Living

When someone thinks of a person with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), they don't think of me — for a variety of reasons. I'm young (a majority of patients with RA start...

"Travel brings power and love back into your life." -Rumi Hallo aus Köln, Deutschland! (Hello from Cologne, Germany) I'm writing this from my friends' house in Cologne, Germany, where I've...

In a perfect world, I’d be able to afford to have someone come in and clean my house for me. But as we are all painfully aware, we do not...

I am the proud mom of a 7-year-old, 20-pound cat named Luka. He is no ordinary animal; he has been deemed my emotional support animal by my physician. Through my...

I remember the first time I saw a rheumatologist, he asked me a simple question: Do you experience any stiffness? Promptly, I said no and I was telling the truth...

With winter approaching, time seems to be accelerating and slowing down at the same time. Shorter days make me feel like I must rush to get things done, but less...

Hand pain and stiffness aren’t strangers to most of us living with rheumatoid arthritis. They can be one of the most vexing things to live with since we all use...

Let me ask you this question. Do you know someone who is perfect? I mean, absolutely perfect; Never gives a wrong answer, never guesses wrong, never slacks off at work...

I recently had a significant RA flare, which is probably not news to anyone with rheumatoid arthritis. What was new for me was that it was the first one that...

In August 2022, I started having pain in my middle fingers on both hands. Of course, it was worse in my dominant hand. I also could not straighten those fingers...

I was diagnosed with RA shortly after graduating as an occupational therapist. I was in my 20s, and the diagnosis dramatically altered my career and presented many challenges along the...

If you have read any of my previous articles, you know one of my faults is pride. I am a very independent person who is also petite and thin. I...

Recently, I've been taking time for myself away from family, friends, and other opportunities. I've found myself feeling overworked and overwhelmed, so I've been looking into new hobbies and ways...

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” -Khalil Gibran July 11, 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my diagnosis with rheumatoid...

It’s not you, it’s me. We’ve all heard that before – usually when breaking up with someone or being broken up with. I realized recently that it applies to living...

When I was first diagnosed with RA, I recall my thoughts largely being centered on what aspects of my life would now be altered in a negative way and what...

Like our other Health Union condition communities, the Social Health Network brings people together to drive unique and impactful conversations about health. It also aims to expand opportunities for health...

In recent years I’ve had more problems with reduced neck and shoulder mobility and increased pain. I went for some sessions of physical therapy and found that helpful, but not...

I’m here today, my friends, to offer hope. Somehow the RA gods have seen fit to bless me with a brief symptom reprieve and quite honestly, I sort of want...

Fatigue. We've all experienced it; in fact, it's one of the hardest parts to deal with when you are living with RA and chronic illness. Why is it such a...