Bad Genes
Last year, my then-four-year-old son had a terrible cold/flu season that extended through May. In the course of six …
Tamara Haag
RA Daydreams: A Disease Genie
Living with rheumatoid arthritis can feel like a nightmare, which sometimes leads me to daydreaming about things that …
This Is 40
I recently hit the big 4-0. While many people are living more vibrant elder years than was once common, thanks …
My Body Is Important Too
Over the nearly two decades that I’ve lived with Rheumatoid Arthritis/Rheumatoid Disease (RA/RD), I’ve realized that stress is …
Homebody for the Holidays
The holiday season can be wonderful, giving people an excuse to decorate their homes with color during the dreary …
The Calm After The Storm
Those of us living with rheumatoid arthritis/rheumatoid disease (RA/RD) can have our lives upturned at a moment’s notice by …
Pain and Silence
Anyone who knows me would say I talk a lot. I’m friendly, loquacious, extroverted, and open. I always received full …
The Difference Between Illness and Chronic Illness
Everyone has dealt with illness, whether it’s a stomach bug or strep throat or the common cold. Many have …
Sometimes I Have Only Hate for RA
Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 22, after years of symptoms and misdiagnoses from the time …
Dancing It Out
Those who have watched the tv show Grey’s Anatomy are likely familiar with the phrase “dance it out.” When the …
I Wish You Could Live in My Body for a Day
I am lucky to have many supportive people in my life. In this online community people have shared being …
Unhealthy Standards
A French woman who has traveled the world and lived in several different countries moved to the United States a …
The Last Days
With a title like “The Last Days” one might wonder if I’m referring to something as monumental as the last …
RA Daydreams: A “Pause Button” for the World
Living with rheumatoid arthritis can feel like a nightmare, which sometimes leads me to daydream about things that …
Puzzling Over Stress Relief
In the 17 years since my diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I’ve been amazed at what a huge …
Seeing the Basket as Half Folded
Living with a chronic disease like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can make it challenging to feel like a productive person. …
Pain is a Place
There is the fleeting pain of a stubbed toe, a paper cut, a banged funny bone. That sort of pain …
The RA Flinch
I’ve compared having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to feeling like a human eggshell. This painful disease leaves one feeling …
RA Daydreams: I-Know-RA Spray
Living with rheumatoid arthritis can feel like a nightmare, which sometimes leads me to daydream about things that …
Sick Again
The people closest to me will often ask, “How’s your arthritis doing?” If I had osteoarthritis, the most common …