My Body Can Beat Your Weather Radar
Photo credit: David Govoni Every single person I know who has chronic pain response whether. Get any of us together in a room and the conversation will inevitably turn to have the current weather is making us feel. Exactly how this is in which kind of weather makes it worse, can differ from person to…
I’m Nominated for the #WEGOHealthAwards!
I am beyond thrilled to be nominated in the WEGO Health Awards in two categories — Best in Show: Community and Hilarious Patient Leader. I don’t know who nominated me, but both of these absolutely made my day when I got the news. Thank you to the nominators and thank you to all of you….
Announcing #ChronicJourneys: My New Talk Show
Getting to know others and hearing their stories is one of my favourite things, ever. There are so many fascinating people who have found ways to live with and around rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other types of chronic illness and I want to talk to all of them! About how they manage their condition, but…
Managing RA (or Any Chronic Illness) Is a Full-Time Job
No one ever tells you just how much work it is to have a chronic illness. Just how many roles and tasks does it include? I tell all in my new Made with RA column on HealthCentral: “I am exhausted. My doctors would tell me this is due to the stress of living with a…
Is it OK to Dump Someone Because of Their Medical Condition? Why the New York Times Got It Wrong (and It’s Not What You Think)
“I just can’t handle it.” I’d bet the majority of people who have a chronic illness or disability have had that conversation when dating. That is, if you’re lucky. There are also the infinite number of times when you’re just ghosted — the person just disappears as if exorcised from your life. Earlier this week,…
When RA Hits Your Jaw: The Facts and Tips to Cope
Did you know that headaches, toothaches, and pain around the neck and shoulders could mean that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is affecting your jaw? For some of you reading this, this could be the first time you heard that RA can affect your jaw. Let’s cover that first — yes, it can, just like all the…
How Someone Who Can’t Have Children Feels About Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day is almost here and even in a pandemic, we’ll find way to celebrate. but what about the women who aren’t mothers? In my new column for HealthCentral, I share my story of how rheumatoid arthritis blocked my dreams of being a mother (and what I’m doing instead): “Somewhere in a parallel reality, I…
RA and COVID-19: Can We Go Back to Normal?
In the past week, some countries have started to relax COVID-19 restrictions and there is increasing talk about loosening things up. They call it deconfinement, which sounds oddly benign, like a Victorian lady starting to visit acquaintances for tea again after having produced the spare to the heir. But it’s not benign. I have rheumatoid…
COVID-19 and RA: What to Pack in Your Hospital Go-Bag
Living in the middle of a pandemic while being high risk is the most scared many of us have ever been. When you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are taking an immunosuppressant medication, there is a double whammy of risk. We have to consider what might happen if we need to go to the hospital…
Answered: Your Questions About Chronic Illness and COVID-19
Updated March 17, 2020 If you are a member of a vulnerable population, what you need to do and what you need to worry about in relation coronavirus and COVID-19 (the illness you get from coronavirus) may be entirely different than what’s general available. Finding the answers isn’t always easy. I asked my readers to…
Boundaries Start with U: Protecting Your Health with RA
It was my nap that taught me about boundaries and my role in maintaining them. Years ago, my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progressed to the point that I needed a daily rest to manage fatigue and pain. And that’s when I banged hard up against other people’s preconceptions. “It must be wonderful to have a nap…
Chronic Illness Doesn’t Mean You Don’t Contribute
I can’t work, so I feel like a deadweight in my marriage. We used to do active things together and now we can’t. I worry that it’ll end our relationship. I see these comments all the time as I talk to others in the chronic illness community. When you can no longer do everything you…