I was talking to a good friend who also has RA.  I mentioned a big decision I made regarding my career and the feedback I had received.  She said, something like "That is such a compliment to your abilities as a normal person".  Hmmm....It sounded strange, but  I knew exactly what she meant.  My normal... Continue Reading →

When you get diagnosed with a chronic illness, you go through various emotions.  I literally went through the stages identified by Elizabeth Kugler-Ross "5 Stages of Grief".  Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.  Each stage prior to acceptance was painful.  Hell, even acceptance hurt pretty bad.  The life I thought I would have disappeared.  I... Continue Reading →

****I came in 4th place out of over 200 blogs.  Thank you to everyone who voted!As my joint turns: My Autoimmune Soap Opera has been nominated for HealthLine's Best in Health Blog.  Yay! If you can, please help me out and vote.  Click on the link.  Currently I am at 22 or so.  You can... Continue Reading →

Well, my well planned out Christmas still ended up in a flare up.  Determined to still enjoy the holidays.  Merry Christmas my friends!  May your holiday be Merry and Bright!

Every year the holidays come around and I end up being exhausted.  The past two years, I decided to seriously watch my energy levels and actually enjoy the holidays.  I've learned to prioritize what is important over the past 14 years living with autoimmune arthritis.  Here are my seasonal strategies to help me survive the... Continue Reading →

Two years ago today, I was getting ready for the season finale of Homeland.  I needed to throw one more load of laundry in the washer.  I put on my new bedroom slippers and hurriedly trotted down my basement stairs....only to fall and break both bones in my leg and dismantle my entire right ankle.... Continue Reading →

I feel good.  There, I said it. It's been a week and my joints aren't swelling and achy.  I've been afraid to admit that I feel good.  Like RA karma will come down and smack me hard for daring to say that I feel okay.  It's a shocking feeling to not be in pain.  I've... Continue Reading →

****Update 10/28/15 A few days after I wrote this, my Georgia stopped eating.  Two days of barely getting food into her.  Vet told me to wait to bring her in because she was drinking.  Turns out she has uveitis.  Ulcers on her eye.  So much pain that she could not eat. Not sure how she... Continue Reading →

Reading others journeys about living a #rheum life, has helped me greatly in dealing with my autoimmune arthritis.  These women are bright, humorous and their writing touches me. Here are some of my personal favorite.Some of my favorite blogs:All Flared Up!  by Amandahttps://allflaredup.wordpress.comFloat like a Buttahfly: by Kerryhttp://floatlikeabuttahfly.blogspot.comAnd then you're at Jax: by Mollyhttps://atjax.wordpress.comAutoimmune Systemic... Continue Reading →

Dear Pre-diagnosed Me,Remember when you were 14 and your knees started to ache.   You were told you had tendonitis and spent weeks on crutches throughout the years until you were 20.  That sucked.  At 20, you had arthroscopic surgery which showed nothing but inflammation.  It took you months to recover.  Your family and friends... Continue Reading →