Living

Not too long ago, I was hit with a triple threat: horrible insomnia, increased pain, and the need for hand surgery. As luck would have it, I had been planning...

There have been so many times in my life dealing with chronic illnesses that I have wondered what it would be like to take a moment to step out of...

Leveling up. It’s for video games, sure, but for those of us who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, we do it every single day. "What could you possibly mean by that?"...

Never in my life have I experienced the amount of snow that has fallen in Wisconsin this winter, and apparently, this is a warm winter for Wisconsin. Coming from Florida...

I am hardly ever a person who gets a fever. To be honest, I can count on one hand the number of fevers I experienced during this past year. And...

When you explore Dr. Google for general information about rheumatoid arthritis, you will often see references to the term "flare." Many general information websites discuss flares as if patients with...

This May, I will be celebrating my 20th anniversary of being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I was in my twenties when the diagnosis came into my life at the force...

Since June 2023, I’ve been scared into really taking care of my teeth. Last year, I had a tooth removed due to severe infection and deterioration. It had nothing to...

"Wisdom comes through suffering. Trouble, with its memories of pain, drips in our hearts as we try to sleep." -Aeschylus, Agamemnon My sleep hygiene is appalling. It's erratic and unhealthy and...

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be an overwhelming journey filled with physical and emotional challenges. The daily battle against joint pain, fatigue, and uncertainty can leave some people feeling...

As you may have realized already, this was a leap year! Time to jump for joy! (Spoiler alert: If you don’t like leaping puns and word play, better click off...

One of the things that comes along with chronic illness that almost never gets talked about is the inordinate amount of time it takes. I’m not talking about flare-ups or...

It's that time again: I've developed yet another pain and complication because of my RA. For those of you who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you know this feeling of dread...

I live with several comorbid conditions along with rheumatoid arthritis. Some of them have distinct symptoms, but many of them happen to cause similar responses in my body. Recently, I've...

Treating our rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can come in many forms. Some of us choose to manage it with traditional pharmaceutical medications, while others choose alternative methods such as functional medicine...

Well, here we are again, on the roller coaster. Now, I know what you are thinking... "Who doesn’t love a roller coaster?" Well, I don’t. Real ones and emotional ones...

I have a dear friend whose love language translates to mysterious Amazon packages showing up at my doorstep. Sometimes the items are funny, such as a bizarre pair of lobster...

I recently had an infusion, something that happens 4 times a year for me. As I was getting settled in my chair, I realized I was happy to be there...

Since my diagnosis over 19 years ago, I have implemented a holistic approach in treating my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I use of combination of Western medication, dietary changes, exercise, physical therapy...

I recently went through a painful experience. I woke up one morning in incredible pain; my neck was almost locked up, I couldn't move my hand, and I felt just...