Living

When people hear the general term arthritis, they typically think of an older person with joint pain as in osteoarthritis - common wear and tear on the joints. But this...

It sounds weird.  It sounds almost antithetical to say that you are thankful for a chronic illness. But in reality, I am thankful for RA. I wouldn’t be where I...

One of my most favorite holidays is Thanksgiving. I love the pure purpose behind it—giving thanks. There’s no confusion with religious tensions or commercial pursuits. Instead we gather with our...

I have had rheumatoid arthritis longer than I have been a mom. At times, motherhood has challenged me to the greatest degree possible. I’ve spent countless hours worried, stressed, and physically exhausted...

I recently had an appointment with the psychologist I’ve been seeing for two years and let’s just say it didn’t go very well. Arriving there in a good mood, I...

As mentioned in a recent post (When RA Treatments Fail to Work), up to 40% of RA patients do not respond to the current set of treatment options. This can...

You all know the moment when you pull into a busy store parking lot and say to yourself “Is this the apocalypse?  Why is everyone grocery shopping now?”  Whether you...

Early in September last year my pain changed. I don’t remember it happening on a specific day in a sudden way, but gradually my left knee grew more painful. It...

Recently I have found myself thinking a lot about the arthritis community as a whole. Did you know that we have the potential to be a very large community? In...

Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis in the early stages of the disease is often difficult. The diagnostic processes are clinical and not

Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines wellness as “the quality or state of being healthy.” It seems simple, but for people with rheumatoid arthritis this is not a clear definition. We can’t compare...

I've been working as a substitute special education paraprofessional (para) at a high school since the beginning of the school year. Teaching has never really been a serious career option...

About three months after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, I realized that I was more tired than I had ever been in my life. I was tired of my joints...

In a perfect world, those of us with RA would never have to worry about insurance issues.  Our copays would be so low that we would never have to worry...

Legs up the Wall No restorative practice would be complete without this rejuvenating gentle inversion. For the ultimate relaxation experience, place a sandbag on the soles of your feet and...

I love to travel. I also hate to travel. Usually the "love" part of it outweighs my hatred of it, thankfully. But despite all of the exciting, fun, fascinating, and...

"I was just diagnosed with a rheumatoid factor of 150. What does this mean? What are the best medicines that have the least side effects?" I'm sorry for your recent...