When I learned that an upcoming episode of the “AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show” would focus on the difficulty patients have in getting diagnosed, I jumped at the chance to co-host. After all, it took me eight years to get my sarcoidosis diagnosis, starting from when I began…
How do I know that my hip is getting better? My back is hurting more. I know that sounds like a bad joke, but it really falls into the category of “funny ’cause it’s true.” It’s not actually funny, but laughter is a great coping mechanism. Sometimes I can’t tell…
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” — Anonymous Every other week before I meet with my therapist, I take stock of where my head is at: what I’m thinking most about, what’s stressing me…
“Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.” — New York Yankees Hall of Famer Yogi Berra It seems we’re never going to make it to a post-COVID world. It’s never going to be gone — or if it is, other variants or viruses will likely take its place.
I recently saw a post on social media that stated, “I’m a person who wants to do a lot of things trapped in a body that doesn’t.” I felt this sentiment deeply; it was a perfect description of my life with sarcoidosis. I’ve always been someone who wants to…
When I told my primary physician a few months ago that I was diagnosed with avascular necrosis (also known as AVN or osteonecrosis) and would be having a total hip replacement in early June, he offered his sympathies. I understood that inclination, but I was thrilled. I would have…
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” While the origins of this quote are uncertain, it is often attributed to writer and activist Maya Angelou. But even if Angelou didn’t actually say this, she…
My husband and I just celebrated our 23rd wedding anniversary. And our 18th. And our 13th, and our eighth, and our third. While every year is significant, we’ve made it a tradition to get married again every five years, with a new location and theme each time. From Las Vegas…
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other word would smell as sweet.” — Juliet in William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” We’ve all heard those words before. Even those who slept through English lit class are familiar with one of the most famous lines from…
“Sarc-a-what?” That’s usually the response we get when we tell someone we have sarcoidosis. “What’s that?” they ask, and then tune out the long explanation we begin to give. “Oh, good,” they add, “at least it’s not cancer.” And that’s precisely why we need Sarcoidosis Awareness Month. Throughout…
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