RA Public Service Announcement Video

March 22, 2019 Kelly Young 1

A video RA Public Service Announcement explains that rheumatoid arthritis is a serious disease, with arthritis as just one symptom. #rheum

Treating RA

Testing the imaware™ RA Test Kit

March 12, 2019 Kelly Young 0

Video of RA Warrior Kelly O’Neill doing an imaware™ RA test kit, giving tips and advice to make the process easier. Kelly reads the report of her results.

Communication and Inspiration

Possible Rheumatoid Arthritis

March 6, 2019 Kelly Young 3

Identifying possible rheumatoid arthritis is one step in a new quest to stop rheumatoid disease from becoming full-blown. Part 2 of RA Runs in Families.

RA Research, Resources, and Rheumatology

RA Runs in Families

February 28, 2019 Kelly Young 14

Evidence that RA runs in families and discussion of family risk of rheumatoid disease and imaware™ at-home RA test to screen for RA.

Treating RA

RA Surgery — 10 Questions Answered

February 18, 2019 Kelly Young 15

Discussion of RA surgery and questions related to surgery in people with rheumatoid disease, including continuation of medications.

RA Research, Resources, and Rheumatology

Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Hazy

January 31, 2019 Kelly Young 14

Discussion of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and the criteria for diagnosis of rheumatoid disease. Study shows seronegative disease is as severe.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness: Sugar Coat Cookies Please, Not a Disease

August 15, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 72 Comments Rheum Disease in the Media, Woman's Day problem

Why the sugar coating of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the media? Do you remember the insistence of Woman’s Day editors that patients were wrong and their article on Rheumatoid Arthritis was correct? The author later recanted, but the editor dug in repeatedly. That was three years ago and my first taste of the dogged commitment in the...Continue reading 72 Comments » Read more

RA News: Pfizer Pill Beats Methotrexate, Alcohol Reduces RA Risk, Periodontal Disease High

August 13, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 9 Comments Methotrexate, XELJANZ-tofacitinib-JAK

Pfizer oral JAK “superior” to methotrexate Pfizer released a statement about their two year study, ORAL Start, which puts their new oral JAK treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis directly up against methotrexate. The oral medication, currently called tofacitinib, is taken twice daily in either 5 or 10 mg doses. “Tofacitinib was found to be superior to MTX...Continue reading 9 Comments » Read more

Kim Kardashian, Magazines, & a Trendy Practice that Bugs Me

August 8, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 27 Comments Humor with RA, Professional patient, Rheum Disease in the Media

One perk of having a blog is that you have a place to blow off steam sometimes. Remember when I got robbed and the thieves found their bliss at Target, who tried to pin the bill on me? I always say RAW is my front porch. Where we can just hang out. Or tell it...Continue reading 27 Comments » Read more

Does Each Joint Count with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

August 7, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 35 Comments Comprehensive RA Care, Talking to doctors

In the morning, I’m going to see the pain doc again about my neck, the one who took the place of Sir Topham Head when he moved away. They claim to only treat back pain, but that might be a good thing. When I was first diagnosed with RA, I met a woman at my church...Continue reading 35 Comments » Read more

Disparity Between Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients & Doctors over Disease Activity

August 3, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 42 Comments Measuring rheumatoid disease activity, Physician-patient discordance / disagreement, Talking to doctors

Will one more RA disparity study make a difference for patients? Discrepancy & Rheumatoid Arthritis: inseparable as thunder & lightning Discrepancy. A word I probably used three times during the first four decades of my life. And then came Rheumatoid Disease. This word is the shortest explanation for the reason RA Warrior exists. I was stunned by the...Continue reading 42 Comments » Read more

Poll Shows Textbooks Wrong on Rheumatoid Arthritis Morning Stiffness

August 1, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 41 Comments Frying Pan Posts, Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms

Morning stiffness is like morning sickness Did you ever have a baby? Did you have morning sickness? Was it only in the morning? Were you still pregnant? Everyone recognizes there is a lot of variety to the morning sickness experience. Some have it for a few weeks, some have it for all nine months and others never...Continue reading 41 Comments » Read more

What RA Is Like: Heavy Armor Hindered Medieval Warriors

July 30, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 22 Comments Empathy and RA, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Researchers at Leeds in the UK studied how medieval soldiers were affected by the weight of the armor (approximately 40-50 kg or 80-90 lbs). Researchers wore replicas of European armor while monitoring oxygen usage. The subjects’ breathing was more frequent and shallow as they used twice as much energy just to move around. “Being wrapped in...Continue reading 22 Comments » Read more

Confusion & Blame Surround Methotrexate Shortages & Recalls

July 25, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 41 Comments Methotrexate, Rheum Disease in the Media

U.S. caught off guard by methotrexate shortage Shortages of injectable methotrexate began in 2010 and some sources say may continue through 2014. Many have been surprised that shortages of such inexpensive generic drugs could take Americans by surprise and continue for such an indefinite period. Finger-pointing at the FDA and drug companies is probably the one...Continue reading 41 Comments » Read more

Painless Meme for Rheum Mates

July 23, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 63 Comments Humor with RA, Inspiration for living with RA

Often, I begin a presentation explaining “being an RA patient doesn’t define me.” Then, I share some things that do. Like being a mother of five amazing young people. Growing up near D.C. and still loving all things Washington, especially the Redskins. Rainbows, rockets, and running on the beach. Bee Gees. Tobymac. Chicago. Margaret Becker. I...Continue reading 63 Comments » Read more

Johnson & Johnson RA Warrior YouTube Video

July 19, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 35 Comments Living with chronic illness like RA, Video or podcast

Inside story of a new YouTube video about RA Warrior A few weeks ago, a Johnson & Johnson video team visited our house. See my sons spoofing with the big video camera? The things that captivate teenagers, right? Anyway, it was hard to explain to the Johnson & Johnson folks why it was difficult to have visitors...Continue reading 35 Comments » Read more

Side Effects and Genes: More Evidence for Listening to Patients

July 13, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 14 Comments Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis treatment, Side effects for RA medicine

Some readers say medical terms bug them. Wait! Don’t let the weird words in an abstract make your eyes glaze over. Sometimes there’s important stuff there! You might still get the general idea if you just read “the whatever” when you get to a word you can’t pronounce. Then look up significant words if you...Continue reading 14 Comments » Read more

Why say a patient #FAILS treatment when RA treatments fail patients?

July 11, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 39 Comments Living with chronic illness like RA, Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

RA patients are brave and optimistic, as I’ve said. I’ve never been around such a hopeful, resilient crowd. We continually adjust because the disease is progressive and persistent. And we repeatedly hope for the best because there is always one more treatment or therapy to try. Rolling with the punches gracefully becomes sport for us. We...Continue reading 39 Comments » Read more

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Thanks for visiting this unique site full of information and encouragement to fight Rheumatoid Disease. You'll find hope, humor, and a helpful online community. I'm Kelly & I'll be glad to show you around if you'll click right here.

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