she’s got a new lease on life: Linda Wilhelm, 47, has rheumatoid arthritis. First diagnosed in 1983, she thought it couldn’t get any worse but she was wrong. Over time her muscles continued to deteriorate and by 1999 she was in a wheelchair and in constant agony. By age 38, she underwent a total hip replacement and for the next five years, every six months, she had more surgeries, joint replacements and fusions. Now only one elbow, one ankle and one hip are hers. The rest of her joints are artificial.