Hi KewC, no medical knowledge but DH's family are all doctors and have picked up that rheumatology has something to do with the tissues around joints and bones, which is what is probably inflamed. Hope they sort you out and you feel better soon.
Sfx, Copper, cave bear book is on our shelf as DH has read it, but he had never recommended it sufficiently for me to pick it up! 
I'm intrigued... Apparently the author is very hot on proper research etc, but I can imagine the patriarchal stuff can drag. That's why I've never quite got into Hardy etc (although he looked at class as well as gender divides), but should persevere with it perhaps and I suppose that was contemporary to him!
Persepolis is fabulous. So alive despite all the dark times. Some of the stories reminded me of Chile, though obviously not comparing two. I passed it onto my mum, who found it very haunting but very beautiful book. Never seen the movie. Dark materials - impressed but also not affected as much as expected, but I suspect you're right sfx, the religious arc wasn't as deeply ingrained in me which probably softened the blows. Always been a bit of a heathen really.
Four more days to DD1's first school experience... Think I've got everything... 