Dismantling Your Inner Ableism to Live Better with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Systemic ableism is ingrained in our society and we internalize those messages. In my new essay for CreakyJoints in Canada, I share tips on how to start dismantling your own internalized ableism to create a much better life with chronic illness: “It was productivity that got me. Or rather, yet another instance of overdoing simply everything…
Made With RA: A Mobility Aid May Be the Ticket to RA Freedom
If you’ve been wondering if it’s time for a cane or a wheelchair (and maybe hating the thought), my latest HealthCentral column is for you. A mobility aid can be your key to leaving the house and having a life: “I WAS 16 years old the first time I used a power wheelchair and the moment…
Made With RA: Four Times in Life When RA Needs Come First
You’ve trained yourself to push through the pain and fatigue that can come with your condition. But sometimes, it’s OK to let rheumatoid arthritis (RA) be the boss. In this column for HealthCentral, I share four times when your RA should comes first: ““YOU CAN’T POUR from an empty cup.” No matter how often I enjoy…
Made With RA: How to Create Your RA “Go Team”
Living with rheumatoid arthritis is hard at times. In my new column for HealthCentral, I write about the importance of an emotional support team and which roles can especially help in different situations: ““I NEED YOUR help.” There will always be times in your life when you can’t do it all alone. When you have rheumatoid…
How Mindfulness Helps Me Cope With RA
Mindfulness has taught me to slow down and appreciate the small details around me as a source of joy. In my new column for HealthCentral I talk about how it helps me live with chronic pain and easy ways for you to try it: “IT’S SNOWING AS I write this. Big fluffy flakes falling quietly, gradually…
When Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Is Worse Than Pain: How I Cope
Fatigue is the bane of my exsitence. In my new artcile for CreakyJoints Canada, I share how RA fatigue affects my life and the strategies I use to cope: “I live with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fatigue. To the uninitiated, this sounds like I’m a bit tired all the time. But it’s much more than that….
What to Do When Your Doc Dismisses Your RA Pain
More than ever, it’s important that you and your doctor agree on pain management. In my new call for HealthCentral, I discuss self-advocacy tools that can help you communicate your pain with your doctor to get you feeling better faster: ““IT’S ALL IN your head.” Although a doctor may not say those exact words, many people…
Having A Swish: How Self-Pity Can Help You Cope Better with Chronic Illness
Living with chronic illness is often difficult. There are medical appointments, work, family, keeping the dust bunnies (buffalo?) under control and it goes on and on. Not being able to stop and rest and heal makes it even harder. There’s a lot of pressure to keep going in with a stiff upper lip, not complaining,…
How to Soldier On When RA Requires Real Bravery
The meds make you feel sick, but you’ve still got to take them, and the doctor visits feel endless. In th itmn for HealthCentral, I share tips for getting through the hard times with rheumatoid arthritis: “WE DO IT silently and behind a smile. We do it with a grimace and a groan. We do it…
Finding Control When RA Takes the Wheel
RA is not the boss of you, though it often feels that way. In this column for HealthCentral, I write about how to reclaim agency over your life: “I HAVE NOT been in full control of my life for over five decades. That’s how long I’ve lived with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an unpredictable condition that regularly…
What the Pandemic Can Teach Us About Having an Easier Holiday Season with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Although recreating festive traditions in exactly the way we used to may feel like a way to reclaim our lives, it can perpetuate old and dysfunctional habits. Instead, try these tips for easier and happier holidays with rheumatoid arthritis in my new article for CreakyJoints Canada: “Ahh, the holidays. I love everything about this season…
How to Become Friends Again with Your Body After Feeling Betrayed by Rheumatoid Arthritis
For a very long time, I felt that having rheumatoid arthritis meant that my body had betrayed me. But in the moment of profound insight, I realized that my body was not an enemy to resent, but a partner to support. In my new article for CreakyJoints Canada, I write about how I became friends with…