How to Embrace the Power of the Clinical Trial on International Clinical Trials Day and BeyondWhen we pick up our prescriptions from the pharmacy, most of us do not think about where these drugs come from. Yet every pill or medical intervention – from cold...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Generally speakingWhen I stop to consider some of the challenges RA folks face over time one has popped up for me just this past week. It involves sorting out the difference...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Getting Ready for Infusion DayIf you are anything like me, you often take one day at a time. This is great for most situations; but when an event is on the horizon that would...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
RA, Party CrasherRecently I had a big meeting at work, with a presentation to give to the higher-ups in our school district. I prepared my data, reviewed points I anticipated questions on...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Is RA Hereditary?Editor's note: This article was first published in May 2015. Since then, more research has been conducted to understand the role of genetics in rheumatoid arthritis. Read this recent study...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Breaking My RhythmHere’s a common scenario: I’m feeling pretty good and am up for a task I’ve been putting off, such as painting a room, reorganizing closets, or stripping and waxing the...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
EarwormThe irksome earworm I’m stuck with this morning keeps singing the tune to “Bad Boys” in my head. Except instead of “bad boys,” it’s chanting “Bad hands, bad hands, whatcha...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Tips for a Tolerable PregnancyWhen I made the decision to become pregnant, one of the chief factors I weighed was how my body would handle the pregnancy. I had long heard about the swollen...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How She Keeps Living with RAA good friend of mine just shared an article with me that was recently posted on BuzzFeed by a young woman with RA. In the article, she honestly and eloquently...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Starting over and over and overIt is all coming back to me now. Remember when we were youngsters and our parents, teachers, coaches, etc. would instruct us to "do that over"? Most of the time...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Walking to WellnessA few years ago I visited my primary care physician for an annual check-up. She gave me a good going-over, studied my blood and urinalysis test results without commenting, and...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
This Decision is Between My Husband and Me . . . and My RABack when my now-husband and I were talking about getting married, we discussed the things most important to us in merging from single life to a partnership, such as bank...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Car Shopping for RAA couple of months before my 16 birthday my mom got me the most amazing gift any teenager could want: a car. It was a 12-year-old Nissan and was nothing...Reactions0reactionsComments14 comments
The Need for SleepI got a need. A need for sleep. Partly, I do it to myself. I get all wrapped up in work, volunteer activities, and fun with friends and family. Quickly...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Mylan Initiates Voluntary Recall of Methotrexate Lot #7801082On April 23, 2015 Mylan N.V. announced that it is conducting a voluntary nationwide recall for select lots of several injectable products due to the presence of visible foreign particulate...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Chew on thisEating is such a necessary part of our existence that we often just take it for granted without giving it a whole lot of thought. It is, however, one of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Arthritis is Arthritis... Right?I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since I was 31 years old. The young internist who diagnosed me way back in 1987 said that that RA was an autoimmune disease. I had...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Pencil Me InThere is a lot to hate about rheumatoid arthritis: the pain, swelling and fatigue, the side effects and expense of treatment options, and the fear of what the future with...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
The Pillow Queen“Do you really need that many pillows?” I don’t know how many times my husband has asked me that. In spite of being very supportive and compassionate, my husband continues...Reactions0reactionsComments23 comments
Living with End Stage RAAccording to clinical definitions, I’ve been living with “end stage rheumatoid arthritis” most of my life. Obviously, this phrasing is inadequate to describe my disease, because it may be severe...Reactions0reactionsComments16 comments