Preparing for Total Knee Replacement SurgeryIf you’ve been following my story, you know that I finally decided to have total knee replacement surgery after years of struggling...reactions42comments
When Is It Time For Knee Replacement Surgery? Part 1"You’re not old enough for surgery," said my first orthopedic doctor 4 years ago, "but you will need total knee replacement at...reactions22comments
Vitamin D: The Sunshine Hormone and RAToday is a glorious, sunny day. Sure, it’s still cold. Brrrrrrrr. But more than one living creature in our household is finding...reactions2comments
Getting Ready for Infusion DayIf you are anything like me, you often take one day at a time. This is great for most situations; but when...reactions4comments
When Is It Time for Knee Replacement Surgery? Part 2In the past decade, the journey with my knees has involved multiple steroid injections, two rounds of hyaluronic acid gel injections in...reactions3comments
Monstrous Medical Misconception: You Can’t Have RA If You Can ExerciseExercise and being active are important parts of staying healthy and fighting back against the effects of aging and disease. Everybody and...reactions9comments
Is My Doctor Good Enough?I’ve asked myself this question regarding several of my doctors, perhaps too many times, in recent years. As a person who lives...reactions26comments
Can a Blood Test Predict Treatment Response in RA?A recent study suggests that laboratory tests may be helpful in predicting which patients with rheumatoid arthritis will respond to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic...reactions5comments
Springtime and Renewal During the Continued PandemicThirteen months into the COVID-19 pandemic, how are you doing? Although people are getting vaccinated at an impressive rate around the country...reactions7comments
The Power of a Few Pain PillsPain can disrupt normal life in a way that can be devastating. Pain can also just be an annoyance. Sometimes pain can...reactions8comments
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pulmonary Arterial HypertensionRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease that affects more than joints within the body. It can affect connective tissue and internal...reactions6comments
Scatter Brains and Organizational DisarrayNot long ago, Rob and I were sitting on our front porch listening to the birds sing and watching squirrels scurry around...reactions9comments
Seronegative RA, the Piano Player, and a Delayed DiagnosisBy the time I finally received the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, it was not an unexpected surprise. I had experienced strange symptoms...reactions13comments
Do Treatment Outcomes Differ Between Seronegative RA and Seropositive RA?My diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was not immediate upon reporting vague symptoms to my primary care doctor as early as 2004. The...reactions14comments
A Crash Course in CaregivingLiving with a chronic illness often dramatically changes the way you manage routine activities and responsibilities. You might need assistance to keep...reactionscomments
Little Things Make A Huge Difference: The Story of Twelve Vials of GoldWhoo Hoo!! Little things can make me so happy. After leaving the local pharmacy, I just had to take out my medication...reactions8comments
If Not For RA Would I Still Be Childless?When I was around 20 years old, I had hopes that I would complete college, marry my sweetheart, and that we would...reactionscomments
Giving Your Loved One a Cold is a Gift You Wish You Could Take BackOh man, now I really feel bad. My husband had to stay home from work today...sick. He’s finally caught whatever crummy bug...reactions2comments
Who Can Help Me Get My Next RA Fix?Tuesday morning I had a routine 6-month appointment with my rheumatologist. It seems that time flies between appointments and our main priority...reactionscomments
Evaluating the Doctor’s Office: Who Do You Talk To About Laboratory Results?Earlier this week I was meeting a new rheumatologist to possibly replace my doctor who has retired. Ahead of time I picked a...reactionscomments
