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, 2017October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 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, 2016October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 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, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 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, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 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, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 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, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 28 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 28 Comments » Read more

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

November 18, 2013April 17, 2020 Kelly O'Neill 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