RA Has Trained Me How To Heal
Staying active and keeping your body strong are important when you live with chronic disease. Making sure that your …
Living
What Happens When You Lose Something You Love?
As I write this, I am at home in front of my computer instead of riding my bicycle. Instead, I …
The Loneliness of Being a JRA Kid
All these years later even in middle age I think of myself as a JRA kid. Now juvenile …
Why Do I Feel so Bad If I’m in Remission?
First of all, let me just say I’m not “officially” in remission. By that I mean that my …
I See You
A SHOUT-OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO: -Have symptoms that aren’t visible -Are able to function while in extreme pain …
Seriously? No That Does Not Describe RA!
Even after all these years, I am still shocked (yes shocked) by the vast number of outlandish ideas people have …
Infusion Day
Today is infusion day. I have not kept an exact count, but I believe I have had around 80 …
The Problem Of Exercise and RA
I’m sitting here writing with my stationary bicycle next to me and I’m pondering my next move. Do I force …
RA or not RA?
One of my favorite summer shows is about a concierge doctor in the Hamptons, New York. In one episode, a …
Fatigue Adversely Affects Work
Surprise! A new study found that fatigue impacts people with rheumatoid arthritis ability to work. Scientific validation …
How to use the Type A Personality
It seems to me that it is no coincidence that more often than not, the folks who I chat with …
Loss
Last year we lost our beautiful dog, Samantha. I am writing about Samantha because she was special (of course) and she …
My Enemy Is Me
Having an autoimmune disease can be a mind-bending experience. The whole time you are fighting the disease, in a …
Gotta Love It, Gotta Hate It, You Just Gotta Take It
When you fall in love with someone you expect, no, you hope you feel this burning passion for them. …
Attack of the Stealth Intruder Steroids
I grew up on science fiction. I spent long hours in dark theaters watching aliens on flickering screens or burying …
Summer Relief
Ever since I can remember, summer has been a relief for my rheumatoid arthritis. I know that some folks …
Summer Swelling
It’s July, and July in Minnesota (usually) means hot, muggy, humid, tropical, oppressive, and miserable weather. The miserable part …
Pain is What the Patient Says it is
The title of this article is my favorite definition of pain. Pain is an unpleasant experience that is subjective …
Take a Pill, Gain a Pound
There is a lot of discussion of obesity and rheumatoid arthritis (including many great articles on this site). But …
The Secret World of Wheelchairs
I was young when I started needing a wheelchair to help with my mobility. When I was in fifth …