Living

My rheumatologist told me that he is retiring in May. Gulp. I have been with him a long time, and I have always treasured his advice and skill in treatment...

When most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients think about their disease management care team, I imagine they first think about their rheumatologist, followed maybe by a physical therapist, perhaps a chiropractor...

When I was growing up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (now juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA), my favorite therapy was hand therapy. There are a lot of reasons. I enjoyed doing...

I’ve moved a lot in my life - mostly by choice, and often because I was convinced I would feel better somewhere warmer, dryer, or just different. It helped that...

Disclosing to someone new in your life, whether that's a romantic partner, friend, employer, coworker, or anybody else, can be complicated and difficult. It's especially challenging and anxiety-inducing when it...

Do you ever feel like the dots are not connecting, the pieces are not lining up, or you are missing something? Odds are, you are focusing on the little stuff...

It’s a well-known established fact — okay, maybe not "established" per se, but it’s at least pervasive — that having a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) induces a certain...

Since my rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and, shortly after, my osteoporosis diagnosis, I knew I had a) a high fall risk and b) a higher chance of complications if I fell...

Having a chronic condition is expensive. At age 2 when I was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, I had no idea what I was in for with either the disease...

I am fine - not great, not terrible; just "fine". I used to be good - great, even. But then, the rheum-dragon hit me and 'good' and 'great' turned into...

I confess - sometimes I am jealous of other people’s good health. I want those arms that have shoulders that can swing like windmills or reach objects more than 6...

I’ve lived with joint pain for as long as I can remember, but I wasn’t diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) until 2016, at the age of 30. I have written...

I recently found a new tool/product that has really transformed how I handle the cold winter months. Although I’m in Florida, the temperatures can get down in the lower 40s...

Disappointment. Loss. Failure. These are things that everyone has to deal with, but those who live with chronic illness and especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a special relationship with those...

I recently decided to take the plunge and start attempting to file for disability. I live in America so I know, going in, that this is likely to be quite...

I actually had no idea what the word comorbidity meant until I was a few years into my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) journey.  As I recall, it came up when I...

It’s not something I like to talk about but, like many people with rheumatoid arthritis, I get brain fog. These are days when I feel like my thinking is impaired...

Sometimes, and particularly lately, I've been feeling lonely. And while this might seem hyperbolic — I know I'm not lonely because there are, in fact, people who live below me...

Living with a long-term health condition like rheumatoid arthritis requires us to stay on top of everything: doctor’s appointments, new symptoms, insurance, and, of course, managing treatment – all while...

I don’t know where it comes from, but there is a saying, "We’re only given in life what we can handle." I actually don’t believe this. In fact, I think...