Talking to doctors Archives | Page 4 of 11 | Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior

Dear Healthcare Facility: We Love This But We Hate That

October 21, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 26 Comments Humor with RA, Talking to doctors

None of us love a needle stick, but some technicians do it so well, you can hardly feel it. Last week, a woman took several vials of blood without even asking me to squeeze a damn rubber ball. It was the first time a nurse remembered I have RA and adjusted her procedure! Thank you!...Continue reading 26 Comments » Read more

The Path of Mercy in Medicine: A Tale of Two Doctors

September 28, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 12 Comments e-patient, Patient advocacy, Talking to doctors

Physicians enjoy a unique position in our society with unique opportunities to make a difference in others’ lives. With that powerful role, they can choose between a path of mercy and a path of nonchalance. They can be a tool in the hands of God or they can just be a tool. There was the woman...Continue reading 12 Comments » Read more

Do Doctors Need to Love Patients?

August 29, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 20 Comments America, Inspiration for living with RA, Talking to doctors

The most admired leaders of our country have been the ones who trusted us, valued us, and actually loved us. President Reagan called America a “shining city upon a hill,” a biblical reference to the country’s position of service to the world; and in his final goodbye letter he reminded us that it is still...Continue reading 20 Comments » Read more

Predicting Response to Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy

August 22, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 12 Comments Biologics for RA, Genetics and RA, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Talking to doctors

The problem of varying responses to RA therapy If you’re following comments on the blog, Twitter, or Facebook, you might have noticed some patients recently have been told by their doctors that that likely don’t have RA because they have not responded well to TNF-a therapies. Sometimes, this comes after a few years of RA treatment. “My...Continue reading 12 Comments » Read more

Santa, Bring Her a Rheumatologist Please

June 22, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 57 Comments Living with chronic illness like RA, Talking to doctors

Wanted: good rheumatologists Sonya’s tweet brought me a smile. So much truth in so few words. Those of us with rheum diseases like RA need a good doctor the way most people need a reliable car mechanic. We might crash and burn without it. This is short for two reasons: 1) I don’t have a long list of...Continue reading 57 Comments » Read more

The Appointment with Doctor Perv

May 20, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 144 Comments Professional patient, Talking to doctors

I wish this RA really were a lie. What kind of mother would fake not being able to put on her child’s socks? What kind of mother would make her children cook dinner, wash the dishes and clean the house so she could live out her dream of feigning illness? Certainly not the same mother who carried the...Continue reading 144 Comments » Read more

Elephant Jokes for a Happy Two Year Birthday RA Warrior

May 19, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 17 Comments Humor with RA, Professional patient, Talking to doctors

One reason I love elephants is they remind me of my goal: To become extremely old and gray and much wrinkled, like a good elephant. As you read this, I’m hopefully finding a rheumatologist to help me do that. Elephant jokes to celebrate. Why don’t African elephants like to play cards? Because of all the cheetahs. It wasn’t much...Continue reading 17 Comments » Read more