From November of last year, until around the beginning of this current month, Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy has basically been in one big flare. The most challenging periods, those times when the extreme pain and stiffness could be measured in weeks and not in months, still stand out clearly in my mind: January, March, and July.
While [...]
A little over a week ago, I not only found myself in the middle of a flare, but I also found myself quite surprised with the manner in which I reacted to this flare. Over the past couple of years, I’ve tried really hard to make each new flare a learning moment…an opportunity to put [...]
In an email that I received the other day, a reader asked me if I ever feel like a burden to those people who are around me. When I stopped to ask myself this question, my answer was an immediate “no”. It’s sort of funny in a way, though, because the last few times that [...]
Today’s post discusses the sensitive yet important topics of depression and suicide. I have received suicide letters here in the past both as emails and blog comments (never published of course), and my hope is that by sharing my own personal story, I might be able to help others who are struggling with these [...]
Today’s post is dedicated to all those Superheroes who, despite all the challenges they encounter, still manage to find a way to incorporate exercise into their daily lives.
After missing a few weeks due to cold weather, flares, and extreme back problems, Rheumatoid Arthritis Guy is please to announce that he returned to the swimming pool [...]
A couple of days ago, I told my physical therapist that my condition had to get better the following day, because if it got any worse I didn’t know how I was going to be able to handle things. As soon as the words left my mouth, panic filled my mind. There was a real [...]
Just as quickly as I bungee jumped into my latest flare yesterday, the invisible elastic cord snapped and pulled me right back out. Today, I am happy to share that I am back to my usual normal. No, that doesn’t mean that I am pain-free, or that the inflammation has gone away completely. It just [...]
During the many years in which I have lived with rheumatoid arthritis, I have learned firsthand the importance of controlling the thoughts that often bounce around my head. Quite often, especially during my worst moments, telling myself that things will get better makes me feel…well, better. And telling myself that things will get worse will [...]
