Me, Myself and Rock-Climbing
I’ve mentioned I’m an avid rock-climber in previous articles. It is not only a sport I hold dear but it …
Monica Y. Sengupta
Swamp Monster
I live in the same place I grew up. I guess I love it, maybe? The biggest reason I love …
Why Do I Keep Doing That??
When was the last time you pushed yourself too far and suffered the consequences of extra pain, stiffness and disability? …
Help Wanted
When was the last time someone did something inexplicably beautiful for you? It really amazes me that civility is lost …
The Curse of the Flat Footed Floogie
Here are a few facts about me: I am 28 years old, I live on the East Coast, I am …
Caged to the Pain: A Story About my Ribs
The ribs are an important part of our bodies. They protect our lungs and hearts and other organs like the …
All About the Brain Fog, All Trouble
“What the h*ll are string beans?” I tilted my head at my friend. “You know, like green beans” I just …
Keeping Tabs
When I was twelve I wrote about my cat in a journal. I wrote each entry in the first person …
What is Weakness
Is weakness a state of mind? A feeling? Is it physical or mental? Can I control it? The definition of …
Strength in Digits
I can happily say that except for some osteoporosis in my hips and lumbar spine I have little to no …
Do You Remember Your Worst Pain?
When was your last bad flare? The one that was so horrible you thought you were dying? Do you remember …
The Importance of Wearing Sunscreen
I grew up a tomboy. I never cared too much for makeup. I only wore sunscreen during the summer or …
How I Manage my Never Ending Fatigue
Raise your hand if you’ve ever brought up fatigue with your physician? Raise both hands if there was not a …
I Spent Most of My 20s Asleep
I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 20. I recently turned 28. Do you know what this means? …
We All Have that Friend…
…The one who tells the whole gruesome story of how they twisted their thumb or sigh dramatically when they trip …
The Most Important Relationship is…
…with ourselves. RA and our relationship with us During the time of the year where everyone focuses on their relationships …
Love Letter to Myself…
You just turned 28 at the beginning of the year. You’re almost 30 years old, almost three decades old. When …
Did My Introverted Nature Help Me Transition Better into Chronic Illness?
There’s no way to sugar-coat this: having a chronic illness means I spend a lot of time on my own. …
Winter was my Favorite Time of Year
I was standing in line for coffee the other day, ready to enjoy my afternoon caffeine fix. I was perfectly …
Friendship: How My Chronic Illness Helped
Raise your hand if you wish there was an easy way to weed out the “fake” friends. There is! Relationships …