Invisible Illness Archives | Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior

RA Bone Mineral Density is another indicator of invisible illness in RA / RD

RA Bone Mineral Density Predicts Mortality

December 22, 2017May 13, 2018 Kelly Young 5 Comments Invisible Illness, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA bone mineral density may be another indicator of the mostly hidden disease activity of rheumatoid disease (RD). Investigators studying patients in Texas have made some landmark observations. RA bone mineral density may be associated with mortality A session at the most recent scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology explored how RA bone mineral density...Continue reading 5 Comments » Read more

5 Reasons Disease Awareness Matters

February 19, 2016May 13, 2018 Kelly Young 17 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Disease awareness matters because people just don’t know Disease awareness for “invisible illnesses” like rheumatoid disease (RD) can be pretty dismal. I’m the first to admit I had no idea what RD was when I was diagnosed. And, I’ve actually been stunned a few times by how little people with other invisible illnesses know about RD. Once...Continue reading 17 Comments » Read more

An Unremarkable Reality: Scans Don’t Lie – or Do They?

February 4, 2014May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 57 Comments Invisible Illness, Talking to doctors

Show me your erosions or else Some of you may remember last year when we met Dr. Shrug who gave my foot an ultimatum: Show me a bone erosion, or no more DMARDs. We only ever saw the doc once (more than enough). It was Dr. Tylenol’s partner, who they scheduled us with since Dr. T...Continue reading 57 Comments » Read more

Rheumatoid Awareness: Judgmental Eye Rolls Versus Help & Compassion

January 28, 2014May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 25 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Treated like you’re fine when you’re not A comment this week by Lisa sums up one of the most important reasons we need awareness for Rheumatoid Disease, and one of the hardest to explain to others. “RD awareness would mean that I wouldn’t be treated like I am fine when I am not. It would mean that...Continue reading 25 Comments » Read more

Vicks Vaporub Cure for a Disease That’s In Your Head Anyway

January 23, 2014May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 49 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness, Rheumatoid Arthritis natural cure

I got something free with my Chinese food the other night when I went to pick up my egg rolls: advice. It was the end of a long, hard, day. I’d pushed myself hard to be moving at all with harsh stiffness and sharp pain in over a dozen joints. We’d been out that day because...Continue reading 49 Comments » Read more

Could Divorce Be One More Pain from Rheumatoid Disease?

January 21, 2014May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 27 Comments Invisible Illness, Living with chronic illness like RA

I’ve received several emails and messages from people living with Rheumatoid Disease (PRD) who have been divorced by a spouse, sometimes in part due to ways Rheumatoid Arthritis / Disease affects them. It’s sad to hear from a woman who can’t figure out how she’ll provide for her kids, or a mother whose kids were...Continue reading 27 Comments » Read more

What a Wonderful World, and Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen

November 18, 2013May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 5 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid arthritis support

Do these two song titles seem to conflict? The former was one of the first songs I ever put (and kept) on my phone. The latter I learned in second grade because my teacher thought every American must know Spirituals. (Hear Louis Armstrong sing below, and Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen on YouTube.) Guys, cover your ears....Continue reading 5 Comments » Read more

10 Misconceptions About Chronic Disease Many People Believe

November 8, 2013May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 55 Comments Communicating about RA, Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

You can’t understand illness by just looking at a person Very soon after being diagnosed with RA, I learned that most people have beliefs about chronic illness that are hard to overcome. When one neighbor, friend, and family member after another dismissed me, I did the same thing most people with Rheumatoid Disease (PRD) do: I...Continue reading 55 Comments » Read more

Invisible Illness and the Public: She Hit Me with Her Cane

October 23, 2013May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 46 Comments Courage & living with RA, Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Tomorrow I’m traveling to San Diego for the ACR annual meeting. I’ll be taking a proverbial chill pill (and some real meds) and hoping all goes smoothly. For weeks we’ve done all we can to be ready! This story occurred a couple of months ago... Did anyone ever give you a dirty look for using handicapped...Continue reading 46 Comments » Read more

If the Gloves Come Off, We Might See the Irony of Rheumatoid Disease

December 14, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 98 Comments Invisible Illness, Professional patient

What if the gloves never come off and no one ever knows. Then you end up with a serious disease that everyone thinks is no big deal; it’s just arthritis. But who wants to take them off? I sure don’t. Professional patient days Today was one of those professional patient days – when you have to spend time...Continue reading 98 Comments » Read more

Rheumatoid Disease Plays by Prison Rules

December 3, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 19 Comments Invisible Illness, Parenting with RA

Note: Please check your email box for my monthly newsletter that went out Thursday. If you aren’t signed up, you can get one by clicking here. It’s not the same as subscribing to these daily posts, which you can do by clicking here. This is really hard for me to explain. I’ve quit doing many things...Continue reading 19 Comments » Read more

You Look Fine – Wall of Confusion Surrounding Rheumatoid Disease

November 30, 2012May 14, 2018 Kelly Young 63 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Confusion surrounding rheumatoid disease is like a wall between those who have and those who have not - the disease. Where does this come from and what can be done? Overcoming confusion surrounding rheumatoid disease When I first started blogging about Rheumatoid Disease, I wrote about The Wall. In answer to an email from a good friend who...Continue reading 63 Comments » Read more

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