Preparing for Your First Appointment with a Rheumatologist
This week on MyRACentral, I get practical: “There you are, on the sidewalk outside your doctor’s office, a referral to rheumatologist in your hand, your doctor saying I think you may have rheumatoid arthritis ringing in your ears and somehow, the world is tilting a little. Nevermind possibly facing the rest of your life with…
Favourites
I spent a significant part of the summer in the company of one of my very favourite books, one that I’ve now read about seven times or so. Every time, it is just as good as the last time I disappeared into this world between its covers (or megabytes, if you’re looking at the audio…
Of Two Minds
It all started on Tuesday when I went to the Market to do some shopping. As I was making my way out again, a busload of tourists was disembarking and several of them seem to find it difficult to remember what their mothers had told them about staring at the unfortunate. Apparently where they came…
Ponderings upon Mole Removal
Updated June 11, 2022 Once, I spent some time in an outpatient clinic waiting to have two moles removed. I’d been there before, in fact, it’s the remaining two moles of the triangle on my leg that now need to come off. Largely for preventative purposes, I think — the dermatologist was moving very quickly…
RA and Osteoporosis: Preventing and Managing Thinning Bones
The much-delayed osteoporosis post on MyRACentral is finally done: “Rheumatoid arthritis.Steroids.Sedentary lifestyle.Being low on vitamin D. All are risk factors for developing osteoporosis. Although being a postmenopausal woman tends to be one of the more familiar risk factors, men, children and young adults are vulnerable, too. If you feel as if a heavy sack of…
Life with Codeine
I’m finishing breakfast, about to take my morning round of drugs when I notice that I need to add some more of one of my painkillers to the Box o’ Meds I keep on my dining room table (because it’s a handy reminder to take my meds with meals). I also notice that my tea…
Fun with Attendants
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about living independently in the community and how that can be facilitated by attendants. These are people whose job is to be your hands and feet, doing things that you cannot do yourself or that would take an unreasonable amount of time or effort to do. In Ontario,…
Book Review: Linger
Updated November 21, 2021 Following up on perfection is a difficult thing. When I read Shiver, the first book in the trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater, I called it perfection and was in complete raptures over the beauty of the story, the beauty of the writing, and the beauty of the narration. So when I found…
5 Lessons Learned While Sitting Still
The first thing I learned came on the very first day of my 2 weeks leave. And it was the sheer exuberant relief of knowing I had 2 weeks, 14 long days with no responsibilities, no to-do lists, nothing on my plate but to sit still and heal. In a comment on last Friday’s post,…
Never Say Never
“Please shoot me,” I said, like an arrogant snot, “if I ever get a Twitter account.” I have a friend – who shall remain nameless to protect their dignity – who regularly sneers at television. Simply doesn’t believe that there can be anything of value, artistic merit or non-trashy on the small screen. We all…
Surrender
In a moment of stunning personal growth, I gave up. Stopped fighting. Let go. You know how when you stub your toe, it becomes a magnet for furniture, baseboards and random bric-a-brac lying about? So magnetic, in fact, that the aforementioned items tend to leap out to hit that particular toe over and over again,…
Independent Living with RA
The theme for July at MyRACentral is independence: “The key in the door wakes me and I listen as my attendant putters around in the kitchen, pouring juice and getting a plate, letting me wake up slowly. She pushes my wheelchair into my bedroom, laughing as Lucy the cat refuses to get off the seat…