The Peaks and Valleys of Rheumatoid Arthritis
When you live with a chronic illness,difficult times are unavoidable. And it can feel as if you are walking through the valley of if not death, then certainly a very dark and dingy place. What’s it like and how do you cope? That’s the subject of my new article on HealthCentral: “Living with rheumatoid arthritis…
Fighting for Inclusion: Some Days the Battle is All Uphill
There are days where you hardly notice you have a chronic illness or disability. You move through your day effortlessly a, whatever accommodations you’ve made are by now second nature and hence unnoticeable. Wherever you go, people are helpful, removing barriers to make sure you are included Last Saturday was the opposite of one such…
In Which I Appear on Facebook. Live.
The night before I dreamed that I was late to this first-ever Facebook Live event that I hosted on Friday. I’d gotten held up by the tornado, but somehow managed to get there anyway. Then the lights went out as a massive natural disaster commenced. I couldn’t find my notes, so I talked for a…
Are There Gender Differences in RA?
It is fairly well known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects women more often than men, but are there other gender differences in the condition? My new slideshow for HealthCentral looks at differences and possible causes for this: “There are many individual differences in how people experience rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is possible to generalize some…
The 5 Challenge
“Is this worth $5 of happiness?” This is a question my friend and sister-in-law Janet asks herself when tempted to purchase something slightly frivolous. It’s a great way to find out if you’re in the grip of an impulse that will evaporate the minute you leave the store, or whether you will actually be happy…
Trailblazers & Pathmakers: Women’s Leadership with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Me? A trailblazer? Apparently so, because I had the privilege of being invited to the Trailblazers & Pathmakers event at Queen’s Park hosted by The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. On an early April morning, I joined 99 amazing women to discuss issues surrounding women’s leadership. May I get real for a moment?…
Can Diet Effect Rheumatoid Arthritis?
There is a lot of talk in the RA community about using food to control symptoms. A new survey reveals how many people with rheumatoid arthritis actually respond to dietary changes: “Managing rheumatoid address (RA) includes a lot of tools, such as medication, physical therapy, pacing yourself, acupuncture, and more. Some people also use diet…
Caregiving for Aging Parents when You Have a Chronic Illness
Taking care of aging parents can be a challenge at the best of times, but even more so when you have a chronic illness. And yet, that chronic illness can uniquely qualify you to be a fantastic advocate for your mom and dad: “When you have a chronic illness, it can be enough of a…
12: Blogiversary Thoughts on How We Learn from Each Other
Way back in the beginning of my blogging career, no one told me that I would learn far more than I would teach. Much of blogging — particularly in the beginning — feels a bit one-sided. Someone once told me that with a blog I was “in a position to inform.” This made me feel…