due to a rising rheumatoid factor, it now appears that I have positive signs of having late onset rheumatoid arthritis. It also appears that I have some signs of Lupus which has led to the conclusion that I have Mixed Connective Tissue Disease or MCTD. This means that my condition is really quite mild compared to those with a full blown disease of either Lupus or RA. I do not want to give anyone the wrong idea, the truth being that I feel more at peace because I now have a more positive diagnosis rather than being treated as though I am either a hypochondriac or that it is “fibromyalgia – go exercise and do not come back” type attitude that I have experienced in the past.

As a result of not working I discovered the TEs on the Internet, and thus I want to continue looking at them and detailing my experiences with them (good and bad). The opinions that I express here are my own. There will be owners who will not like what I have to say. Well that is just too bad. I am writing about my experience and not what they are offering or what they claim.