Reality and AppearanceLiving with Rheumatoid Arthritis is often a subtle masquerade of appearances: a smile when one is in pain, the forced buoyancy of energy when one is exhausted, the illusion of...reactions9comments
“Where oh where is my libido?” or The Time I Decided to See a Sex TherapistThough it isn’t often talked about, I think most people living with RA would agree that RA can have a very negative impact on a person’s sex life. Pain and...reactions1comment
It's Not Too LateI get a flu shot every fall, usually after a routine rheumatologist appointment. The VA medical center where I get my care offers them to all vets, and they keep...reactions8comments
Know Your Love Language – A Tool for Improving Communication in RelationshipsCommunication is an essential part of maintaining a healthy relationship – it’s how we share our thoughts, ideas, feelings, and desires with our partners. But, in a relationship where one...reactions2comments
(Finally) Embracing Goals and How They Help MeMy entire professional life has been deadline driven. There were usually dire consequences if deadlines weren’t met: contracts could be lost, governing bodies could impose fines, disclosure regulations would be...reactions2comments
Nailed It!In this video, Nan discusses how our fingernails are impacted by RA and how to take care of them...reactions1comment
It's a small, small worldHave you ever stopped to think how important the notion of smallness is to managing RA? As strange as this may sound I am convinced that remembering to keep it...reactions2comments
IsolationThe journey of the lone protagonist, forgotten and consigned to oblivion, is the plot of innumerable movies, dramas, novels, and historical narratives. Something about a single individual, whether stranded and...reactions7comments
Learning to Speak RAWhen you’re diagnosed with RA you become a member of an exclusive club. To quote the iconic comic, Groucho Marx (and others to whom the saying has been attributed), “I...reactions1comment
Aches and AchesThere are aches, and then there are pains. The frequency of both have proliferated in my life since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. As a young athlete in extreme sports...reactions3comments
A Hair-Raising ExperienceI have never had an easy time with my hair, but rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has made it even more of a challenge. From the time I was a little girl...reactions13comments
Video: CaregivingRheumatoidArthritis.net contributor Kelly Mack and her husband Richard Faust discuss what it means to be a caregiver for someone living with rheumatoid arthritis. While the misconceptions may be many (such...reactions2comments
Seeking: Modest Health Care ProfessionalsModesty is sometimes an undervalued characteristic in people and health care professionals in particular. When I was a child, it was confidence and authority that you sought in a doctor...reactions2comments
What Does Pain Actually Look Like?Here’s a scenario I’d like you to consider: two people are currently experiencing acute and intense pain. The first person is generally in perfect health and almost never experiences pain...reactions10comments
Self-What? Remembering Self-CareAt a recent physical therapy appointment at my pain management clinic, my therapist began to ask me questions related to self-care. "So have you tried the breathing techniques we talked...reactions2comments
Your Unexpected RA “Surprises”We recently posted an article written by one of our community experts centered around her experience with RA, and how she has never had a shortage of surprises. Even after...reactions22comments
New FDA Pregnancy Labeling Standards – Not As Boring As It Sounds!!This article explains how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires medications to be labeled concerning the safety of use during pregnancy and breastfeeding – and if the first...reactions1comment
The Holidays with the DragonThe Holiday Season: that fine part of the year that starts with autumn’s sweet, sharp nip in the air. Outdoors, it’s beautiful! Clear blue skies, scudding clouds, the occasional thunderstorm...reactions10comments
Turn the Bottle, Not the CorkSeveral years ago, when I drank a lot more champagne than I do now, I was given a marvelous tip for opening bottles of sparkling wine. Turning the cork to...reactions7comments
Cracking UpThis is kind of embarrassing and possibly a bit gross to talk about, but recently I've been having a skin issue that I suspect is RA-related. It's also not a...reactions2comments