Not Talking About the Pain
I know that every day I have pain. I know that the name for this state of being is called …
Living
Walking into Spring, Part 3
In Walking into Spring, Part 2, I wrote about how, after getting bored with the treadmill, I decided to …
What Happens if Obamacare is Struck Down: Part 2
This is Part 2 of “What Happens if Obamacare is Struck Down”. If you’ve been paying attention to the news …
Transitioning from Diagnosis to Severe RA
My previous article described my diagnosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis in October 2018. Written recently after my diagnosis, that …
National Healthcare Decisions Day 2019
April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD). NHDD, founded by Nathan Kottkamp and now run by …
What Happens if Obamacare is Struck Down: Part 1
President Trump is back with a vengeance, once again trying to repeal Obamacare a.k.a. the Affordable Care …
What Does ‘Remission’ Mean to Me?
Does remission apply to autoimmune diseases? The definition of remission is “a temporary or permanent decrease or subsidence of manifestations …
Seasonal Upsurges of RA
If I can count on one thing when it comes to RA, it is the upswing in flaring …
Too Much Information
When I was a kid with JRA I went to the doctor, he took my vital signs and looked …
Coping with T-Rex Arms
It’s a long-running joke between my husband and me that I have T-Rex arms. In fact, I even have a …
‘Normal’ ?
It is fascinating that people ask about what is a ‘normal’ day, week or life with Rheumatic Disease …
Guinea Pig
I need to start by saying I am incredibly grateful to have found a medication that is making a …
Walking into Spring, Part 2
Last time, I wrote about how I’d started walking for exercise again, spurred on by my 62nd birthday, more …
Sleep Hygiene as a Defense Against RA Painsomnia
People with rheumatoid arthritis have more than a passing acquaintance with painsomnia—the sleep-disrupting pain caused by RA. In fact, …
The Passing of a Design Icon
You may or may not have heard that Karl Lagerfeld, the Creative Director of Chanel and Fenti, recently passed away. …
Spring into…a Flare?
Here in the northern tundra of Minnesota, it looks like Spring has finally sprung. Or, it’s trying to anyway. The …
Seven Ways to Improve Injections
Many RA medications come in the form of self-injectables. Over the last 18 years I have heard many people complain …
Feeling Good When I Don’t Feel Good
Life with JRA has meant that for the majority of my life I haven’t felt good in one way …
The Harassment Plan
After years of painful experiences and even more painful delays, I’ve learned then when I deal with my health insurance …
The Teacher with the Face Mask
A few years ago I was hospitalized after picking up a virus from students soon after I started teaching. Thankfully, …