Tips on Coping with Holidays and Family EventsI’m a little late with this article, but I feel like this group will forgive me!! Honestly, when do we not have events to plan for? This time of year...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
HolidachesI have always looked forward to the holiday season. Out of all the holidays, Christmas has always been my absolute favorite. Celebrating with family and friends, while surrounded by beautiful...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How Not to Cope with Rheumatoid ArthritisLately, people have been asking a lot how I cope with RA and the host of adorable secondary conditions that come with it. Well, here’s my answer: I just do!...Reactions0reactionsComments91 comments
Learn to Speak DoctorMy husband and I were waiting for the train to Berlin’s central station when a group of young Asians exited the escalator onto the platform. They were obviously a little...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Starting Over...AgainI knew that with our recent move from VT to VA, I would be facing the inevitable switch from my various medical team members, but I had no idea how...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Legit BeatDenial is a powerful coping mechanism. Sometimes the depth of a tragedy is too much to bear, and denial allows us to slowly accept the harsh reality we’ve just been dealt...Reactions0reactionsComments33 comments
Bringing Our RA Experiences Together - Results from the 2019 RA In America SurveyLife with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can often feel lonely, especially when we are misunderstood by friends, family, and even healthcare providers. As isolating as RA can be, you are not...Reactions0reactionsComments15 comments
Flares, Uncertainty, and RAI will never forget the first RA flare I had. It was a warm summer morning in May, and I had just woken up from a night of tossing and...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Why Thanksgiving Is My Favorite HolidayThere’s something so special about Thanksgiving. Like many holidays, we have the special foods and hopefully quality time with people that we love. But for me, it doesn’t have the...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Face to FaceA positive self-image is challenging under the best of circumstance, but when you have a disease like RA, self-image takes a hit from many angles. One of those for me...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
Stuff HappensI got some really surprising health advice from one of my doctors recently: “Don’t rush to the doctor. Sometimes stuff just happens.” And I totally appreciated the perspective. When I...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
A Bout of Three CavitiesRecently, I had a routine dentist appointment that went a little awry. For the past 22 years, I have had a pretty clean track record with my dentist with having...Reactions0reactionsComments24 comments
The Case for Doing Nothing“The trouble with people nowadays is they don't know how to do nothing.” ―Iris Murdoch, A Severed Head, 1961 I recently read an interesting article in the New York Times, "The...Reactions0reactionsComments18 comments
Riding the Waves of the Continuum of Coping!Receiving a rheumatoid arthritis/disease diagnosis tosses you into an ocean full of questions, doubts, fears, and my favorite: coping! Coping with RA/RD mirrors the stages of grief identified by Elizabeth...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Advanced Foot StrengtheningRA can have a huge impact on our feet and our gait. Specifically, some may experience a change in their feet shape or collapsing arches. For this video, Mike provides...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Heating UpIn this video, I describe the benefits of using heat to manage the discomfort of RAjoint pain. I talk about how the different methods and applications of heat can help...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Just When I Thought I Was Out...It looks like, come November, I will be back into the full swing of RA. Again. A new surgery to fix my ankle that may last up to a year...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Let's Party! Lessons on RA from Ina GartenI am not ashamed to admit that I LOVE cooking shows. Ever since I was a little kid, hungrily watching The Galloping Gourmet and Julia Child, I have been watching...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments
How to Handle HecticI manage my RA best when I utilize routine as my foundational principle. I like to try to stick to an exercise regimen, eat healthy, etc. I successfully manage my...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Be Ready to ArgueI’m very happy that it’s been more than six years since I was in a hospital facility. I had forgotten how I have to be constantly at the ready to...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments