RA and Misconceptions - Why Us?Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most enigmatic chronic illnesses out there; dealing with it daily is a herculean feat. Fatigue, pain...reactions38comments
Chronic Clencher"You're a chronic clencher," the massage therapist said to me while pressing her fingers into my tender jaw muscles. Wincing from the...reactions34comments
Water is RA's best friendDuring the dog days of summer, we often don’t need much of a reminder to stay hydrated as thirst is a constant...reactions4comments
Feeling Good But Not Good Enough It’s been an encouraging few months, health-wise. The medication I started a couple of years ago is working better than ever. For...reactions12comments
Exercising My Arthritic Hands with Sticker ArtA study in Arthritis Care and Research looked at and monitored the hand grip strength of individuals in the early stages of...reactions24comments
Tips for Parents of Children with Juvenile Idiopathic ArthritisThere’s a lot of improvements that have come along for families who have children diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (or JRA- juvenile...reactions22comments
Extreme Heat Waves, Going to the Beach, and PlaquenilIt's summer. Of course, Florida is hot during this time of the year, but this past week was one of the hottest...reactions6comments
Antidepressants and RAI don't mind admitting that I have trouble with my mental health. I have struggled with clinical depression and bipolar II for...reactions2comments
Why Don’t I Give Myself a Break?“No one is harder on you than you are,” said my husband Richard recently, and I had to agree! In this case...reactions18comments
Pillow PlacementDisclaimer: I still wake up frequently and commonly experience pain and stiffness in the morning. The pillow placements I talk about below...reactions15comments
Giveaway: Paraffin Wax KitUPDATE: The Paraffin Wax Kit Giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your interest! This September, we are acknowledging Rheumatic Disease Awareness...reactions7comments
Advocating for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Being a Voice in Court The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines being an advocate as, “one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group.” The day...reactions18comments
Stronger Hands: Keeping Your Small Joints StableKeeping my strength up is one of the biggest uphill battles of my life. This is also the case when it comes...reactions9comments
Insurance SurprisesWhen living with chronic illness, health insurance is vital. There’s absolutely no way many of us could pay for treatment and care...reactions10comments
RA Relationships and the Big ContradictionWhen you have a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis, especially for many years, there’s a unique contradiction that occurs. Interestingly, the longer...reactions12comments
Chronic Illness Runs in My FamilySome chronic illnesses can run in the family. My dad has a form of arthritis that is chronic and inflammatory — though...reactions7comments
Quality Sleep is Hard with RA: Tips and TricksYou never realize how difficult the act of sleep can be until it becomes an issue for you. For many people, sleep...reactions28comments
Exploring the Option of SurgeryAll of the times I have had surgery, it never felt optional. It always felt like something I needed to do to...reactions7comments
My Experience with Integrative MedicineMy next acupuncture appointment is coming up soon and I'm looking forward to it, as always. It feels great to get back...reactions9comments
Frustrated with Rheumatoid Arthritis Advertising!!I remember the first time I noticed an advertisement about rheumatoid arthritis medications. The patients were smiling and doing everything they wanted!...reactions19comments
