Grief Is A Process; Progress Takes TimeFor those who have been diagnosed with chronic illness, it may be the worst thing that has ever happened to you. It certainly was for me. But then my dad...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Stress Doesn’t Do A Body GoodI’ve had a lot going on recently, including losing my job due to budget cuts, going through a breakup from my boyfriend of three and a half years, and moving...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Did RA Fatigue Kill My Relationship?Fatigue is one of the most difficult RA symptoms to treat, and over the last year and a half, it has been my most pernicious symptom in dealing with my...Reactions0reactionsComments19 comments
If It’s Not One Hip, It’s The OtherI went to Washington, DC over the summer to visit some good friends of mine. I spent one of the days wandering around by myself, checking out many of the...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
When The Holidays Get You Down: It’s The Season Of Giving And I Have Nothing To GiveI can’t get excited about the holidays this year. It all just feels like too much. And ask anyone I know, I am a master gift giver and love bringing...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
How Do We Comfort Our Healthcare Providers?At my last rheumatologist appointment, I had a somewhat bizarre experience. When my doctor orders labs, one of the nurses comes in and does them right there in the same...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Does Itching Cause Anxiety or Does Anxiety Cause Itching?Several months ago, I had the displeasure of going to see an immunologist, after my rheumatologist was unable to provide an answer for some severe itching attacks I was having...Reactions0reactionsComments23 comments
RA And Depression: Either, Either, Neither, Nor, Both, And?A friend recently shared with me an article from The Guardian titled, “Is depression a kind of allergic reaction?” The gist of the article is that depression is a result...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Is The RA Community Too Insular?Let me start by saying that I am a big believer in supporting your own causes. But sometimes I feel like there is a lot of competition in the RA...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
When Working Out Doesn’t Work OutEver since moving to New York, I’ve really struggled with keeping up a workout routine. In Michigan, I was doing a walk aerobics DVD twice a week – a two-mile...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Trying to Balance Work and Life with RA Is ExhaustingI recently accepted a part-time position as a patient advocate at the Hospital for Special Surgery. And by part-time, I mean 9 am to 5 pm, four days a week...Reactions0reactionsComments28 comments
Battling The Crud: Getting The Flu Shot Vs. Getting The FluI was truly avoiding getting the flu shot this year. After being hospitalized for a severe case of cellulitis after getting the pneumonia vaccine several years ago, I’m not the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Stand Up Or Get OutBy now, you’ve probably heard of the now infamous Kanye West incident, in which he refuses to continue a concert until everyone in attendance was standing up. One fan had...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
When RA Seems SecondaryWhen I was diagnosed with lupus and RA in 2008, I never imagined that anything worse could ever happen to me. It seemed like being diagnosed with multiple incurable chronic...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Educating People Is ExhaustingI am a firm believer in teachable moments, and helping people understand the ins and outs of rheumatoid arthritis. But lately, I’m frustrated. I’m feeling really sick and tired of...Reactions0reactionsComments15 comments
The Importance of Medical Alert Bracelets And RAI first considered getting a medical alert bracelet when I began teaching undergraduate students. While I knew that they would be able to call 911 if I ever had a...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Can You Have It All With RA?Recently there’s been a lot of talk about whether women can have careers AND families, and be good at both. I think this is also an interesting question when it...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Apparently Only Old People Get SickAfter a long day at work, I got on the bus recently and took a seat at the front of the bus. Several other people got on after me and...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Why I Won’t Be Walking For RAMay is both arthritis and lupus awareness month. But while I’ll be trying to spread awareness behind the scenes, I won’t be participating in walks for either disease. Why? There...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Does Not Adhering To Medication Regimens Make You A Bad Patient?For most of us, prescription medications, whether oral, injectable, or intravenous, are key to treating RA. Some of us are lucky enough to find a medication that works, and then...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
