Living

A few weeks ago I felt incredibly lucky to be doing yard work. I usually leave outdoor chores to my husband, as I have rheumatoid arthritis. This means there are...

Exciting news! I finally got the ball rolling with a project idea I've had quietly brewing in my head for several months. What is this mysterious project? Well, since I...

The beast of polyurethane and springs weighed me down, my spine sinking, my joints aching, my mind shouting in a clamor, "don't let this fluffy piece of furniture get the...

There are many benefits to babywearing – from increased bonding, to reduced crying, and the ability to get something done! But for parents living with rheumatoid arthritis, there may be...

I’m minding my own business. Given that I live with rheumatoid disease, things are going pretty well this morning: I’m up, moving around with only minor stiffness or pain, I’ve...

I’m only four years into my experience as a mom, but even in that short amount of time I can make this statement with complete authority: being a mom is...

Since being diagnosed with RA, the biggest challenges I have personally faced have all been related to pregnancy and parenting. It was back in 2011, before I was even married...

Mindfulness in psychotherapy has made a rapid rise over the last few years, and has now entered a phase of popular attention. As an act of meditation and awareness, Mindfulness...

May 18, 2016 was not a good day. Three bad things happened on this date: my car was stolen, all of my camera equipment was stolen (it was hidden in...

We’ve all heard the sayings designed to motivate people to physical achievements: “No pain, no gain.” “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” While...

The wheels started turning in her head earlier this year. “Rob,” she said, “I’d like to get a bicycle.” Getting Lisa (and myself) outdoors and engaged in exercise sounded like...

When I was a child, I remember the quiet urgency of my visits to the rheumatologist. The blood tests, the questions, the non-answers. How was my inflammation? Are the blood...

I tried to get up, but anguish reacquainted my face with the ground. My thoughts echoed in my head, prodding me on as if I were a mindless herd animal...

As someone who’s lived with pain from rheumatoid disease for many, many years, I’m no stranger to drugs. I’ve been taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) on and off since 1987, DMARDs...

Some things run in my family: brown hair and hazel eyes, a love of reading and travel, and autoimmune conditions. My family tree is laced with type I diabetes, hypothyroidism...

Sometimes I try to remember my life before the scars. It seems like a long time ago, because I guess it was. But there was a time before surgeries and...

There are lots of opinions about the best way to combat rheumatoid arthritis. Between all the various pharmaceutical treatments, over the counter products, diets, alternative therapies, and vitamins and supplements...

When my immune system declared mutiny and began to throw the synovial lining of my joints overboard, I was in the final year of a Masters program in psychology. Like...

My primary RA medication is a biologic that I get via infusion every four weeks. Normally I get the treatment in a dedicated infusion room at my doctor’s office. There...

Last week my husband took me to a fantastic concert—a performance of The Who on their 50 anniversary tour! As we made our way to our seats, I joked with...