My Experiences with RA and IntimacyIntimacy is extremely personal. It can be beautiful, it can be complicated, and it can be a hundred things in-between. Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I’ve found that, with a...reactions7comments
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Doctors, & the PortalDoctors. When you have rheumatoid arthritis or, really, any chronic illness, doctors become a permanent part of your life – a phenomenon that happens with no other illness. No other...reactions18comments
The Irony in Managing RASometimes, the suggestions for managing my rheumatoid arthritis symptoms feel ironic. My joints are screaming in pain and I don’t want to move? Oh, exercise can definitely help that! I’m...reactions11comments
Still Slogging AlongTold you I’d be back! I recently wrote about fatigue, one of several rheumatoid disease (arthritis) symptoms. It runs with joint pain, chronic low fevers, and feeling puny - my...reactions25comments
Dressing Do's and Don'ts with RA, Part 2So, let’s talk shoes. I truly think I have spent enough money on shoes and now possess enough shoes to open my own store at this point! For me, the key...reactions4comments
Declines in Accessibility 31 Years After the Americans with Disabilities ActAs I’ve largely stayed home during the pandemic, it’s been a constant worry: Will my communities be accessible when I return? Even before the pandemic, I had daily struggles with...reactions3comments
Work From Home Environment and Adjusting for RA PainI have been lucky enough to work from home since long before the pandemic began. Due to my chronic illnesses, I have placed myself in industries and taken jobs that...reactions5comments
Heavy or Light? The Everyday Question of Hand GripMy grip strength was always an issue with my rheumatoid arthritis. I remember when I started losing my grip and couldn’t grasp the holds on the climbing wall. I remember...reactions7comments
Watching for Lung IssuesWithout fail at every appointment with my rheumatologist, he asks if I have been coughing and listens to my lungs. Every couple of years, he orders chest x-rays to make...reactions13comments
My Third COVID Vaccine Dose ExperienceRecently, a third COVID-19 vaccine dose was made available to immunocompromised individuals. You have to, of course, get the same brand of vaccine that is the same as your first...reactions8comments
Anemia, Chronically Gone?An amazing thing has happened, I've realized over the last year. Maybe I sound silly and superstitious, but I almost don't want to write about it, for fear my good...reactions2comments
Walking with The BeatlesI started walking regularly only in November of 2020. Before that, I could barely walk because I moved as much side-to-side as I did forward. It was frustrating. But then...reactionscomments
You Know You Have RA When...There are many shared experiences of living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that connect people all across the community. Whether those experiences are difficult to navigate, physically draining, or just plain...reactions22comments
Anxiety You Can't Shake. And Earwigs.Anxiety. Like packets of ketchup at the fast-food drive-thru, it comes with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic illness whether you ask for it or not. For many years, I was...reactions29comments
Statins Help with Cardiovascular Complications in RA PatientsA recent study, "Statin Use and Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis: an Incident User Cohort Study" published in the Journal of Managed Care + Specialty Pharmacy found that taking statins lowered...reactions8comments
Living within My MeansWhen I moved to my own apartment after college (and during the many lessons beforehand), my parents always stressed to me that I needed to live within my financial means...reactions8comments
How to Know When to Switch RheumatologistsIt's been a hectic few weeks. As anyone with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) knows, your rheumatologist is your first line of defense when your disease is causing you trouble. They are...reactions20comments
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy for Rheumatoid ArthritisAs newer therapies continue to emerge to support people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I wanted to explore the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy for treatment. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)...reactions8comments
Toddler Swim Class Has Become My RA Aqua TherapyA few months ago, I enrolled my daughter in swimming lessons. She just turned 2 years old, and I had wanted to do this before she was even one. But...reactions2comments
Summer Is My Time of YearFor as long as I can remember, summer has been my time of year. It’s the season where my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is generally the least active, with pain and...reactions2comments
