I used to avoid discussing “politics” here, thinking, “this page is about arthritis education, not politics!” However, after two decades of living with rheumatoid arthritis and engaging in legislative advocacy with organizations like the American College of Rheumatology, Arthritis Foundation, and CreakyJoints, I’ve realized that arthritis care is deeply tied to politics and regulations. Think […] The post Why Voting and Advocacy Matter to Me, as Someone Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis appeared first on Arthritis Life ..read more

I don’t know how to tell you what it feels like… ❤️‍? To go from dancing carefree in the morning, to collapsed in a pile of exhaustion 5 hours later. ❤️‍? To go from feeling like “I got this, I’m figuring out my health” to frustration at yet another medical curveball thrown my way. ❤️‍? […] The post Reflections from Invisible Illness Awareness Week 2024 appeared first on Arthritis Life ..read more

Every August, I reflect on my “diagnosis-aversary,” or the anniversary of my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis. Surprisingly, the most difficult part of my journey has not been: ➡️The disease itself*➡️Navigating the insurance system (although that can be VERY stressful!)➡️Dealing with impacts on my social life or even work. The BIGGEST source of stress, at least […] The post Reflections on Stress and Uncertainty in Chronic Illness appeared first on Arthritis Life ..read more

Did anyone else relate to the character “Anxiety” in the movie “Inside Out 2?” I certainly did! Anxiety can be Helpful or Hurtful As someone who lives with both chronic illness and generalized anxiety disorder, I really felt “seen” by the portrayal of anxiety. The movie showed that anxiety can sometimes be a functional or protective emotion (for example, making us think through multiple outcomes to make good decisions). However, when it’s taken to the extreme, it can hurt us and make it difficult to function in our lives. How Anxiety relates to Chronic Illness for me One of the most humor ..read more

When I first started sharing my methotrexate injection videos, my goal was simply to help people see a “real patient” doing it and to feel less scared of the injection process. However, I started noticing an interesting trend – people would make lots of comments about how “scary” methotrexate is, or about how “everyone who takes it gets horrible side effects.” It was surprising to be because 1) I hadn’t personally experienced any untenable side effects from methotrexate, and 2) I was familiar with the research that methotrexate is one of the safest and most effective starting medications for ..read more

Anyone who lives with an invisible health challenge, from rheumatoid arthritis to anxiety to brain injury, has most likely encountered some difficulty in explaining their condition due to it’s invisible nature. Here are my top four tips for explaining your invisible illness to friends and family. Tip 1: Share a “What You Don’t See” Photo I was first inspired to share my “What you don’t see” photo when I saw another invisible illness warrior share hers on Instagram. #whatyoudontsee photos have been very powerful in simply, quickly and elegantly showing people that it’s possible to loo ..read more

Like many of you, I’m working on “practicing what I preach.” I often urge others living with autoimmune conditions to rest and pace themselves, yet I struggle to do so myself. With that in mind: I’ll be on a holiday break through Wednesday, January 3rd. I will be occasionally checking email and social media message but will not get back to you until after January 3rd unless it is urgent, thank you for understanding! My wishes for those with chronic illness over the holidays Until then, I am sending these holiday wishes to all my fellow chronic illness warriors: May your heating pad always be h ..read more

Straightening your hair can be painful if you have hand arthritis, particularly inflammation at the base of the thumb! Have you been looking for an arthritis friendly hair straightener? I love this dual brush-straightener combo because it’s easier to grasp and requires less squeezing than the traditional straightener. You can see a link to this brush straightener and all my favorite arthritis products at my “Favorite Arthritis Products” page. Do you have a favorite Arthritis friendly hair tip or gadget? Let me know in the comments! The post Arthritis Friendly Hair Straightener first appeared ..read more

Putting in eye drops can be HARD if you have hand pain from arthritis or difficulty with hand stability & coordination! Here are two arthritis friendly eye drop products that might help (note: this is *not* a sponsored post but I did receive the Gentle Squeeze for free in exchange for my honest opinion; I purchased Droppy on my own to try it out): 1) Gentle Squeeze – this product is designed to make it easier to aim the drops, which is great if you have difficulties with body awareness (due to poor proprioception or general coordination difficulties), tremors or difficulty with hand sta ..read more

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the American College of Rheumatology’s “Convergence” conference, where I learned some of the latest rheumatology research and advancements in the field. This is a multidisciplinary conference, bringing together the American College of Rheumatology (the professional association for doctors) and the associated Association of Rheumatology Professionals (the association for allied health providers like me, an occupational therapist). I also had the pleasure of connecting with many old friends, including fellow patient advocates, fellow allied health provi ..read more