Trying to Balance Work and Life with RA Is ExhaustingI recently accepted a part-time position as a patient advocate at the Hospital for Special Surgery. And by part-time, I mean 9 am to 5 pm, four days a week... By Leslie Rott2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments28 comments
A Different Sort of FamilyI always thought I would have a family. As a kid we would talk about “when I have kids.” A boy, a girl—little people that would be a little like... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Battling The Crud: Getting The Flu Shot Vs. Getting The FluI was truly avoiding getting the flu shot this year. After being hospitalized for a severe case of cellulitis after getting the pneumonia vaccine several years ago, I’m not the... By Leslie Rott2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments0 comments
Bad DoctorI’ve been poked, prodded and pinched. I’ve been yelled at, accused of imagining my disease and pain, and told I wasn’t getting better because I didn’t want to. In my... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
ADA: Do You Know Your Employee Rights?Has anyone ever said to you, “Well, if you have to have Rheumatoid Arthritis, now is the best time to have it”? If you have heard this while experiencing a... By Tamara Haag4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Managing the Juggling Act: Experiences from a Family VisitAs we move into November we begin to think about the upcoming holidays. For most of us the holidays will bring family visits and other special events. While many of... By Rob3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Community Views: Unusual and Frustrating RA SymptomsThose 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... By Editorial Team 3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments79 comments
Oh Right, I Have ArthritisOn 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... By Tamara Haag3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments
7 Spooky Surprises of RAIn 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... By Kelly Mack2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Jaw Pain and Rheumatoid ArthritisThe 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... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments10 comments
Showing Off My ScarsThroughout 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 Kelly Mack2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Stand Up Or Get OutBy 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... By Leslie Rott2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Seize the DayI 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... By Kelly Mack3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments7 comments
When You Can’t But You Do AnywayIt 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... By Carla Kienast3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Financial Crisis to Caregiving: An Unexpected OutcomeBeyond 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... By Rob4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
“At Least It’s Not Cancer”“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... By Tamara Haag3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
When RA Seems SecondaryWhen 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... By Leslie Rott2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments
Educating People Is ExhaustingI 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... By Leslie Rott2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments15 comments
Protect Your Skin from Photosensitive ReactionsThis 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... By Lisa Emrich4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Switching RA Medicines – Don’t Wait Too Long or Try Too ManyI’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... By Andrew Lumpe, PhD4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments12 comments