Living

Those of us who have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) tend to be quite familiar with the standard laundry list of symptoms associated with this condition, like pain, joint swelling, and fatigue...

On the first day, I thought my cheek was sore. I tried to retrace the activities of the day before. Had one of the kids inadvertently bopped me in the...

In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be entertaining to think about the spooky aspects of living with rheumatoid arthritis. It feels like every day I notice some strange...

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) encompassing the jaw is one of the most complex and misunderstood joints in the body. There are multiple muscles, bones and soft tissues involved in motions...

Throughout the years I’ve accumulated quite a collection of scars.  If I were a painted canvas, I would be an original, abstract piece of modern art. Instead, I’m a walking...

By now, you’ve probably heard of the now infamous Kanye West incident, in which he refuses to continue a concert until everyone in attendance was standing up. One fan had...

I regularly fight the pull and tug of fatigue. My body saying “I don’t want to get up,” “I don’t want to exercise,” “I don’t want to go out and...

It was Thursday about lunchtime. I’d decided I could no longer ignore the flare. My main RA treatment had quit working and even though I’d started on the replacement drug...

Beyond the many concerns and questions of being a caregiver I shared previously, I don’t have much experience dealing with the healthcare system. Lisa is quite independent and so she...

“At least it’s not cancer.”  Have you heard this before? In the fourteen years since my diagnosis, I have heard this statement countless times from well-intentioned people who are trying...

When I was diagnosed with lupus and RA in 2008, I never imagined that anything worse could ever happen to me. It seemed like being diagnosed with multiple incurable chronic...

I am a firm believer in teachable moments, and helping people understand the ins and outs of rheumatoid arthritis. But lately, I’m frustrated. I’m feeling really sick and tired of...

This summer has been glorious; not too hot and less humid than usual. Rob and I have spent more time outside this summer than we have in the past few...

I’ve been on 7 - count them - 7 different biologic medicines since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I started with several anti-TNF biologics and then moved to several others...

Man developed survival instincts for a reason, and stabbing yourself with a needle runs counter to all of them. A few months after I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in...

I never really knew where to place myself on the spectrum of rheumatoid arthritis. When I was a small child, I didn’t know anyone else with RA so I couldn’t...

After that painful, sleepless night in the fall of 2006, Lisa finally received a diagnosis. What caused the pain and discomfort in her extremities? It was rheumatoid arthritis. Although the...

I first considered getting a medical alert bracelet when I began teaching undergraduate students.  While I knew that they would be able to call 911 if I ever had a...

When battling rheumatoid arthritis, staying in one position for long is not feasible as joints become stiff and uncomfortable. After a few minutes the urge to stretch hits. When doing...

The RA Pregnancy Chronicles is a series of posts that share my experiences being pregnant while living with RA. This post was written during Week 30 of my second pregnancy.Life...