All I Want for Christmas...I will start out this Christmas blissfully alone (only another introvert can truly understand this). :-) No frantic attempts at cooking. (Not a good cook!). No waiting anxiously to see...reactions11comments
Stigma Is Exhausting...I’ve spent a lot of the last 2 years at home. It’s been lovely, despite the harrowing aspects of a global pandemic. During this time, I’ve done a lot of...reactions7comments
Further Along the Pain Management Road ...Pain science has come a long way. When I first was diagnosed with JRA in 1971, pain researchers weren’t all convinced that young children felt pain - at least, not...reactions7comments
Figuring out my diagnosis ...Hello, I was diagnosed with “inflammatory arthritis” with no tests to support. My RA test was negative. I have had extreme swelling, stiffness, and decreased mobilization in one knee since...reactions5repliesNewly DiagnosedTips & AdviceCoping
Tips for First-Time Moms With RA...Although I experienced chronic pain with my son 4 years ago, at the time I had no diagnosis to explain my pain. In fact, my pain had no voice at...reactions4comments
How I Handle Moving Stress, Part 1...Recently, I moved across the country for school. I basically packed up my life and moved. A cross-country move, as expected, was stressful and complicated. Surprisingly, though, I did not...reactions5comments
Giving Thanks, Just Not For RA...'Tis the season for giving thanks! While these past 2 weird years have been certainly - well- weird, there are still plenty of things for which to express gratitude. I'm...reactions1comment
Diet...I experimented with my diet and the conclusion I came to is that SUGAR; specifically cola drinks; are the culprit in making my rheumatoid issues worse. I can drink them...reactions2repliesDiet & Nutrition
RA on the Go...Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) means that I have been forced to make my life adaptable - whether I’m at home or away. I’ve thought a lot about how my...reactions5comments
Fighting an Inflamed Cyst...Unfortunately, inflammation is my superpower. It is unfortunate because I’m both very good at creating inflammation and, yet, haven’t found a useful purpose for this superpower. In the last couple...reactions3comments
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 from Type 1 diabetes. I say suffered because...reactions13comments
Find a Creative Way to Cope with Rheumatoid Arthritis...So, you probably don’t know this since I don’t write about it much, but my husband is a man for which I will sing praises until the end of time...reactions7comments
RA Acceptance vs Surrender...Some people believe that accepting and moving forward with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis may lead to surrendering to it as well. I am not one of those people. I think that...reactions3comments
Xeljanz and Cholesterol tests ...My Rheumatologist is talking about changing my meds. and is leaning towards Xeljanz. All the literature on the drug says it messes up cholesterol tests. I had a small stroke...reactions4repliesTips & Advice
Breathing or lung issues and RA...Does anyone have any experience with breathing or lung issues and RA?...reactions21repliesSymptoms
Lessons from Bugs Bunny...When I was a kid, Saturday morning was my jam. And my favorite part of the morning was watching Bugs Bunny on the Looney Tunes hour of Saturday morning cartoons...reactions5comments
Mental Health and the "notOK" App...Rheumatoid arthritis affects every aspect of a person’s life. It affects a person physically, socially, and mentally. It also impacts their ability to perform everyday activities, work, and go to...reactions1comment
RA Holiday Survival Guide...The holidays. There is nary a more stressful time when it comes to dealing with people and as much as I love "people," I also say, "Ugh, have you met...reactions10comments
RA Stomach Pain...I started methotrexate once a week now for 4 weeks. Since then I am having terrible stomach and esophogus pain. Has anyone experienced this?...reactions13repliesSide Effects
The Power of Our Words to Help Heal Our Rheumatoid Arthritis and Overall Health...I ran across an old article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) titled the “Effects of Writing About Stressful Experiences on Symptom Reduction in Patients with Asthma or...reactions15comments