RA-United!Last summer, I was happily and unexpectedly RA-united (reunited) with my friend Mara, who also has rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We first met...reactions3comments
Goals and Dreams Can Still Exist with Rheumatoid Arthritis: My Experience with Creating a Vision BoardI have been battling rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for 17-plus years now. When I was younger, I was a dreamer and a goal...reactions21comments
Riding the Waves of the Continuum of Coping!Receiving a rheumatoid arthritis/disease diagnosis tosses you into an ocean full of questions, doubts, fears, and my favorite: coping! Coping with RA/RD...reactions6comments
2021 Recap: An RA Rollercoaster2021 was truly a weird year. From the pandemic continuing to having to go back to work in-person to starting graduate school...reactions4comments
The Mental Chaos of RAMost of us understand that the very nature of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), physically speaking, is chaotic and unpredictable. I have always understood this...reactions8comments
The Benefits and Downsides of StrengthWhen people ask me, "How do you have the strength to live with rheumatoid arthritis and disabilities?", I shrug because I know...reactions6comments
Asking for Help - Do It"Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill." We've all heard the saying. It’s the world’s way of telling us not to...reactions20comments
Kidney Removal with RAOn September 30, 2021, I had an item published titled The Maestro. Hey, it was a good piece about getting ready for...reactions5comments
Reflecting on My One Year RA Diagnosis AnniversaryThere are many wonderful long-haulers living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who share their valuable knowledge and experiences on this platform. However, I...reactions4comments
Work, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and AdaptationsHow do you handle work with your rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis? That is a recent question from one of our newer members. How...reactions14comments
The Daunting Prospect of Changing InsuranceI live with 2 autoimmune diseases - rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. In order to manage both conditions, I take biologic medication...reactions9comments
Reading and Writing about Rheumatoid ArthritisWhy is it important to read and write about rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? As a writer and fellow experiencer of RA (a neologism...reactions6comments
Stigma Is ExhaustingI’ve spent a lot of the last 2 years at home. It’s been lovely, despite the harrowing aspects of a global pandemic...reactions7comments
Further Along the Pain Management Road Pain science has come a long way. When I first was diagnosed with JRA in 1971, pain researchers weren’t all convinced that...reactions7comments
New Insights on FatigueThe struggle with fatigue and rheumatoid arthritis is persistent and well documented. Treating it, however, is very much lacking. The general practice...reactions16comments
Tips for First-Time Moms With RAAlthough I experienced chronic pain with my son 4 years ago, at the time I had no diagnosis to explain my pain...reactions4comments
RA and Agonizing Over DecisionsChoices. Decisions. Paths. When you have a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it seems like every day is filled with life...reactions36comments
Giving Thanks, Just Not For RA'Tis the season for giving thanks! While these past 2 weird years have been certainly - well- weird, there are still plenty...reactions1comment
RA on the GoLiving with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) means that I have been forced to make my life adaptable - whether I’m at home or...reactions5comments
Fighting an Inflamed CystUnfortunately, inflammation is my superpower. It is unfortunate because I’m both very good at creating inflammation and, yet, haven’t found a useful...reactions3comments
