I am a 47 yr old female who has chronic osteoarthritis arthritis...?

[CharJ,]

I am a 47 yr old female who has chronic osteoarthritis. This has caused some neurological damage to my spine, resulting in the partial paralysis of one hand. I am in constant pain, I won't take narcotics for pain and was told yesterday by a rheumatologist that I needed a 3-part steroid injection in my spine every year, along with a non-steroidal daily medication. I've suffered back pain, etc all my life but it has progressed to the point that I'm nearly incapacitated a lot of the time now. I've been on sick leave from my job of 23 years for 10 months now. Does anyone reading this have the same condition and if so, how do you cope?
Thanks LBee. By "chronic" osteoarthritis, I'm repeating what my rheumatologist stated to me. Also, the hand is already permanently partially gone. I have weak closing motion, but no opening reflex. Came about 10 months ago when I had to have a double fusion in the C5-C6 & C6-C7 area of my spine. No one, including me, knows if it happened before surgery or during, due to the amount of pain and weakness I was having prior to my surgery - I couldn't move my arm or hand anyway. And I have been directed to have pool therapy along with other pt to help strengthen my body.