My sweet Izzy took nap time downstairs to be close to me. In our current house, I've painted three bedrooms, two of them multiple times now and the kitchen. So, when I decided to paint our small downstairs bathroom, I thought it would be a breeze. Nope. The bright yellow walls we painted almost 16 …
Category: rheumatoid arthritis
Vulnerability: It Makes Us Human
As an adult education instructor, I have the unique opportunity of learning the magic of vulnerability from the students I teach. With each and every class, the folks I meet begin expressing their fears on day one when we discuss our educational goals for the semester and beyond. In the 16 years I have been …
A Letter to My Sister: Gratitude for Girl Talk with Chronic Illness
Dear Stacey (AKA My Everyday Positive),While you and I are never shy about our feelings for each other, I want to make 100 percent sure you understand your impact on the success of my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) journey. Your daily dose of positivity brings healing to me in ways no medication can ever compete with. You …
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Changing Focus for the Holidays
Growing up, my mother provided my five siblings and me with magical holiday memories that have stayed with me throughout my life. Holiday decorations, cooking big holiday meals, waking up early to see what Santa Claus had left, and spending time with family — all moments I cherish.Those years also taught me lessons of what I didn’t …
Marriage with Chronic Illness: An Interview with My Husband
Even in the best of relationships, a diagnosis of a chronic illness such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disrupts everything. Your world comes undone. All time, energy, and thoughts become devoted to your illness. But what about your partner? What thoughts and feelings have they been experiencing?Recently, I checked in with my husband of 29 years …
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The Seasons of Weight-Loss and Weight-Gain
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." ~Lao Tzu I teach an Adult Basic Education (ABE) class. The students who come to me plan on obtaining their high school equivalency diploma, AKA the GED. When they come to my class, their reading level is quite low and my job is to provide a foundation in …
It’s Official, I’m 50 and Have My First Tattoo!
Although I have been celebrating my 50th for almost four months, I officially became half a century old two weeks ago. And to help me celebrate, my sister/bestie visited and we both got a tattoo!!!Neither one of us ever considered a tattoo, but we started talking about how we might if the right thing came …
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How to Stop Yo-Yo Exercising with RA
In October 2017, I turn 50! My sister recently asked me what I want to accomplish before turning a half century old. “I want exercise to be a part of my life again. I want to feel strong,” I said. Until six years ago, regular workouts had always been a part of my life. I …
The Waste that Comes with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Let me just start by saying that I am not always the best about being environmentally conscious. I drive a car built for seven people when generally it is just me in the car, I eat out which creates tons of waste, and I don't recycle everything that I know is recyclable. (The last one …
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Live Your Life Outside Your Blog: Guest Sallie Ferguson
Note from Cathy: Sallie is a wonderful friend I met through our work together for a non-profit organization. Although we live on different continents, I learn so much from Sallie and value her friendship. Sometimes I feel like she has packed me up in her suitcase and is giving me a "holiday" experience as she …
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The Life and Adventures of Cateepoo 