On episode 53 of the Arthritis Life Podcast, Colleen shares her unique journey of navigating life with rheumatoid arthritis after also being born with one hand. She shares how she maintains a glass half full attitude despite multiple health challenges including joint replacement surgeries. She also shares her favorite adaptations and gadgets that help her function in daily life.
Episode at a glance:
- Colleen shares what it was like to grow up with one hand.
- Colleen’s diagnosis story for rheumatoid arthritis and treatments that have helped.
- How Colleen met her husband and her tips for chronically ill relationships.
- How Colleen maintains a “glass half full” attitude and a brief discussion of “toxic positivity.”
- Pain management strategies that helped Colleen after over 4 joint replacement or fusion surgeries.
- Colleen’s favorite adaptations and gadgets that help her function with one hand affected by rheumatoid arthritis
- Cheryl & Colleen discuss what brings them joy and how they’ve found meaning in “fandom” communities.
- Colleen’s fertility journey and how she relishes her current role as a “bonus mom” to her best friend’s children.
- Colleen’s best advice for people newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Speaker Bios:
Colleen Hood:
My name is Colleen Hood. I am a housewife and have been with my husband 34 years. I was diagnosed with RA age 20 and it started on my hands and knees. I was born with a limb difference of having just one hand. But honestly, I love every part of myself, even the RA. It makes me ME. I have always been determined, strong, “I will get this” type person. RA just made things a little harder, but never stopped me.
I am my own bionic woman. I had my 4 knuckles replaced through surgery, my wrist and ankle fused surgically, my right hip was replaced and I’ve had lots of rheumatoid nodules removed from my feet, fingers, and my little arm elbow.
OT and PT have helped me a lot since I have one hand. I use gadgets and tools and just practice makes progress. I did develop cataracts at age 37 and early osteoporosis in my mid 30s due to long and large steriod use. But no complaints… I am all good now.
I love the infusion meds… been on different ones since 2008 and things have been way better since. I did stop working in 2014 as just having one hand and 2 functional fingers, I put my health first. I worked 28yrs and am proud of it. So now I just care for my hubby and did care for my mom before she died in 2019. I am everyone’s cheerleader and grateful I joined instagram last January.
Cheryl Crow
Cheryl is an occupational therapist who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for nineteen years. Her life passion is helping others with rheumatoid arthritis figure out how to live a full life despite arthritis, by developing tools to navigate physical, emotional and social challenges. She formed the educational company Arthritis Life in 2019 after seeing a huge need for more engaging, accessible, and (dare I say) FUN patient education and self-management resources.
Episode Sponsor
Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, a self-paced online course Cheryl created that teaches you how to confidently manage your physical, social and emotional life with rheumatoid arthritis.
Episode links:
Colleen’s Channels
Cheryl’s Arthritis Life Pages:
- Arthritis Life website – https://arthritis.theenthusiasticlife.com/
- Youtube channel – https://www.youtube.com/c/arthritislife
- Instagram @arthritis_life_cheryl – https://www.instagram.com/arthritis_life_cheryl/
- TikTok @arthritislife – https://www.tiktok.com/@arthritislife
- Arthritis Life Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/arthritisLIFE
- Cheryl on Twitter: @realcc https://twitter.com/realcc
- Arthritis Life Podcast Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/arthritislifepodcastandsupport
Arthritis Life Program Links
Join the waitlist for Rheum to THRIVE, 6-month education and support program Cheryl created to help people with rheumatic disease go from overwhelmed, confused and alone to confident, supported and connected. The next group starts in Spring 2022!
Rheumatoid Arthritis Roadmap, a self-paced online course Cheryl created that teaches you how to confidently manage your physical, social and emotional life with rheumatoid arthritis.
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.
Full Episode Transcript:
Cheryl Crow (00:00):
Hi, my name is Cheryl Crow and I am passionate about helping people navigate real life with arthritis. I’ve lived with rheumatoid arthritis for 17 years, and I’m also a mom teacher and occupational therapist. I’m so excited to share my tricks for managing the ups and downs of life with arthritis. Everything from kitchen life hacks, to how to respond when people say you don’t look sick. Stress work, sex, anxiety, fatigue, pregnancy, and parenting with chronic illness, no topic will be off limits here. I’ll also talk to other patients and share their stories and advice. Think of this as your chance to sit down and chat with a friend who’s been there ready to figure out how to manage your arthritis life. Let’s get started.
Cheryl Crow (00:48):
Hi, Colleen. Thank you so much for coming on to the arthritis life podcast!
Colleen Hood (00:52):
Thanks Cheryl. This is awesome.
Cheryl Crow (00:54):
Yay. I just wanted to give you a chance to just really briefly introduce yourself a couple basics about you land, and where you live and all that.
Colleen Hood (01:04):
Oh, okay. Well, my name is Colleen hood. I’m 52. I was originally born in Ohio, but we moved to Florida when I was a sophomore in high school. So I’m in Jacksonville, Florida area. I’ve been with my husband for 34 years and I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis for 32 years. And I’m just excited to get a chance to share more about me with your listeners.
Cheryl Crow (01:32):
<Laugh> awesome. Thank you so much. I wanna visit you in Florida sometime. I, when it’s a little, maybe safer, but but I was gonna also, mm, have you explain a little bit of something unique about yourself, which is you were born with a congenital limb difference. Can, do you wanna explain to the audience a little bit what that means? Sure,
Colleen Hood (01:55):
Sure. Yes. I was born with a limb difference. I’m missing my, well, I’m not missing my hand. I was born without a right hand. So just past my elbow is I I developed in the, in my mom of what they call amniotic band syndrome where like the bands of inside the amniotic sac like wrapped around like my arm, they think during development and and my arm just came out this way and I was born in 69, so they didn’t have sonograms and things like that, then that cuz now parents can kind of tell at, you know, week 20 and around that when they get their sonograms that there might have some kind of a, a limb difference, but so I kind of popped out this way and, but you know what, it, it, it just makes me me. I honestly, I love having just one hand. I can, I figure out my own ways to me it’s just normal. This is my normal. And it’s just like with arthritis, you just learn how to adapt and figure out alternative ways to do things. So just makes me a little bit more unique.
Cheryl Crow (03:03):
Yeah, no, that that’s such a great, you know, attitude. And I know that like in occupational therapy school, you know, I was taught that, you know, you might think a child being born with a limb difference, you that they would need a lot of intervention and to help. And certainly depending on a location they might. But that, that what, what I was taught by my teachers was that, you know, the, if when children are so adaptable and resourceful, that they actually will think of more like, as you grow up and experience the world, you’ll think you will think of more adaptations and creative ideas than a therapist ever could, Who doesn’t have that lived experience. Has that been kind of your experience?
Colleen Hood (03:43):
Exactly. Exactly. And it turns out when I went to kindergarten, you had to learn how to tie your shoes, cuz they didn’t have Velcro shoes then before you went to kindergarten and we had a neighbor that had an arm like me. So she was the one that taught me how to tie my shoes. Wow. And I practiced the entire summer, like, I’m gonna get this, I’m gonna get this. So then I knew like, you know, at age four, like I’m gonna be able to figure this stuff out and, and I’ve been on the go ever since. I mean, there’s always a way to do something and you’re, I think my brain is just made that way of like, okay, you do it X, Y, and Z. Well, I’m gonna do it two and three, but we’re gonna come to the same solution.
Cheryl Crow (04:23):
Mm-Hmm <affirmative> oh no, but that’s, that’s hard for a lot of people. I know that many people, whether it’s from rheumatoid arthritis or from a li limb difference, feel like they just quote unquote, “I just wanna do it like everyone else,” you know? And so did you ever have a phase like that? Like when you’re a teenager maybe. Well,
Colleen Hood (04:41):
That, that was the, my biggest moment now of course I swam on a swim team as a kid and, and my parents just raised me just like my siblings. I was just the same. We just figured out ways to do things. If we had a bike or a scooter that the break was on the right side, my dad would move it to the left side. But at 12 years old, when I went to my first slumber party, that was when I realized, oh my gosh, people use curling irons. I have to learn how to use a curling iron. So then when I left that slumber party, cuz back then I just put my hair in Barets. I had long hair, my mom bought me a curling iron on the way home. We, I practice every single day after school. I mean for hours and hours.
Colleen Hood (05:26):
And then I figured out I can get the, I can hold the comb slide, the curling iron up, make the comb fall to the ground, be able to figure out how to twist it. And, and by that next slumber party, Cheryl, I could not wait to go to bed. So cuz that next morning I was the very first one in bathroom plugging that curling iron in just showing everybody. And at that, that was my aha moment of like, okay, I can do this. If they can do this, I can do this. And ever since then, no matter what it was, I just automatically just, I gotta do it the Colleen way. I gotta do it the Colleen way. And I always figured it out. I mean it took a lot of practice, but practice makes progress
Cheryl Crow (06:04):
<Laugh> oh, I love that. My dad used to say that yeah, practice doesn’t make perfect. He, he would say only perfect practice makes perfect meaning. Like if you keep practicing something the wrong way, you’re just gonna get better at doing it the wrong way. So, but your point is more about like yeah, practicing makes progress and eventually you iterate to where you get yeah. To where you want to go. And I know we’re gonna actually spend a lot of time talking about how you’ve developed your attitude and your mindset, you know, but I wanna first for those, you know, most of the people listening either have arthritis, a form of inflammatory arthritis or osteoarthritis, or they are a loved one or support person. And so of somebody with art, with arthritis. And so I wanna delve a little bit into your diagnosis story. So you said earlier you were diagnosed or I’m sorry, I don’t know if you said it earlier on, on the record, but you were diagnosed at around age 20. How, what were your symptoms and how did that diagnosis process go?
Colleen Hood (07:00):
Well I was, I was around about the age of 20. I, I worked then at a big bank company like in customer service. So I worked on a lot of computers and, and it just started off in my hand and I just remember thinking, my gosh, my fingers just hurt so bad and then they would be swollen and red and nobody in my family had arthritis, not, not, not my dad, my grandparents, aunts and uncles. So I never thought I had arthritis. And, and then I just, and then it kind of started in my knees and I, I was fatigued and you know, I just thought, well, gosh, this is strange. So early on. And I, of course I was 20. I didn’t go to the doctor. Like I should back then, like, you know, you think I’m healthy. I don’t need to go to the doctor.
Colleen Hood (07:45):
But then I realized, okay, I gotta get my cholesterol checked. I, I gotta get all my female stuff checked. You know, I ever start going to the doctor and then they did the blood work and then they could, they first thought I had lupus cuz I had a lot of kidney problems, but you know, that’s all related. And then then it turns out I had RA the first doctor that I went to, I wasn’t too keen with. And then eventually I switched to the, the doctors that I’m with now and it’s been life changing, but it really started off in just my hand.
Cheryl Crow (08:16):
Yeah. And I would imagine that, you know, in addition to being, you know, young in, in your mind, young for rheumatoid arthritis which most people don’t know that it can happen, you know, at any age. But also I would think that if I only had one hand, I would think, oh, maybe it’s overuse, you know, as I’m having to do everything with this one hand, so I’m glad you got your diagnosis. And because one of my little soap boxes, there’s many of them, but is about I newly diagnosed patients today. The importance of people diagnosed like in 2021 to understand a little bit of the history of treatments, if they’re hesitant to start biologics, because so you were diagnosed, let me do math here. So 6, 7 89. So can you walk us through a little bit of your journey of being diagnosed before the biologics era and how your treatments have changed over the years?
Colleen Hood (09:09):
Yes. because back then, I, I just remember taking pills. I did a lot of steroid and I can’t think of all the names of the pills back then that I took because of course I didn’t journal things like I do now. You know, now I, I journal everything. I, I feel like I’m my own little practitioner <laugh>, you know, <laugh>
Cheryl Crow (09:27):
Yeah, it’s a full time job being a chronic illness patient is, is really a job.
Colleen Hood (09:34):
Absolutely. So I just remember the, the, the shots or the pills and, you know, and at the time I didn’t know about how important blood work was. I didn’t always do my blood work. Like I should back then now I do it on a regular basis. I mean, I, they, they take my blood at my infusion, so I don’t even have to worry about going to quest, but I just remember the pill and I would try ’em for a couple of months and I wouldn’t see much, much changes. But I would just try whatever they told me. I didn’t think to research things or to ask, ask other people’s opinion who had arthritis or what doctor is the best one to go to in town and you know, things like that. And I, back then I used to have to get my knees drained a lot. And the doc that doctor was crazy. He didn’t even numb up my knee or anything. I thought that was normal. And then I realized, wait a minute, this isn’t like the way to do things. So I’ve, I’ve learned a lot since then.
Cheryl Crow (10:28):
Yeah. Yeah. And so I know that like methotrexate was first approved for rheumatoid arthritis in like the very late eighties, early nineties, but it wasn’t necessarily the first line or standard of care that it is now. So I wonder, yeah, maybe there was more like steroids anti-inflammatories and I also, I know a lot of people got gold shots. Did you ever get gold shots?
Colleen Hood (10:51):
Shots? I didn’t do gold. Okay. I can’t remember what all I took. I remember back then, I did do methotrexate at, as an injection that I, I took out of a bottle and I put it in my knee or put it in my thigh, but now I do the pills, but but I didn’t do methotrexate with him. It was the next set of doctors that I, I went to methotrexate.
Cheryl Crow (11:11):
Okay. And then, and so are, how is your treatment looking now or, you know, in the, in the more, the modern biologic medication era era, which I, you know, I always talk about biologics. I need to remember to define them. They’re the medicines that came out in their early two thousands through now. There’s still new ones coming out that are, that are really effective for slowing down disease progression. And they’re derived from biologic tissues, which is why they’re called biologic, like real living tissues.
Colleen Hood (11:40):
Right now. When I switched to those, cuz I remember we just got married in 2001 and I was doing this the injection shots of like Humira and Al and I can’t think of the other one. And even back then they used to really burn <laugh>. I remember they burned really badly. Yeah. Mm-Hmm <affirmative> I found it would be like the fertility shots and not hurt at all. And I was like, oh my God, this burns. Oh no, but so we, we did those and that was the beginning of it. And that did help a lot. I mean, I saw big, big changes. I didn’t have to take as many steroids. I did do methotrexate, but then in 2008 is when I switched to the IV meds and I’ve been on the IV meds ever since. And I can, my hand and everything has really improved since then. I mean, yes, my fingers look scary, but you know what, they don’t hurt and the functional and yes, I can only move two fingers, but they work and it hasn’t gotten worse since I guess probably 2008, really the, because that’s when I really started on the, the best medicines for my course of treatment. And I’ve been doing well since.
Cheryl Crow (12:49):
Yeah. And that that’s, you know, that’s wonderful. And I think that a lot of time, you know, providers do explain to patients that like joint, they call it joint deformities or, you know, joint differences. They are, you know, the, the, the progression of rheumatoid arthritis if uncontrolled leads to these deformities. But you know, if your medication works well, you can slow down the progression, like you said. And even if you get, you know, the kind of, some people consider like the worst case scenario is having a lot of fixed deformities, but then like you said, you can still learn ways to adapt and, and improve a little bit your stiffness and range emotion, and adapt how you interact with objects like phones and all sorts of things. So that, it’s wonderful to hear that you found a medicine that worked, you know, in 2008. And I think that I do try to remind, remind people that again, not giving medical advice, I’m not a doctor. And if I was a doctor, I’m not your doctor to the person, people listening. But you know that it’s normal to have a trial and error process that, you know, you might try one and doesn’t work, then try the other one. It’s not like if one doesn’t work, they all won’t work. So sorry, just little using these life stories as an educational opportunity.
Colleen Hood (14:06):
Oh, absolutely. And plus like, I, I was on several different infusions. I mean, I would normally be on them about two to three years. And then I could tell, well that my blood work wasn’t doing as well, or I had more, more pain and issues or I had to get my knees drained more and then I would switch to something else. But right now I’ve been on Actemra I think over two years now and, you know, knock wood so far. I’m I’m doing well with that one.
Cheryl Crow (14:33):
That’s so great. I just started Actemra 20 wait this still this year. Oh my gosh. This has been a long year. And I was gonna say in 2021, which is the year we’re here in December, 2021. Yeah. I started in June, but I hope it continues working for both of us. And so you also mentioned that, so you’ve had rheumatoid where 32 years. And you’ve known your husband for 34 years. Yes. So how did you guys, how did you two meet
Colleen Hood (14:58):
<Laugh>? This is so cute now. My mom and his mom worked together and I just graduated high school and he just graduated college and his mom was like, my son just move back to town. I, he needs to date or go do something or meet people. And my mom was like, well, I have daughters. So my mom set us up on a blind date. And at the time, you know, my family we’re so used to me being me. We don’t think that I’m, I don’t have a hand. We don’t think to ever mention it because it’s just me. And so I talked to him on the phone, we set up the blind date and then I realized, I said to my mom, does he know? I don’t have a hand? And mom’s like, oh my God, I don’t even think I said anything. And I was like, well, it’s gonna be fine. You know, it’s gonna be fine. I’m just gonna be myself. And it all worked out fine. He came to the door and my mom jokingly called him by the wrong name. Cuz he looked like somebody they worked with. And so that kind of broke the ice. And we’ve been together pretty much ever since. And when we got married you know, you have to have a witness on your marriage license. We had his mom and my mom sign our marriage license because, because they’re the ones that help us get together.
Cheryl Crow (16:15):
<Laugh> that is the cutest thing and yes, to people who are listening, the younger people in the audience. So this was 1987. Is that right? Mm-Hmm <affirmative> yeah. So when people call on the phone, there was no video chat option. There was no Snapchat. Okay. Like it, and it was it, there was a one phone in your house that was shared between everyone, anyone who picked up the line could just hear what you were talking about and yeah. So that’s but anyway, that’s so sweet and you know, a lot of times in the support group, I run room to thrive. The topic of relationships, like either, you know, work relationships, family relationships, but also particularly romantic relationships comes up a lot just in terms of difficulty getting your partner to kind of understand or empathize with what you’ve gone through. Do you have any tips for people or things that you’ve learned in your now many years of being married? <Laugh> well,
Colleen Hood (17:12):
Definitely communication and you have to be completely honest. And cuz he has seen me at my ultimate worst and been through all of my surgeries and and he can tell by sometimes just looking at me that cuz I, I am one that I don’t want people to know. I’m having a rough day. I’ll I’ll fake it till I make it. If I, if I have to, but he can tell like, okay, she’s having a little rough time. And if he can tell like even me getting dressed in the morning, if I need a little help, he’ll help me. Or, or simple things of like he’ll unload the dishwasher or you know, sometimes the smallest little thing can make the hugest impact in your day. And and I, I love that about him and you know, so back when I used to work or he would drive me on the weekends cuz he knew I wasn’t doing well and he would go pick me up and you know, sometimes it’s just that, you know, so just communicate with him to be honest about how you’re feeling and you know, what what’s happening. And then also, always on times that I wasn’t doing well, he went to every single doctor appointment with me even before we were married. Because sometimes you think you’re listening or taking notes, but you’ll miss stuff. So you need that other person to jot things down or to bring things up, you know, you’re not gonna tell them because you’ll be like, I’m fine. I’m fine. Cause I, I went through that for years and years, but now I, I, I spill my guts.
Cheryl Crow (18:38):
No, I, I think you and I have a, a similar tendency of like looking on the bright side of life, which that I could actually lead to like selective memory. Right. I’ll be like, oh I’m fine. Like I remember after Charlie was born, it kept being like, I’m, I’m fine. Like I’m not really fine, but like it’s about to get better. Like I was really convinced that like my flare up was about to get better. So I kept being like, it’s fine. And then finally my doctor she’s even said it even more recently, like she’s like, I have to like really push you sometimes to be like, how are you really doing? And because it’s not in your best interests to sugarcoat things. Right. right. But it’s hard if that’s your personality <laugh>.
Cheryl Crow (19:15):
But actually that’s, that’s a nice segue to the next little part that I wanna talk to you about, which is, you know, your attitude. And I know that, you know, you’re just, I, I met you online. I was gonna say met quote unquote, cuz not in, not in regular life, but you know, through social media and you’re known in the arthritis and the limb difference community for having a, a very like glass half full attitude. And I’m just really curious, like, were you always like that or what are some of the things that have kind of helped you form this attitude over the years? Well,
Colleen Hood (19:48):
To be honest with you, I kind of think I’ve always been that way. I, I felt like I’ve always been like everybody’s cheerleader. I, I, I, I feel like I do better when I see other people do better. I just wanna push people to their best in anything that they’re doing. Like we have bonus kids and I, you know, if they’re doing dance or they’re doing a recital, you know, we are there front row cloud. I can’t wait to be supportive and that’s just the way I’ve always been. And my mom was always that way. You know, I remember my mom always had this pretty stationary as a kid and anytime I had to bring a note to school, it was on the prettiest stationary. I could never get away with cheating and writing a note to get outta school because there’s no way I could pass for my mom’s writing and that stationary.
Colleen Hood (20:36):
But she always, she taught me that way, that to be thankful to be giving and I have my own set of stationaries now. And I, I believe in snail mail and showing love and support in ways that aren’t just sending a text or, you know, things like that. And because I think that it just makes a difference in, in their life and it makes a difference in my life and I’ve always just kind of been that way. I, I, I just wanna be happy and positive. I sure. I have, I have some rough days. I mean, I still do. I know I don’t show a lot of it on Instagram, but I do have some rough times and you know, and I have slower moments, but you know what, I, I keep going, I just might move a little bit slower or sure. That night we might get takeout, we might not cook. Yeah. But you know, it it’s just a balance.
Cheryl Crow (21:29):
Yeah. And, and I do, I worry sometimes this is probably me projecting, but I worry about people who are always so positive <laugh> because I know from my own experience, I think, I think what was hard for me was before I went to therapy, I went to therapy when my son was one years old. I had never been to therapy before. And I kept thinking, well, my problems, my, my challenges aren’t bad enough. You know? And again, I pride myself. It was honestly a bit of stubbornness and pride. You know, I’m proud that I’m in charge of my attitude. I don’t quote unquote need therapy, which, you know yeah. That was a little bit of a toxic attitude in, in some ways. And so I worry, like it also was that, okay, I’m circling around a point here that it felt like my chronic illness and my difficulty adjusting to motherhood with rheumatoid arthritis getting worse.
Cheryl Crow (22:20):
It was kinda like my rheumatoid arthritis was worse. It had been since right before my diagnosis. And then I also had to adjust to being a mom. Like those were both really hard, but it also felt like it was robbing me of like my sense of self. Like again, I pride myself similar to you being look on the positive side, but then it, it actually in therapy was super helpful to feel validated, to say like, you’ve been through a lot and it’s okay. Like to, you can have both at the same time, you can say like, what I’m dealing with right now is really hard and it’s making me sad and it it’s making me angry. And you know, those are valid emotions to have. And at the same time, I, I still am gonna take a moment to choose to kind of feel grateful or look on the bright side. You know what I mean? Like it’s like giving yourself permission to validate your emotions is, is, was difficult for me. Is that the same for you? Like, sorry, I’m projecting a lot.
Colleen Hood (23:10):
That is such a great point and you are right. Because I think if having that way kind of being that way all the time, it adds more stress and it causes more like anxiety in my own head. I journal a lot and and I have some really close friends that, that help me through so much. I mean, I, I, my life would not be where I am today without that circle. And, and everybody knows now that I am one I’m good at saying no. And if they wanna do something with me, they have to, they know it’s lunchtime or morning, no evenings. And if we, they, they want me or my husband to participate it’s during the day. And I’m, I’m great at saying, oh my gosh, thank you so much for inviting us. That is wonderful. But you know, we’re, we’re gonna have to miss it this time, but I can’t wait to see your pictures if it’s past like three o’clock in the afternoon, because I have to do what’s best for me. And like, if we have a party or a get together here, it’s a, it’s a lunchtime. We do afternoon parties. We do afternoon game, game nights because mm-hmm <affirmative>, I, I can’t do it. I mean, I need to be in my pajamas by seven o’clock sitting in my recliner. Oh
Cheryl Crow (24:22):
My gosh. Similar. Yeah. And, and, but I have a hard time saying no. So did you ever have a hard time saying no. Did you have to learn it the hard way through saying yes. When you really should have said no? Or how did you learn? Yes.
Colleen Hood (24:37):
I, I, I would, I would kill myself doing things and then coming home, I could barely move in the car. And by the time we get home, I could, my husband have to help me in. And he’s like, we should have, we should have said no. And now I’m just, I, I can just do it. I’m like that. I, I thank you so much for inviting me. That’s, that’s what I say. I appreciate that so much, but we’re just gonna have to miss it, but can’t wait to see your pictures and I just let it go. I used to give a big, long explanation and Sean’s like, just let it go. And everybody now knows it. And they’re like, oh yeah, we’re gonna include Colleen. We gotta do this at two. We can’t do this at seven. And that’s what they do.
Cheryl Crow (25:14):
I’ve I once heard this quote that I try to repeat to myself, but I’m really still bad at it, which is no is a full sentence. You know? I was like, it’s, it’s scary to me even to think about just being like, no, right. Cause I feel exactly the same. I have to give a long-winded explanation and it’s like, don’t flat. Sometimes it is kind of like, I tell myself, don’t flatter yourself. Like, people are fine. If you can’t go to something like they’re, it’s fine. The world’s gonna keep turning.
Colleen Hood (25:40):
You know, even when I had to stop work in 2014, cuz you know, I’ve had a lot of surgeries and, and at first, cuz I’ve always, I I’m always positive. I’m always looking good. I can manage life, but I’ve had people look at me like why doesn’t she work? And that’s what I’m thinking that they’re thinking. But I think myself, I have to do what’s best for my health. You know, my doctor said to me, you’re not gonna grow another hand and you only have two fingers at work. And all that company, one is a body in that chair and you need to do what’s best. You know, you’re only at the time I was 45. You’re only 45. You have a whole life left. You have to do what’s best for yourself. And that was the best decision I ever made. But that was hard.
Colleen Hood (26:23):
And I always felt like people were judging me or like she should work. And, but you know what, but, but I just have to do what’s best for, for my own health. And that was, and ever since I made that decision, I feel like I’m better about things. And, and now I really have a, a way of saying no. And thank you. And you know, and even though I don’t always show, I have bad days, but I’ll, I’ll, I’ll tell, ’em like, you know, I’m having a pretty rough day and I just need to stay, stay at home. And like, if we go over our bonus friends that have kids to go swim, if I’m not swimming or doing all the games with them, I’ll be like, you know, Colleen just needs to sit this one out. I’m gonna be the lifeguard today. And, and, and they all seem to get it now.
Cheryl Crow (27:05):
Yeah. And I think, you know, something that comes to mind when you were talking about that worry, that people were judging would judge you for not working. I wonder if part of that is like that, that you define yourself. And this is totally me proj- like, just tell me if this is wrong. But like, if you define yourself as I’m always defying the odds, like I have one hand, but I’m still able to do this and I have rheumatoid arthritis but I’m, I don’t let that stop me. And it kind of can easily transfer into that kind of toxic positivity realm. Like, I don’t know if you’ve heard of that phrase mm-hmm <affirmative> but I think it’s getting a lot of awareness now, like where you’re so focused on only focusing the positive that you forget to like legitimize the real difficulty you’re going through. So does that resonate at all?
Colleen Hood (27:52):
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
Cheryl Crow (27:55):
But you gave yourself permission to say like, you know what it’s, I mean, sometimes I say it’s, it’s okay if you’re disability limits your ability to do, because that’s literally the definition of a disability, it’s like a difficult something that makes it difficult for you to perform essential life functions. And so it, you know, we can’t say, at least for me, this is, again, me preaching to whatever choir wants to listen, you know, like it’s okay to say like, yeah, I can’t do that right now. Like I can’t play soccer right now, which is one of my thing, my favorite hobbies in the past or so I can’t swing dance the way I used to. And like, I have to actually look that reality in the face, but be like, but I can still then turn towards or face the things that are still possible and enjoy those, but I it’s okay to grieve the things that I can’t do. That’s that’s my kind of attitude currently. Absolutely.
Colleen Hood (28:46):
That is that’s perfect. You’re you are so right. But
Cheryl Crow (28:50):
Thank you. Those are my favorite words. You’re right. No, <laugh> yeah, my, I would say I wanted to just add that my husband has helped me with boundaries as well. I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not saying as well, like you were saying that your husband specifically helped, but my husband is a lot better at just being able to kind of have boundaries and say, no, I, you know, that’s not that doesn’t gonna work for me or something where again, he doesn’t have to give a long-winded ex explanation in his mind. Like, whereas I still do. I, I tend to, but I’ve learned from him, but you said I wanted to make sure I follow up that you said that you had a couple surgeries and that’s something I haven’t actually talked about too much on the pod cast about, you know having, I know that you had knuckle replacement surgery on your hand and a hip replacement surgery. Can you explain a little bit like what that was like, what the recovery was like?
Colleen Hood (29:38):
Sure, sure. I actually, my, my knuckles, I did it at two different times. I did the first two fingers in 1999 where they fused the index finger, cuz my hand was doing that curve thing, whatever that’s called. And so they Fued that one. And then I replaced the, the middle knuckle. And that, that recovery, I remember the doctor said to my husband, you’re not gonna be able to even hold a comb for like three months. And I’m like, I know we’re my family’s gonna help me. We’re all gonna figure this out. Cuz back then you being an occupational therapist, you know, all the contraptions and the things they put on your fingers with strings and stuff as you’re bending and you know, doing therapy. So I cuz they had to kind of feed me and, you know, help me with the bathroom and you know, do my hair, everything.
Colleen Hood (30:30):
So that, that was a long, a long recovery, but you know, I just tried my best every day. My, my sister was with me during the day when everybody was working and then my other surgery, I did the other two knuckles in 19 or 2008. And by then I was really independent and I figured out ways of like, okay, you’re gonna have to help me the first two weeks, but then I’m gonna figure out how I can go to the bathroom by myself. I wore a lot of long pajamas or dresses with no underwear. I mean I did whatever I, that I could do things by myself. And of course they still had to like do certain things for me, but I, I, I figured out ways. And that still was a good four month recovery. And then I had my hip replaced in 2009, a year later.
Colleen Hood (31:17):
And then I had my ankle right. Ankle fused in 2013. And that was, that was kind of hard cuz I didn’t realize that that was my dominant leg and I guess I couldn’t get around as good, but you know, they make the neatest things now for walkers. Like as you know, from a therapist, I have a thing attached to the Walker that it’s like, I lean on my elbows. Yeah. So I could get around better. So no – anything that they make that can help me, we own. And but the surgeries have helped me in the long run, no matter what I did. I’m like that bionic woman now <laugh>
Cheryl Crow (31:55):
Yeah, no that’s, that’s great. And I think I do want to get to the adaptations, like you’re reading my mind exactly like the gadgets and things that help you on a daily basis. But before I move on to that, I’m just curious, like how, how do, what are some ways that you cope with the pain? Cause I think postsurgical pain, I never had joint surgery, but I’ve had surgeries on in other, other kinds of surgeries and it’s really a, to me it’s a different level of pain than my rheumatoid arthritis or just a different kind of pain. And it can be really challenging to, to cope with what are, do you have any tools that you use like physical tools or like mental to me it’s the mental part is hard
Colleen Hood (32:36):
<Laugh> oh yeah. Yeah. And I also had the wrist fused as well. And at the last time I did the other two knuckles. Well I do a, I try to do a lot of meditation. Well of course back right after the surgery I did to pain meds and stuff. But I just, I just mostly just, I journal a lot. I, I did, I, I still sometimes do occupational therapy even now. Any little thing that could give me relief. I would do if it’s offered to me. But just a lot of, Ugh, just, it’s just, it’s really all in your mindset too. I mean, I would just, sometimes I would just cry. I mean sometimes you just have to let it out and but I just was, I was just at her and to get through it and, and every day got a little bit better, you know, and it just, but I, I definitely do a lot of meditation and mindset and just try to focus on other, other things
Cheryl Crow (33:31):
<Laugh> distraction therapy. Yeah. Yeah. That can definitely help with super acute pain in, in my experience. And then what kind of and the there’s so many different ways that people would practice meditation, like some use apps, some just kind of count their breathing or just take a minute to center themselves. What does meditation look like for you?
Colleen Hood (33:51):
I’ve done apps. I do a lot of things through YouTube just watching things and another weird thing that I do sometimes I saw somebody do this is some people I guess, would trace their fingers or something. And since well, what I do is, is I I’ll, I’ll just take my little arm and kind of go up and like breathe in, tracing the one finger, breathe out on. I find that helps me a lot or I’ll do it the other way. I’ll just trace around my little arm and, but I don’t know it works. I mean, it, it, it does help. <Laugh>,
Cheryl Crow (34:23):
That’s so funny cuz that I used to work in pediatrics and I’ve taught children how to do that and actually my own I’ve taught my son as well. And it’s yeah. I think it’s giving something concrete to do while you’re breathing can be, can be really helpful. Do you ever do like guided meditations, like, you know, visualize that you’re on a stream or like you’re on the beach or is it more the breathing focused ones? No, no, I’ve,
Colleen Hood (34:45):
I’ve done that too. The, the beach ones help the most
Cheryl Crow (34:48):
<Laugh> yeah, me too. That’s so funny. I mean like, oh you live in Florida and I know that not everywhere in Florida is a beach, but in my brain it is <laugh> yes.
Colleen Hood (34:56):
15 minutes from the beach.
Cheryl Crow (34:58):
Oh, that’s wonderful. Yeah. Those are, those are really, really tips. I think journaling is like a lost art for again, the younger generation. So that’s something to, to, to think about. And then I also wanted to yeah. Get into the realm of okay. Adaptations and I mean that like in a very broad sense, like ways, life hacks, gadgets, ways that you function in your day life, things that help you improve your quality of life in your daily life with rheumatoid arthritis and having a limb difference. I know that we could probably do a five hour long episode on this, but what are some of the things you think would be most helpful for others with rheumatoid arthritis? Well,
Colleen Hood (35:37):
Any, any kind of a kitchen gadget that they sell or make every person should own that has arthritis. I mean the can openers, you know, like the, the kitchen mama can opener is fantastic. You know, anything that helps you button or I, I even have a fold up, you know, thing to pull up your zippers and button your clothes. Yeah. I think it’s in my purse. Shoehorns you know, I have like the, the gadget that helps you dress yourself, like after my hip replacement help you pull your pants up or things like that, long things in the shower to wash your back. I mean, you name it. If they sell it, we own it. And it is, it is so worth it. And it just helps in ways that, that I, I feel more independent. I don’t have to ask my husband, like, can you open this for me? Or, you know, if I have a little bit of pain, you, I have my, my chair, I have a thing’s plugged in for the, for the warm heat and you know all kinds of things. It’s just so helpful.
Cheryl Crow (36:38):
Yeah. So you like, you like heat for sure. Do you ever use cold packs? I’m
Colleen Hood (36:42):
Curious. I use cold as well. Oh, sorry. I do both. Sorry, but it seems like when my shoulders bother me, I like the heat, but when my knees are hand bother me, I like the cold. That’s
Cheryl Crow (36:53):
So similar for me too. Cause when I hurt my neck in a car accident and like in the acute phase, you know, cold is better, but the kind of the chronic stiffness and pain there responds really, really well to heat. And then, you know one of the other things I, and I I’m all about the gadgets in, in many ways, but also there’s always the option. I tell people if they’re overwhelmed with the gadgets, there’s always the option to alter your approach to daily activities. So instead of like adding a gadget to your room, you could change the way that you do things. I know having a limb difference, you probably alter everything that you do as compared to somebody with two hands. But are there any ones that come to mind like that don’t rely on a GAD? You, but maybe rely on like, like for example, I would say like to somebody, instead of holding your purse with your fingers, stabilizing your purse, the handles of your purse on your elbow, you know, do you do anything else like that that you’d wanna share <laugh> oh yeah. I do
Colleen Hood (37:53):
One little arm to me is my strongest little thing. Since my left, hand’s kind of weak. I mean, between a holding, I hold a lot to my chest. I use a lot, believe it or not, I still bite things open with my mouth to get things open, like Ziploc bags. And, but I do a lot of things leaning against my, my, my own body to open up things. And cuz there’s always other ways to, to do things or I’ll take zip, I’ll take scissors to open up something instead of the normal Ziploc or
Cheryl Crow (38:25):
I do that a lot. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just was like, yes, that’s one of my most common things I do is, you know, even with two, you know, fairly functional thumbs and in fingers, it’s still hard to open zip locks a lot of times. Yeah. So,
Colleen Hood (38:41):
And I I’ll buy containers. So like pour the cereal or pour the rice in or the oats in where all I gotta do is pop the top and the lid comes off and I could just pour it right out versus trying to open up the box and get the, get the, the lip thing, the clip ’em closed. And you know, I, I try to do it that way too. Same within the shower, push the button to get the, the, the shampoo out versus trying to squeeze the bottle.
Cheryl Crow (39:06):
Totally. Do you use like the Oxo good grips containers. Okay. I love those
Colleen Hood (39:15):
Fantastic best investment. They best, best thing they ever came out with
Cheryl Crow (39:19):
<Laugh> I know I was just going down the Pinterest rabbit hole about pantry organization and there was somebody who just had everything in these beautiful AO good grips. And it was like, oh my God, I want those
Colleen Hood (39:32):
Thing. My husband does in our pantry. You know how like you have a lazy Susan, we have a couple of lazy Susans just on the shelves that I can just spin to get different things. Instead of me having to try to reach a little higher or move, you know, go to a different shelf. So we even have lazy Susans in the pantry.
Cheryl Crow (39:50):
Yes. That was something I discovered on Pinterest too. You are just, you need a Pinterest, you could be a Pinterest influencer. And I’m curious, and I don’t know how to ask this in like a not awkward way, but do you follow any like spiritual or religious – so this is at a left field, but I was just thinking earlier when you’re talking about attitude and mindset. Cause I know for a lot of people, like they use prayer and stuff like that. That’s not what I personally use. But is that something that you ever experienced as helpful?
Colleen Hood (40:23):
Well I, I follow Kathy Lee Gifford. I love Kathy Lee Gifford side note of me back in the day when I was younger and could travel a lot. I followed Reis and Kathy Lee and I traveled with show. I met some of my closest friends being part of that show. So from like 1993, until when Kathy Lee left in 2000, I mean, I, we went all over the country with their show. We, you know, we seen them perform their nightclub act, their, we were in their audience, you know, all over the place and you know, Kathy Lee kind of knows me by name. And wow. Yeah. She even came when she was, when she first came out with her wine, she came to our town and at first I was like, she’s not gonna remember me. I’m not gonna try to get with her assistant or anything.
Colleen Hood (41:13):
And we’re waiting in line. She sees us, she’s like, there’s my Colleen. And I was like, oh my God, she still remembers me. It’s been like six years. But she, she mailed us a wedding gift and I, you know, I, she is the true gem and I do follow her and you know, she’s, she’s been a blessing in my life for all these years. And because of her, I met my bestest friend and she was my matron of honor. And so that’s just a little sign note on me, but back then I was healthier and could travel. And so I, I used to be wild and crazy back in the day. <Laugh>
Cheryl Crow (41:46):
Wow. So yeah, you kind of have like people that you look up to that bring inspiration and yeah. Kinda like what – it’s kinda like a lot of us say, like, what would Oprah, Oprah do you know? Or like what would, so it’s kinda like in your mind, is it like, what would Kathy Lee do? Mm-Hmm <affirmative> oh, I used to love watching Regis and Kathy with my mom too. And,ucuz yeah, like I was born in 1981. So,uthat would be like when I was in middle school and high school when they were together and yeah, they just had, they had great banter. Ubut yeah, I had, sometimes I have this idea that everyone who has a super positive attitude is, has a religious or spiritual basis. And I feel like I’m the one weird person who doesn’t, but so,uso I just want, I just had to ask, cause it was just on the tip of my tongue <laugh> but
Colleen Hood (42:34):
Yeah, you probably saw me on the show once in a while, there was one time we went to New York without telling our other Regis and Kathy Lee friends, we were going and we thought they’re not gonna mention us in the audience. And re just looks at us and goes, what are you two doing here? And we’re like, oh my gosh. Then they started to talk to us in the host chat. And then we got busted and all of our other friends, we’re like, why don’t you tell us you were going, we would’ve come with you cuz we wanted it to just be a secret. Just the two of us going
Cheryl Crow (42:58):
<Laugh> yeah, that’s so cute. You know, I think like this is totally getting on another topic, but like – there’s something that is so fun about connecting to other people on, on a shared interest, you know? Like Taylor swift is one of my interests and people, you know, I love going to her concerts and just talking about like all the details of her lyrics and what they could mean and how we relate to them. And you know, being part of like a fandom, like people who all love the same book series or music, it’s just, it kind of is something that makes your life more interesting. And bringing – bring a lot of meaning. Yep.
Colleen Hood (43:33):
So you love Taylor swift. I love Kathy Lee.
Cheryl Crow (43:35):
Yeah. Well and your, your name on Instagram is mad 4 mini relating to mini mouse, right? So have you always loved mini mouse too?
Colleen Hood (43:43):
Well, I fell in love with mini me and my husband of course go to Disney world all the time, be living in Florida. And we went there in our honeymoon, but when I turned 40, I remember we were in Disney world and of course back then all of the princesses were everywhere. And, and I was like, what about mini mouse? She’s like the matriarch of all this. And I fell in love with her then. And ever since then, all my bonus kids, all my friends, give me all these mini mouse things and cuz you know, I’m getting older and I just feel like I’m like the mini mouse to everybody and she’s had and positive. And she’s been with her guy a long time. I’ve been with Sean a long time. And so she’s like my, my little, my husband thought that’s a catchy name for me to set up for you for Instagram and it’s kind of paid off
Cheryl Crow (44:29):
<Laugh> oh, that’s so great. No and I another person that I kind of try to emulate is have you seen parks and recreation the TV show with Leslie Knope? <Laugh> yes. Yeah. I have my favorite coffee mug every morning is, and I, it’s always funny cuz I, I, I will ask my husband, did you take my, my mug? But it’s the, oh be the Leslie Knope of whatever you do, you know, cuz she’s a little, she’s very hyper focused on, you know, doing the best that she can. But she also gives herself permission to feel her feelings and has a lot of emotional ups and downs, but is very effective. And anyway, yeah. Advocates for her friends and is like a very potentially obsessive, but also a really good friend. So I love that. Yeah. And I just have to clarify when you say bonus kids, does that, is that like your best friends’
Colleen Hood (45:22):
Kids? Oh yes. Let me explain. Since we couldn’t, we could never have children. We tried to have kids. We we did in vitro, we did, we did a vitro three times. We did artificial insemination. We did whatever we could and of course back then I couldn’t really be on the arthritis medicines. So it was challenging. So since we could never have kids, our closest friends have seven kids and we got to be when the last one was born, we were a part of her delivery. We got to see her be born. So we’ve known them for as long as I’ve known Sean and they are like our best friends and he kind of went through a little, they’re kind of went through a separation and so, you know, he kind of needed help with the kids and we, we pitched in, so now they’re like our bonus kids and <affirmative>, we’re their bonus parents and we get to have fun with them and do all the school projects and fun events and swim with them and play with them and have ’em all summer and then send ’em home.
Cheryl Crow (46:23):
<Laugh> that? That’s great. And, and thank you for, for sharing about your fertility journey. Cause I do know that it’s it’s common, not just for people with rheumatoid arthritis, but just in general, you know, fertility is definitely not a given and it can be so, so hard to, to go through like in vitro. I don’t know what, you know, I can’t say from experience, but from friends of mine, who’ve also been through it. Do you have any words of wisdom for anyone else maybe going through that right now?
Colleen Hood (46:52):
Well, just, just definitely have good communication between your doctors and your spouse. And just take it day by day, you know, doing all those injections and try doing all the blood work and the tests. It, that is a whole other stress related to arthritis. It’s it was way, way up there. And if there’s any groups that you can talk to or things like that, because there’s so many supportive things out there, cuz a lot of people don’t like to talk about that. It’s, it’s so, so helpful. And you know, just take it day by day and you know, and if it, if that one test doesn’t work out that one month, just, just keep trying and you know, if it doesn’t work, there’s always adoption fostering, you know, there’s always other solutions out there. Like even though I’m in my fifteens, you know, we, we still might adopt someday, you know, I mean, or foster. I mean there’s a lot of kids out there. That’s that need that need someone.
Cheryl Crow (47:46):
Yeah. No thank, thank you. That’s that’s that’s super helpful. And I know that you relish your role right now as the, the bonus mom to your friend’s kids. So that’s really wonderful. The only, the reason I mention that is cuz I know that in families, at least I’m in the Pacific Northwest, that a lot of families who are have like parents who are divorced sometimes and they have they’ll refer to, instead of using stepparent, they’ll use the phrase bonus mom or bonus kids. So then I was like, oh wait, wait, no, but you guys got married when you were 18 or you got like don’t they have bonus kids in that sense. So that, that helped <laugh> right.
Colleen Hood (48:24):
And the oldest was our flower girl. The oldest is our flower too. She’ll be 20 this year. And the youngest is now in mine. <Laugh>
Cheryl Crow (48:32):
Oh, that’s so wonderful. Oh – this is so helpful, I think just like I’m just imagining people listening and just being really inspired by your story. And I mean, I just, yeah, I’ve learned so much from you just in this conversation, but also in social media. So I definitely recommend people if you’re on Instagram, I guess even if you’re not, you could look Colleen up at mad 4, the number four, minnie, which is such a cute name. And I just wanted to end on one of my favorite questions and I feel like I just, I feel like I just keep asking you to give all this wisdom away. So again, if you’re like, I’m all advice out, that’s totally fine. But you know, specifically let’s say for the newly diagnosed person, like a, let’s say someone’s listening and either they or their loved one is very newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. What are some things you would wanna tell them? Either?
Colleen Hood (49:24):
I would tell them that, you know, everybody everybody has everybody’s diagnosis is different and don’t, don’t get overwhelmed. Don’t think, oh my gosh, this, this is chronic. This is, this is gonna ruin my life. It’s not, I mean, yes, you’re gonna have some rough days, but you’re gonna have some wonderful days and just, excuse me, do your homework, get a good doctor, follow the medicine. And you know, it is trial by error or, you know, if the doctor thinks you should try this first, you have to go for it. And, you know, journal, write things down, be ready for when you go to the next appointment to say, you know, this didn’t quite work, or I had pain here. And you know, see what your blood work says and, and, and move forward. You know, it, it’s not a life sentence. I mean, sure. It it’s, it’s, it’s a little bump in the road, but you know what? Everybody has challenges that they face and it’s, it’s going to, you’re gonna end up being a stronger, more resilient person because of it. Honestly, you will find a fight in you that you did not know you had, and every day will be challenging, but every day is gonna end up being a good day because you’re gonna make it a good day.
Cheryl Crow (50:39):
I love that. Oh my gosh. I was literally typing notes as you’re talking <laugh> as if I’m not also recording this, but I’m, I just have to write this to in case something happens to this recording. So thank you so much. That’s so, so helpful. I hope that whoever’s listening feels a little more hope after this episode, cuz it can definitely be challenging when you first get diagnosed to kind of go online and see so much conflicting information. And so I think there’s a hunger, obviously why it’s started this podcast partly is that there’s a hunger for just real patient stories and valid advice. Like you said, it’s very overwhelming to kind of look at all the stuff online. So thank you so much. Is there anything else you wanted to say that I haven’t had a chance to ask you yet?
Colleen Hood (51:24):
Well you are, you are one of the very first ones that I found on Instagram, you know, it’ll be a year now in January that I started and I was so grateful because you, you are such a light and you give the best information. And anytime I come across someone that tells me, they just, you know, have to our RA, I immediately send them to you. Like you gotta follow Cheryl. She, she gives the best stuff. But Aww, I just wanna just, just be themselves and you know, and just, just know you’re not alone. You know, there’s such great support on Instagram or other, other avenues out there, you know, you’re not alone in this. And, and I always find our community. They’re here for each other and they’re, they’re here to support on good days and bad days. And and I I’m grateful for that every day.
Cheryl Crow (52:16):
Yeah. Thank you. And it’s funny because I feel like I’m such a newbie on Instagram. Like I always started really using Instagram, you know, right around right before the pandemic. And so yeah, I forget that there’s people who are, who even started later later than I did, but anyway, that’s not the point of what you’re saying, but thank you. No, I, I, I’ve just been so appreciative of just the online community, like you said, there, there are lots of different sub communities within the chronic illness communities online. You know, some people really bond over, you know, what, the ways that they’re pursuing treatment, you know, they really wanna talk about like diet and nutrition and like that’s what they all wanna talk about all the time. Whereas others are more like, you know, you and me are talking about like daily living adaptations and inspiration and attitude and mindset.
Cheryl Crow (53:00):
And it’s just finding your little quote unquote tribe or your community is, is gonna be really, really helpful. So. Yay. Thank you so much.
Cheryl Crow (53:10):
Thank you so much for listening to another episode of the arthritis life podcast. This episode is brought to you by the rheumatoid arthritis roadmap, an online course that I created from scratch to help people live a full life with rheumatoid arthritis, from social and emotional aspects of coping with rheumatoid arthritis, to simple physical strategies. You can use every day to manage things like pain and fatigue. You can find out more on my website, my arthritis, life.net, where I also have lots of free educational resources, videos, and more. I.
Cheryl thank you for having me on. We had a great conversation. I appreciate you having me be part of your podcast. We all learn from eachother in ways of coping and managing each day.