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.

4 Funny Things about Pain Scale Charts

December 14, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 61 Comments Blog carnival, Pain Tolerance / RA Stoicism, Rheumatoid arthritis pain

Pain is one of the most important symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis and many other conditions. Pain is the most obviously significant signal that something is wrong. However, pain is also the most difficult symptom to measure. Need for a pain scale Since pain is such an important indicator that something is “wrong,” we ought to find better...Continue reading 61 Comments » Read more

Lipstick & Luck: Feeling Fabulous with Rheumatoid Autoimmune Disease

December 12, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 47 Comments Autoimmune diseases, Communicating about RA, Rheum Disease in the Media

If we try, will we feel fabulous with Rheumatoid Arthritis? Feeling and looking fabulous with RA sells well, but how much can lipstick help? Most people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis have felt the sting of someone suggesting we don’t need to be as sick if we would only try _____. Hearing this can seem harsh, especially...Continue reading 47 Comments » Read more

When Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Even Worse than the Disease

December 8, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 55 Comments Rheumatoid arthritis treatment, Side effects for RA medicine

Yesterday, we discussed the frequently-asked question of the consequences of not treating RA. People also sometimes say they just can’t take Rheumatoid Arthritis treatment any longer because “it’s even worse than the disease.” Why do patients say that and what’s a reasonable response? Let’s be clear about terms: Treatment: medicine used to improve disease activity and symptoms Benefits:...Continue reading 55 Comments » Read more

The Consequences of Not Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis?

December 6, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 47 Comments Encouragement for living with RA, Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Sometimes people ask me whether taking treatment for RA matters. Over the last couple of years, I’ve answered dozens of emails with this question, posted on Facebook last week: “What are the consequences of not treating RA?” Why patients wonder about not treating Rheumatoid Arthritis Since I live with RA myself, I know the validity of this...Continue reading 47 Comments » Read more

what causes rheumatoid arthritis trigger

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis to Trigger?

December 2, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 92 Comments Causes of RA, Genetics and RA, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Smoking & Rheumatoid Arthritis

What causes Rheumatoid Arthritis? (UPDATED) I never asked “why me?” when diagnosed with RA because it’s not my way of thinking. Yet people do ask me “HOW did this happen?” or “What triggers RA?” What causes rheumatoid arthritis - that's the multi-billion dollar question! Here’s a summary of what is known at this point. There are a...Continue reading 92 Comments » Read more

The Mouse in My Pocket: We Are Not All Alone

November 30, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 31 Comments Inspiration for living with RA, Professional patient

RA can be Isolating. Even with loved ones, we might feel lonely because they don’t know what we’re going through. Our friends can’t visualize the ice-pick that’s stabbing us or appreciate what it’s like to move around in cookie dough all the time. Being alone is not all bad, but feeling cut-off sucks Being alone can be...Continue reading 31 Comments » Read more

The HAQ’s, the RAPID’s & the Rest: 3 Reasons It’s a Moot Point

November 28, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 43 Comments Measuring rheumatoid disease activity, Patient reported outcome measure, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis

So often when I’m listening to a scientific presentation about clinical care for Rheumatoid Arthritis, I would do the face-palm head-smack, if my shoulder would let me. Depending on who can hear me, I mutter softly or wail sarcastically, “If it’s not done, does this matter?” One example is measuring RA disease activity, especially with...Continue reading 43 Comments » Read more

Accomplishing Thankfulness via Thorough Commitment

November 24, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 12 Comments America, Courage & living with RA, Inspiration for living with RA

The pieces to the puzzle of me are scattered across this blog. Elephants. Humor. Space exploration. Don Quixote. Determination. Eagles. Pollyanna. Pollyanna gets a bad rap It’s stunning to me how some things are construed as opposite of what they are. Somehow Pollyanna has become synonymous with sounding dismissive and detached. We all know people who dismiss...Continue reading 12 Comments » Read more

Mission Impossible: Crowd Management with RA

November 23, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 36 Comments Living with chronic illness like RA, Rheumatoid arthritis disability

Whether you take mass transit, work at a crowded office, or attend conferences like I have recently, managing in a crowd with RA is challenge. This may be one more mission impossible, should we choose to accept it… It’s hard to explain RA to anyone who hasn’t lived it. Have you ever had a sprained ankle...Continue reading 36 Comments » Read more

Pfizer’s JAK inhibitor Tofacitinib EMA Application Validated

November 21, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 10 Comments Rheumatoid arthritis treatment, XELJANZ-tofacitinib-JAK

Pfizer JAK-3 press release “Pfizer Announces European Medicines Agency Acceptance Of Regulatory Submission For Tofacitinib For The Treatment Of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) announced today that its Market Authorisation Application for tofacitinib (development code CP-690,550), a novel, oral JAK inhibitor being studied for the treatment of moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has been validated by...Continue reading 10 Comments » Read more

Digging in to the 2011 American College of Rheumatology Scientific Meeting

November 17, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 2 Comments American College of Rheumatology, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatoid Patient Foundation

As I returned from the 2010 American College of Rheumatology Scientific Meeting last year, I painted a picture for you of its significance and the impact it made on me. Those words are still a proper backdrop as we review the events of the 2011 meeting: Context, Care, & Complicated and I hope you’ll read...Continue reading 2 Comments » Read more

Kelly Young Wins WebMD Health Hero Award

November 13, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly Young 49 Comments e-patient, Patient advocacy, Rheum Disease in the Media, Rheumatoid Patient Foundation

WebMD magazine chooses Kelly as 1 of 4 “Champions of Care”! Look what I found on my dresser when we got home from Chicago last night! The new WebMD magazine with yours truly in it! You can click on the images to enlarge and read the text or read the story on the WebMD Health Hero honorees...Continue reading 49 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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