Articles

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...

It’s not you, it’s me. We’ve all heard that before – usually when breaking up with someone or being broken up with. I realized recently that it applies to living...

When I was first diagnosed with RA, I recall my thoughts largely being centered on what aspects of my life would now be altered in a negative way and what...

Like our other Health Union condition communities, the Social Health Network brings people together to drive unique and impactful conversations about health. It also aims to expand opportunities for health...

In recent years I’ve had more problems with reduced neck and shoulder mobility and increased pain. I went for some sessions of physical therapy and found that helpful, but not...

I’m here today, my friends, to offer hope. Somehow the RA gods have seen fit to bless me with a brief symptom reprieve and quite honestly, I sort of want...

Fatigue. We've all experienced it; in fact, it's one of the hardest parts to deal with when you are living with RA and chronic illness. Why is it such a...

I had a recent painful experience that I'm sure other individuals have also experienced--I'd like to corroborate this experience with my own experience. In august, graduate classes for my degree...

In 2021, my rheumatologist, Dr. N, told me he was about to retire. Oh, I knew it was coming, but it was a difficult message to hear. Dr. N and...

At the start of my RA journey, I was unaware of how many different types of treatments were available to treat the pain, inflammation, and overactivity of the immune system...

I've now lived with the juvenile form of rheumatoid arthritis for over 50 years. I wish all that time meant that I had everything figured out, but unfortunately, just like...

I’ve always been a fan of ramps. When I was younger and could walk more, I liked them for being easier for me than stairs because I could walk them...

We're continuing an initiative designed to connect you with our RA health leaders! Resuming in June 2023, each week a different RA Health Leader will lead a discussion in the...

One aspect you might not hear discussed a lot when you have RA is how inaccessible clothes can be, especially when you experience joint damage from RA. You don't realize...

I was looking through some old photos the other day of me from childhood. I was posed very proudly in an all-plastic, full-body Halloween costume. The costume came with a...

Voting is a fundamental American right, but it has special meaning for people with disabilities or health conditions. Until federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) were enacted...

When I was a kid growing up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (now called juvenile idiopathic arthritis), I spent a lot of time in the car being driven to medical appointments...