Articles

…during the pandemic, that is. Yes, I have gotten a couple of takeaways here and there (only things that I could blast in the microwave at home). I have gotten...

I recently had my 20 RAnniversary, having now lived two decades with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis/rheumatoid disease. A reader reached out and shared that she is 22 years old...

The year 2020 has been many things, and for people with RA, it has been a year when timely medical care has often been challenging. This year, my every six-month...

At the end of every year, I like to take the time to reflect on the things that I’ve gained, the things that I’ve lost, and everything in between. Since...

I took middle school Practical Arts. It was required for all 7 graders in my school system in the 1960s. The curriculum consisted of four classes in a 9-week rotation. There was...

One thing I’ve always been proud of is that I rarely got sick. I mean “normie” sick like the flu, colds, and other gross illnesses. I mean, sure, I ended...

A recent study suggests that laboratory tests may be helpful in predicting which patients with rheumatoid arthritis will respond to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Common DMARDs include medications such as...

Update: As of August 13, 2021, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends an additional dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for people who are moderately to...

This is a question I have pondered on for years and my opinion is that it depends entirely on the purpose of the device and how long you need to...

My biologic, Orencia, hasn’t been working at full capacity for many months now. I know this because, at the beginning, I could feel a marked difference in my symptoms the...

I first saw the term “grind culture” on an Instagram post from The Nap Ministry. I immediately knew what it meant, as I’ve spent decades grinding myself down and celebrating...

Not long ago, Rob and I were sitting on our front porch listening to the birds sing and watching squirrels scurry around the yard. It was restful and we were...

Learning I had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) came with an entire mixed bag of emotions. To be honest, I was really grateful to have an explanation about the severe joint pain...

Do you know a week, two weeks, or a few days ahead of a flare that you are going to have one? Do you get that dreaded feeling of, "Oh no...something...

November and December mark the general time of year when I start to overdo things. It’s the end of the year and there are just so many things to catch...

"What was I thinking?" How many times do we say this to ourselves? Never about the same things though. With rheumatoid arthritis and its companions, it is never the same...

My pathway to RA diagnosis was unfortunately all too common in our community. I struggled with joint pain from the time I was young. I remember the pediatrician recommending Motrin...

Living with rheumatoid arthritis/rheumatoid disease (RA/RD) involves an ongoing process of trial-and-error, whether trying to find an effective medication or hitting the level of physical activity that supports health without...

In 2020, the world experienced an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is important to know that both names...

Aging is a natural part of life. Now that I can no longer say that I’m slowly approaching that age, I am interested in learning about what happens during the...