Do You Have ‘Visible’ or ‘Invisible’ Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Look at the Pros and Cons
Whether or not your chronic illness is obvious to others can affect how you’re treated — and sometimes, how you feel about yourself. I write about the benefits and drawbacks of visible and invisible RA for CreakyJoints Caanda: “One glance at my hands will tell you I have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They show the classic…
Made With RA: Your No-Drama Guide to Virtual RA Support Groups
Your peeps are out there, you just need to hit the right keys. In this column for HealthCentral, I share tips on how to find the right rheumatoid arthritis support online: “LIVING WITH RHEUMATOID arthritis (RA) can feel very lonely. Since this condition affects just about 1% of the population, it’s rare to meet others with…
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…
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 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…
5 Ways to Do the Holidays, RA-Style
It’s hard to find the line between joyful holiday bustle and a stressful mess that sends you reeling into a post-holiday rheumatoid arthritis flare (or a pre-holiday or joining-the-holidays). Throwing out traditions that don’t work for you anymore is a good place to start. In my new column for HealthCentral, I share five ways to create…
Finding Hope When RA Meds Don’t Put You in Remission
What do you do when medications don’t work as well as you’d like? In my new column for HealthCentral, I write about how developing a hopeful mindset can help you get through the pain and frustration: “EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, there is hopeful news about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment and what it can do for your life—all…
Removing the “Ick Factor” From RA Meds
Like it or not (and mostly it’s not), medication is part of living with RA. But when you’re not used to swallowing pills or giving yourself an injection, how do you get to a point where it’s less intimidating or gross? In my new column for HealthCentral, I share my pro tips to get the…
Managing RA Pain in a Post-Opioid World
Pain meds aren’t always available when you need them. In my new olumn for HealthCentral, I share relief strategies can help get you through a rough patch: “LIKE IT OR not (and really, who would?) to have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is to know pain—even people in remission may have occasional flares or breakthrough pain. For me…
Never Settle with RA: Why You Should Push for Remission and 4 Tools to Help You Get There
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a serious illness that can have a life-changing impact on your life. But with advances in medication, remission is now possible and it should be the goal of RA treatment, yet 60% of Canadians with RA haven’t had a conversation about RA remission with their rheumatologist. The road to better conversations…