Information and opinions on Rheumatoid Arthritis from AmyAria at MyRACentral.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372 http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372 http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/78843/alch Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:44:34 -0400 AmyAria Ok my peeps, talk to me! I'm off the arava and mtx, my hairloss was clogging the vacuum. (Wish I was joking....!?!) I'm now on my second week of Enbrel. Can't claim I've experienced a miracle yet. In fact I've had to dig out the old heating pad the last couple of days. I'm hoping that's just cuz I'm "transitioning" off the arava. Yeah, that's what I'm going to call this....."transitioning". But then, I had a brain storm!!! Can I have... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/78843/alch http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/70673/ra Tue, 12 May 2009 11:38:22 -0400 AmyAria Since my diagnosis, one of the more difficult challenges for me is what to do about exercise. I was never a big fan of the concept even before my diagnosis. I used to say things like, "The only reason I run is when someone is chasing me." or "I don't believe in sweating voluntarily". Cute, huh? I sometimes think my old attitudes about diet and exercise really came from a stubborn refusal to grow up. After all, when I was a kid I never had... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/70673/ra http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/69794/mommy Tue, 05 May 2009 11:29:00 -0400 AmyAria A few years back, I discovered my daughter believed she had two mommies. It was one of those car seat conversations when I was picking her up from preschool. As we drove by the Children's Museum I asked if she remembered the time we had her birthday party there.   "Oh yeah!" she chirped. "My other mommy took me there!"   I turned to look at her quizzically, "Your other mommy?"   "Yeah, you know!" she said, "the big one... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/69794/mommy http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/64878/fixer Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:50:07 -0400 AmyAria So had one of those misunderstandings with the husband that left us both feeling crappy.  Oh and yeah.....HI EVERYONE!  HEEE HEEEEE!  It started out as a "glass half full/half empty" type of issue.  I've had a pretty long stint of feeling pretty dang good!  I know, yeay me!  Well a few days back I started to experience a return of  "the tired" followed soon there after with sore feet and a kink in my... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/64878/fixer http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/50982/stage Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:43:07 -0500 AmyAria Hi all.  I'm not dead.  Yet. I had been feeling guilty for a while for dropping off the face of the earth....or at least this site.  Then I got over it.  But then, well, it came back.  Totally weird too, cuz I don't belong to any of the major faith traditions that stereotypically wallow in guilt.  I hope the protestants don't find out and banish me or anything...yikes!  I'm not even sure what that would look... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/50982/stage http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/46121/kick Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:47:58 -0400 AmyAria Ok.  I've only got a little bit of time before I become blissfully jello-ish.  Had to fight way too stinkin' hard to get this Tylenol 3 but in the meantime I just have to vent.  I really hate my dentist.  I mean I REALLY hate my dentist.  Funny thing is I'm pretty convinced he likes me.  He thinks I'm funny.  Only thing is when I tell him I hope he hurts himself with his drill, he thinks I'm making a... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/46121/kick http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/44020/buck Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:06:02 -0400 AmyAria My brain is full of buckshot, just this disorganized spray of noncohesive thoughts.  I think I know what Dick Cheney's hunting partner must have felt like......   Still, since the absence of a central idea has never prevented me from posting before, why stop now?   First thought: Why don't lazy people get RA?!  I've yet to meet or even hear about an RA sufferer who says..... "Whew!  Thank God I finally have an... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/44020/buck http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/41120/house Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:55:49 -0400 AmyAria It's said that it's better to give than to receive. Well, I suppose it all depends on what is being given out, right? However when it comes to "help", I don't know if it's better to give or not but it's definitely EASIER!   After my week at home with the kids, I got a call from my 86 year old Gma from the hospital. Since my mother was an only child and passed away at 56, caretaking of Gma falls squarely in the lap of my brother and me.... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/41120/house http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/38123/diff Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:53:10 -0400 AmyAria I'll try to keep this one short and sweet, but here's the latest issue on which I've been ruminating (rheuminating?). Just got back from "vacation". I'm calling it "vacation" as opposed to vacation because it was really more a reminder of why I don't spend that much time with my brother. For some reason he persists with the impression his baby sis wouldn't have enough class to understudy as a Hee Haw extra. All this despite the fact I have... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/38123/diff http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/35801/gift Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:57:37 -0400 AmyAria So Lene got me to thinking.....DAMN YOU LENE!!  She answered someone's question (brilliantly as always) and followed by saying something to the effect of "RA doesn't just take, it also gives."  Now my first thought at seeing that was pretty much "What kind of horse shit is THAT!?"  But then like I said.....the thinking started.  It even kinda hurt a teensy weensy bit!   When I started to scratch the surface on that... http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/83372/35801/gift