In December 2020, Arthritis Life hosted an “Arthritis Storytelling Hour” where thirteen patients shared vivid tales from their lives.
Listen and learn about how difficult the diagnosis process is for some, how people with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis learned to advocate for themselves, how to navigate work life with your condition, what it’s like to be a “spoonie mom,” the importance of mindset, acceptance and self-care, and more!
Video details:
Topic: basics of life with RA, diagnosis stories, how diagnosis led to career
- 1:28 - Chloe Umpleby JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis) journey
- 6:21 - Kia Peters: diagnosis of RA (rheumatoid arthritis) during graduate school
- 11:00 - Sammantha Dorazio: diagnosis led to career as Nurse Practitioner
- 14:20-Paulina Burzynsk: how RA helped her take better care of your body
Topic: Advocacy / learning to speak up
- 24:30 - Jed Finley example of how he learned how to advocate for himself in the context of medical appointments for his ankylosing spondylitis
- 30:00 - Mimi Cross - how she learned that if something makes you uncomfortable you need to speak up even if that feels awkward
RA’s effect on work
- 36:13 - Sarah Dillingham - how she became comfortable talking about RA at work
- 42:30 - Effie Koliopoulos - how RA led her to her passion for writing
RA’s and family
- 46:20 - Ushma Sampat - how RA affects family relationships and life partnership / marriage
- 54:50 - Jes Hosjan How AS affects her experience as a mom and how she learned to advocate as a “spoonie mom!”
Humor and Mindset
- 1:03:02 - Cristina Montoya - Humorous take on life with RA
- 1:10:17 - Krista - Her experience chasing a past life to be the same “pre diagnosis” and how she learned to embrace the present
- 1:17:44 - Cheryl Crow - My journey to acceptance of discomfort and uncertainty in life, how ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) and my two therapists helped me!
Medical disclaimer: All content found on Arthritis Life public channels was created for generalized informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Links to speaker pages and websites:
This video is brought to you by the Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, an intensive online education and support program Cheryl Crow created to empower people with tools to confidently manage their social, emotional and physical lives with rheumatoid arthritis.
