Speaking About the Unspeakable: How RA Affects Your Sex Life
I’m in a rheumatologist’s office, discussing starting methotrexate. This is long before the miracle of Enbrel and Humira, my first shot at one of the more serious drugs for RA, but my disease is flaring and something needs doing. Methotrexate is the gold standard and can be very effective. It is also very toxic so…
Fancy
Not too long ago, I mentioned that Ken had asked me to come with him to a fancy event, which naturally send me into a frenzy of overthinking, given that I haven’t been out to anything fancy for years. Said event was this The March of Domes’ 60th celebration. Seeing the program brought me from…
Perfect Comebacks
Perfect comeback #1: Barnes & Noble and Borders in the US have requested that a magazine cover up due to what apparently has a controversial cover: an androgynous-looking man with his shirt off wearing makeup and girly hair. Because, says B&N “the model is young and it could be deemed as a naked female.” I’ve…
Enemy Within: An Interview with Karen Ager
I got the chance to interview a fascinating woman: “Born and raised in Australia. Spent two years as a “virtual prisoner” in a fourth floor walk-up living with her mother unable to walk. Nanny to a rock star’s children. Survivor of an abusive relationship. Tireless advocate for RA. Teacher at the United Nation’s International School…
2010 Moby Dick: A Celebration
Saturday evening, at about 8:28pm (OK, at exactly 8:28pm), I finished the first draft of The Book. Cue sparkling confetti falling from the ceiling, popping of champagne corks and triumphant blasts from the horn section in the corner of my living room. You’d think, right? It was, rather to my surprise, what my brain had…
RA and Fibromyalgia
Yesterday was National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day in the US, but by the time I carved out some time to post, Blogger had inexplicably gone down. And remained so for most of today. So… Herewith is yesterday’s post. If none of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, Karen Lee Richards and I interviewed each other about living with RA…
The Best Intentions
I sat down (metaphorically) at the computer, fully intending to write something clever, thoughtful and erudite for today’s post. I feel as if I’ve woefully neglected my blog in the insanity that has been the launch of MyRACentral’s Arthritis Awareness Month festivities (new contest starts today!). In order to be clever, thoughtful and erudite, I…
An Odd Comparison
A friend of mine introduced me to The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. It’s a wonderful series of books, a mix between hard-boiled detective fiction and the paranormal. Our hero is Harry Dresden, a wizard working in Chicago. Or barely working – as is the tradition of hard-boiled detective fiction, he doesn’t make a lot…
The Arthritis Foundation: Changing the Future of Arthritis
The festivities continue over at MyRACentral. Today, I posted an interview with Dr. Patience White, VP of Public Health with The Arthritis Foundation about the services and programs and how we can get involved in advocacy and fundraising: “Arthritis is Unacceptable. That’s quite a statement, isn’t it? It’s the philosophy guiding The Arthritis Foundation’s efforts…
Stress Bunny & Loving It: Arthritis Awareness Month
First, a note: If you live in Canada, today’s election is a nailbiter. If you can vote, please take the time to do so. If you don’t, it’s a vote for Harper and dude’s gotta go… And now for the post: On Friday, Laurie called me a “stress bunny.” She’s entirely right, but there is…
Might Need Asbestos Clothing for This One
Yesterday, I read a post by Trisha Torrey over at About.com’s Patient Empowerment area. It was about the possibility of a convicted child rapist named Kenneth Pike being considered for heart transplant. She presented the issues and asked for readers opinions. This is my comment: “One of the reasons I am a monthly support of…
In Which I Get An Attitude Adjustment
It has been brought to my attention that I’m showing. No, not that kind of showing! What I’m showing is my mood. One friend mentioned that my online posting sseem to indicate I was frustrated with my limits and another friend asked me if I were okay, because – and I quote – I’d “been…