Living

When I made the decision to become pregnant, one of the chief factors I weighed was how my body would handle the pregnancy. I had long heard about the swollen...

A good friend of mine just shared an article with me that was recently posted on BuzzFeed by a young woman with RA. In the article, she honestly and eloquently...

It is all coming back to me now. Remember when we were youngsters and our parents, teachers, coaches, etc. would instruct us to "do that over"?  Most of the time...

A few years ago I visited my primary care physician for an annual check-up. She gave me a good going-over, studied my blood and urinalysis test results without commenting, and...

Back when my now-husband and I were talking about getting married, we discussed the things most important to us in merging from single life to a partnership, such as bank...

A couple of months before my 16 birthday my mom got me the most amazing gift any teenager could want: a car. It was a 12-year-old Nissan and was nothing...

I got a need. A need for sleep. Partly, I do it to myself. I get all wrapped up in work, volunteer activities, and fun with friends and family. Quickly...

Eating is such a necessary part of our existence that we often just take it for granted without giving it a whole lot of thought.  It is, however, one of...

I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since I was 31 years old. The young internist who diagnosed me way back in 1987 said that that RA was an autoimmune disease. I had...

There is a lot to hate about rheumatoid arthritis: the pain, swelling and fatigue, the side effects and expense of treatment options, and the fear of what the future with...

“Do you really need that many pillows?” I don’t know how many times my husband has asked me that. In spite of being very supportive and compassionate, my husband continues...

According to clinical definitions, I’ve been living with “end stage rheumatoid arthritis” most of my life. Obviously, this phrasing is inadequate to describe my disease, because it may be severe...

Rheumatoid arthritis pain is sneaky. Like a slouching cat creeping up on a mouse, it pounces without warning and sinks its fangs deep into its hapless, unsuspecting prey. That’s me...

Several months ago, I had the displeasure of going to see an immunologist, after my rheumatologist was unable to provide an answer for some severe itching attacks I was having...

While certainly not inevitable, joint replacement is a viable treatment option for many people with RA when the effects of joint damage is no longer being adequately managed by other...

You’d think all the problems that rheumatoid arthritiscauses—the pain, disability, fatigue, fevers, and that general, all-around cruddy feeling—would be enough. Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. It turns out there’s a whole...

Shortly after the new millennium began I set off to study abroad at the University of Oxford in England. I was a 22 year old college senior, and the world...

“Well, your tests look good.” I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this, but if I were to take a guess I’d start by multiplying the 14 years since...

It’s been eight years now since Lisa was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and in that time, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to provide her care and support...

I am not a morning person. I pretty much hate mornings, actually. Even before I had RA, I was always happier and more comfortable being a "Night Owl" and getting...