RA: My Faithfully Annoying Travel CompanionI love to travel. I also hate to travel. Usually the "love" part of it outweighs my hatred of it, thankfully. But...reactionscomments
Facing FatigueAbout three months after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I realized that I was more tired than I had ever been in...reactions17comments
Not Cured YetThe first blood test result after starting my new medication, I actually didn’t believe it. I thought there was an error at...reactions10comments
Treating RA During the "Opioid Crisis"I’ve had rheumatoid disease (arthritis) for more than 30 years, and I’m very interested in how the “opioid crisis” affects patients like...reactions4comments
Pain is RelativeWe’re all familiar with that common and oh-so-subjective medical tool, the pain rating scale. “On a scale of 1 to 10, where...reactions6comments
The Value of RA Related Pre-Pain CluesAt first thought, it may seem strange to discuss pre-pain as a concept but I believe it is a distinctive part of...reactions16comments
“How Are You Today?” and Other Hard QuestionsEach time I encounter another person I face a choice: should I pretend to be the person I think I’m supposed to...reactions14comments
Goodbye (and Good Riddance!) 2018: Part 2Part 2 of "Goodbye (and Good Riddance!) 2018" After suffering from painful whiplash from a car accident, an excruciating throat infection, and...reactions2comments
On Being an OptimistI am, and at the age of 64, will likely remain, an optimist by nature. I have always lived with the outlook...reactionscomments
Dr. Who's On First“Doctor. Doctor. Doctor. Doctor.” Anyone who has tried to get anything done after years of RA (or any other autoimmune illness) knows...reactionscomments
Focusing on the Wrong VillainIn a recent op-ed in The Hill, a Washington, DC newspaper, Dr. Lynn Webster, MD, past president of the American Academy of...reactions5comments
Endless Decisions and RAJust like life in general, living with rheumatoid arthritis is a series of endless decisions. From the very big decisions about medication...reactions1comment
Goodbye (and Good Riddance!) 2018: Part 1I know I'm late writing about the new year (resolution: stop procrastinating!), but I still have some strong thoughts about it. Well...reactions2comments
The Art of Doing Nothing“Doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.” —Winnie the Pooh One of my secret goals for this year is...reactions2comments
What is a Pain Management Specialist? Should I See One?Pain management specialists are physicians who have special training in treating all kinds of pain. Pain can arise from a number of...reactions5comments
The Miracle of a Well-Timed Good DayThe unpredictable nature of rheumatoid arthritis/rheumatoid disease (RA/RD) is an incredibly frustrating aspect of living with this disease. While I’d rather have...reactions6comments
Updating Goals for 2019Reflecting on my goals for the last five years has been really helpful for me to think about the previous year and...reactions4comments
Aches and AchesThere are aches, and then there are pains. The frequency of both have proliferated in my life since being diagnosed with rheumatoid...reactions3comments
Do You and Your Doctor Agree on the Severity of Your RA?We’d like to think that medicine is cut and dry and always based upon objective science. We get a blood test, take...reactions9comments
My RA ToolboxMy hands were giving me some guff recently (as they do). I was wearing my favorite compression gloves already, I’d applied over-the-counter...reactions11comments
