Articles

Sometimes I get angry with the mirror. I feel it doesn’t reflect how I am feeling—specifically, how I am feeling on a bad RA day. There’s the saying: “It is...

The ribs are an important part of our bodies. They protect our lungs and hearts and other organs like the spleen. They help us breathe by aiding the lungs and...

I sometimes get really down on myself about what doesn’t get done. At the end of every day, there’s usually a list of things that I’m putting off for another...

Trigger WarningThe content includes information related to mental and emotional distress and it might be upsetting to some people. If you or someone you know have thoughts of suicide, have...

Between driving to doctor’s appointments, picking up prescriptions, and getting to therapy, you have plenty of places to go, in addition to work/school, family responsibilities, and/or social activities, driving is...

Season changes, especially the transition to spring, something everyone looks forward to. But for those living with RA, it can sometimes pose challenges. I want to offer some suggestions for...

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how what I have learned from my father has helped me to live with rheumatoid arthritis. Actually, it’s not just really about the RA, but...

Is weakness a state of mind? A feeling? Is it physical or mental? Can I control it? The definition of "weakness" is lacking in strength, feeble or slight defect so...

Last December, I made the switch from taking methotrexate and a biologic injection to a new medication: Xeljanz. Methotrexate had worked well for me for many years. When paired with...

Until the recent passing of our beloved dog, Leah, I had not really considered the parallels between her situation and mine, in terms of the intensity of care required for...

As I have moved through the years of my life I found myself, at times, looking back.  I like to think this is a good way to take lessons learned...

I grew up a tomboy. I never cared too much for makeup. I only wore sunscreen during the summer or long periods outside. I had oily skin and some blemishes...

The doctor who just performed my reverse shoulder replacement is new to me. He is in the same practice as the excellent surgeon that did my other shoulder replacement and...

Raise your hand if you’ve ever brought up fatigue with your physician? Raise both hands if there was not a lot they could do to help you? Yup, me too...

Resilience is the ultimate life skill. We are all innately resilient; life on earth wouldn't prosper without it. Take a walk outside and you will see resilience everywhere you turn...

I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when I was 20. I recently turned 28. Do you know what this means? I spent half of my 20s asleep. If I really...

It may be a shock, but I never intended to get married. By age 30 I realized that I was a happy person, that I wasn’t looking for anything else...

...The one who tells the whole gruesome story of how they twisted their thumb or sigh dramatically when they trip on the pavement and “twist” their ankle. And all the...

Keeping my weight under control (if not as low as I’d like) has been an ongoing battle for me since I was a teenager. In the beginning, it was just...

...with ourselves. During the time of the year where everyone focuses on their relationships with other people or frantically tries to find someone to share the Hallmark holiday with, we...