Living

Just like life in general, living with rheumatoid arthritis is a series of endless decisions. From the very big decisions about medication to the daily decisions about how much activity...

My career in the salon industry has been an extremely successful one. For the past 16 years, I have built my business and reputation on hard work and a listening...

I know I'm late writing about the new year (resolution: stop procrastinating!), but I still have some strong thoughts about it. Well, especially about 2018 and what nightmare of a...

“Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.” —Winnie the Pooh One of my secret goals for this year is to be better at doing nothing. I’m one...

It’s funny how powerful our mental blocks can be. I’ve long heard about the powerful benefits of meditation. For instance, the Mayo Clinic states that meditation may help with stress...

Pain management specialists are physicians who have special training in treating all kinds of pain. Pain can arise from a number of reasons, including from injury, nerve damage, surgery, or...

Reflecting on my goals for the last five years has been really helpful for me to think about the previous year and where I hope to go with my health...

I had really been looking forward to saying (shouting?) goodbye to 2018. Why? 2018 was a tough year, especially regarding my health. And don't all things in life ultimately stem...

The unpredictable nature of rheumatoid arthritis/rheumatoid disease (RA/RD) is an incredibly frustrating aspect of living with this disease. While I’d rather have intense pain intermittently than relentlessly, it is difficult...

The new year.  Every time it happens I always feel compelled to write the standard “hopes and resolutions” piece.  Problem is I’ve released that album more times than the Beatles...

Oh, my lungs hurt? It’s the methotrexate. My ribs are inflamed? It’s the rheumatoid arthritis. My tongue is sore? That’s just the Sjogren’s. Your head is completely congested? That’s just...

Lately I’ve seen a lot of people talking about the pain of RA. How it’s unrelenting, unforgiving, and seemingly without end. I get it, I really do. There have been times when I...

Fall risks are all around. But when your mobility is impaired, fall risks are amplified. As such, so should be your awareness of these risks. To help increase your awareness...

"Go enjoy your life. Really. I mean that seriously. Go enjoy it, 'cause there are people fighting like hell for it." --Claire Wineland I saw this quote posted on Instagram...

Usually, RA is our biggest health issue but not always. In my case I have three of these autoimmune conditions and it seems what might be good for one is...

With relief, I finally make it to the end of my workday. All day long I have tried to focus on the task at hand, rather than the pain, and...

"I don't need therapy, I need a hug." I saw this quote posted on Instagram recently and quickly saved it to my phone and thought, Yes, this is good! It's true! It...

A couple weeks after starting a new biologic medication this fall I went to get my blood tested. I doubted anything would show up because it hadn’t been that long...

Since my recent retirement from my full-time job of 24 years, there is a natural progression for me to “take stock” if you will of what lies ahead, my new...

When you have a disease like RA, the “bad days” bring a lurking fear of missing out, like that guy at the bar no one really knew who jumped into...