In The Beginning...Super Bowl Sunday 2023. Right hand blew up so swollen it looked like a surgical glove filled with air. After PCP visits...reactions2comments
Meeting My New Rheumatologist...In 2021, my rheumatologist, Dr. N, told me he was about to retire. Oh, I knew it was coming, but it was...reactions13comments
Doctors Aren't Always Right and How To Say "No"...Let me ask you this question. Do you know someone who is perfect? I mean, absolutely perfect; Never gives a wrong answer...reactions15comments
Summer Swelling...It's July, and July in Minnesota (usually) means hot, muggy, humid, tropical, oppressive, and miserable weather. The miserable part is my own...reactions37comments
Joint Stiffness Not Required...I remember the first time I saw a rheumatologist, he asked me a simple question: Do you experience any stiffness? Promptly, I...reactions17comments
10 Green and Red Fruits & Veggies to Eat When You Have Rheumatoid Arthritis...Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation and pain for those that have the disease. Eating foods high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties can help...reactionscomments
The Day My Meds Didn’t Work...My biologic, Orencia, hasn’t been working at full capacity for many months now. I know this because, at the beginning, I could...reactions10comments
Self-Care Isn’t Easy With Rheumatoid Arthritis...Whenever I play the "if I had a million dollars" game in my head, I always have one thing at the top...reactions5comments
Hello, Representative. Does My Insurance Cover Sex Therapy?...As I explained in a previous post, about a year ago my sex life was really suffering – partly as the result...reactions3comments
My Sero-Negative RA Story...How blessed are those being diagnosed with RA today! Medical knowledge has grown so much, marching forward with better understanding and the...reactions9comments
Christmas Is Not Always Full of Happy Memories...From the time I was 8 years old, my Christmas memories were of my mother's constant fight to live. My mother suffered...reactions13comments
Decreasing Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)...For most Americans, heartburn is just an occasional problem. For those living with RA though, regular use of NSAIDs and medications like...
Hair (Not the Musical)...I was recently at a meeting that included a number of other RA patient advocates. Over lunch, conversation turned (not unexpectedly) to...reactions8comments
Plagued by Inflammation...In recent months, I’ve been struggling with an inflammation of the eyelids called blepharitis. Warning: this is gross! I wake up with...reactions11comments
The Bursitis Burn...The bursitis in both of my hips has been flaring up again lately and I'm not happy about it--especially when I try...reactions54comments
My RA and My Grandson...I have raised my grandson since he was 2 or 3 weeks old. We danced, wrestled, played, ran, climbed, swung, slid, etc...reactions3comments
Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD)...Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are caused by your immune system attacking your body’s own healthy...
Raynaud's Disease...Now that the weather has turned (much) colder in Minnesota, my swollen and inflamed joints are happier thanks to the cool, dry...reactions26comments
RA and Recurrent Stress Fractures...I have previously written about an initial injury (a herniated disc), which led to a very difficult surgery and recovery, and then...reactions14comments
My Experience With RA Chest Pain (Costochondritis)...All morning sitting in my chair at my desk I felt a creeping but clear pressure growing in my chest. I thought...reactions60comments
