Articles

My sincerest hope is that your 2022 was a better year than mine. Don’t get me wrong, there were many moments of happiness and fun. However, overall, 2022 was very...

What happens when I have a strong suspicion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but the 2 traditional lab markers (rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies) are not coming back positive? I have...

I recently needed to get both a cervical MRI and knee x-rays. For better or worse, I asked for the reports so that I could have them for my records...

At a recent visit to a new spinal doctor, I learned that my top couple of vertebrae have become "naturally fused" as a result of my rheumatoid arthritis (RA). He...

Until my own episode, I never realized RA could affect your eyes. Joints? Sure. But eyes? It seemed far-fetched in a disease like RA. I was aware of the need...

When someone thinks of a person with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), they don't think of me — for a variety of reasons. I'm young (a majority of patients with RA start...

"Travel brings power and love back into your life." -Rumi Hallo aus Köln, Deutschland! (Hello from Cologne, Germany) I'm writing this from my friends' house in Cologne, Germany, where I've...

In a perfect world, I’d be able to afford to have someone come in and clean my house for me. But as we are all painfully aware, we do not...

I am the proud mom of a 7-year-old, 20-pound cat named Luka. He is no ordinary animal; he has been deemed my emotional support animal by my physician. Through my...

I remember the first time I saw a rheumatologist, he asked me a simple question: Do you experience any stiffness? Promptly, I said no and I was telling the truth...

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour patterns generated by people's internal body clocks. These patterns respond to the environment, so they can change. Your circadian rhythms help tell you when to go...

With winter approaching, time seems to be accelerating and slowing down at the same time. Shorter days make me feel like I must rush to get things done, but less...

Hand pain and stiffness aren’t strangers to most of us living with rheumatoid arthritis. They can be one of the most vexing things to live with since we all use...

Let me ask you this question. Do you know someone who is perfect? I mean, absolutely perfect; Never gives a wrong answer, never guesses wrong, never slacks off at work...

I recently had a significant RA flare, which is probably not news to anyone with rheumatoid arthritis. What was new for me was that it was the first one that...

In August 2022, I started having pain in my middle fingers on both hands. Of course, it was worse in my dominant hand. I also could not straighten those fingers...

I was diagnosed with RA shortly after graduating as an occupational therapist. I was in my 20s, and the diagnosis dramatically altered my career and presented many challenges along the...

If you have read any of my previous articles, you know one of my faults is pride. I am a very independent person who is also petite and thin. I...

Recently, I've been taking time for myself away from family, friends, and other opportunities. I've found myself feeling overworked and overwhelmed, so I've been looking into new hobbies and ways...

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” -Khalil Gibran July 11, 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my diagnosis with rheumatoid...