Thoughts on Guilt and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Guilt and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) go hand-in-hand. It goes something like this: You made plans. Sometimes big plans, sometimes small. Then you wake up to a day when your RA has decided to be extra — extra painful, extra flare-y, extra getting in the way of your life — and there’s only one thing to…
I Tried CBD Oil for Chronic Illness and Pain. This is What Happened
As the war on opioids continues to restrict prescription pain medication, those of us who live with chronic pain are looking for alternatives that will help us to continue living our lives. CBD oil is one option. It has had a profound impact on the pain caused by my rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and surprisingly,…
Failure-Proof Your Goals for 2020
Sometimes, little things can create big changes. My new column for HealthCentral shares tips on how to change your life: “Last year, an article I wrote for HealthCentral inspired me to create a new way to improve my life and achieve my goals (despite the overwhelming mountain of stuff that comes with living with rheumatoid…
7 Ways to Build a Chronic Illness Emergency Fund
Having a chronic illness is expensive. Struggling financially is so common, you might even call it normal. Those of us who live with chronic illness have the usual expenses, but your health condition cranks up the strain on the budget even more. Having a cushion of savings can make all the difference. Whether it’s paying…
Try #3Things for Lasting Change with Chronic Illness + Free Tool
Failing on your New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks is normal for anyone, but when you have a chronic illness, life is already overwhelming enough. Why add another thing that makes you feel bad? One year ago, I decided to not make a resolution. Instead, I created a way to gradually create change was…
How to Make RA Treatment Decisions With Less Stress
Rheumatoid arthritis and medication go hand in hand. But… what about the horror stories about side effects? How do you balance the fear of what might come with the meds with hope for remission? Read more in my new column for HealthCentral: “The ads make it look easy—you can create a wonderful life of walking…
Do These 3 Things to Enjoy the Holidays with Chronic Illness
Updated November 20, 2021 There are just a few days left before the Big Day and it’s crunch time. Crunch and well, panic. When you have a chronic illness and limited energy and ability, it’s even more of a challenge. Everything seems overwhelming, the lists keep growing instead of shrinking, and the specter of…
10 Perfect Gifts for People with Chronic Illness
Updated November 20, 2021 People with chronic illness are just like anyone else — they have a variety of interests and passions that you can consider when planning a present. But choosing a gift that shows you understand and support their health challenges can mean so much. Here are 10 perfect gift ideas for your…
8 Practical Ways You Can Help Someone with Chronic Illness
When you have a chronic illness, asking for help can feel like a mine field. Likewise, if you want to help someone you care about who has a chronic illness, offering it has its own challenges. But finding a way to help and accept help can start to build bridges of understanding, of connection, and…
Rheumatoid Arthritis Will Change Your Life. It Doesn’t Have to Ruin It.
What about your dreams when you get a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis — do you have to give them all up? In my new column for HealthCentral, I muse on future, expectations, and moving forward. “When I was a little girl, I had high-flying dreams and they had very little to do with my juvenile…
Using Findaway Voices to Create the Chronic Christmas Audiobook
Updated November 20, 2021 I am an independent author and that means I do it all myself. It can be a real challenge, but new things happen all the time. One of those new things enabled me to create an audiobook version of Chronic Christmas: Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic Illness! I know there…
Chronic Christmas Audiobook Available Now (It’s a Dream Come True)
There are no words for how excited I am to announce that the audiobook version of Chronic Christmas: Surviving the Holidays with a Chronic Illness is available now! Of course, I will attempt to use words to describe it, but if you just want the audiobook right now!, click this button: Still with me? Awesome!…