the autoimmune hippie.

Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts. . . Practice resurrection. – Wendell Berry

RA

  • a new healthy “normal”

    So, my hair has been a thing for me for over six months now. I shaved it last Fall when it started coming out in clumps because of my RA meds: At the time, I tried to convince myself that it would be okay as it was necessary. And maybe if it hadn’t been timed… Read more

  • dancing with a limp

    Yesterday just beat me down six ways to Sunday. My new doc was very kind – but full of not-great-news. Questions about why my hips are falling apart with a different kind of arthritis? Turns out that is still RA related and to be expected. Sooo I need to be getting my head around these… Read more

  • a bad spoonie day

    While I’ve been posting about the things I’ve been working on – oils, coaching, writing – my illness has had its own agenda. I can’t explain how exhausting doctor’s days are with RA. Today it was the Rheumy and Sara went with me. We arrived at Princeton at about 10:45 AM and the line for… Read more

  • the unmentioned side effect of chronic illness

    I’ve started working on my book. . . so I’ve started doing lots and lots of thinking. . . Since my book deals with illness and body changes and size and health and weight loss and body image, there is so much to consider. As I was drafting the introduction, some things came to mind… Read more

  • no more waiting around

    Last Easter, I wrote that I was beginning my Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching Program. Though I still have several weeks of work to do, today I finished my final requirement for graduation and I am so thankful that I have been able to do this. I have learned so much. For this Easter, I had… Read more

  • t-minus two hours and counting

    My new Rheumy scheduled me for a test that required me to reduce my dosage of prednisone – which I have been on for years – to almost nothing for five days prior to having it done. While the pred is responsible for all kinds of gnarly things – like crazy weight gain, hot flashes,… Read more

  • truckin’ – to see mah bestie and her family

    Wednesday morning I loaded up and drove to Tennessee to see my bestie, Ginny, her awesome husband, Daniel, and my adorable furry niece, Watson, and nephew, Wellington. I’ve written before about my Ginny but it has been awhile because we actually had to cancel our last plans to get together due to the horrible flu… Read more

  • counting blessings, not troubles

    I am an incredibly lucky woman. And I tell y’all that after I’ve spent the better part of the past 24 hours sleeping due to some sort of viral nonsense that has my RA acting out as well. Still, I am. First, let me catch up a bit: Last Thursday was my new Rheumatologist appointment… Read more

  • home.

    After a helluva couple of days, I’m up late, drinking a La Croix, doing some reading and pinning, in our cozy bed at the Lake with Henry and my better half asleep next to me, Sara asleep in the next room, and Mom and Pop asleep downstairs. Earlier tonight, my sweet husband went to our… Read more

  • incredibly sick.

    In less than 36 hours, I’ve been to the ER twice, Urgent Care once (where I finally got the third set of shots that seems to be helping some), and learned that this flare is so bad it is affecting my esophagus, when I choked on rice so badly that it obstructed my airway for… Read more