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YOU ARE AN RA SISTER!

My sister Meredith and I recently attended an ambassador reunion in Florida for Vectra DA. While in attendance, I had an epiphany. I have always just considered my sister and I the RA SISTERS, but it is so much more than just the two of us. We created this blog because we never wanted anyone to feel alone on this journey or suffering. My sister and I felt fortunate in a way, because we had each other. Not everyone has a partner in crime when it comes to their disease. 😏 I now realize the term “RA SISTERS” is for ALL women suffering with this disease! We are all RA SISTERS, and we are in this fight together. At the ambassador reunion, I had the privilege of hearing Kelly O’Neill Young present. She is the author of RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS UNMASKED, 10 DANGERS of Rheumatoid Disease, and widely known as the RA WARRIOR. Here is the link to her amazing web page. http://rawarrior.com/ After hearing her speak, I instantly felt connected to her. Everything she said made me feel e
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Just keep swimming...

My name is Meredith Boutte.   I'm 34, a stay at home mom of a smart 8-year-old boy and have had a wonderful boyfriend for two years. I was first diagnosed about 6 years ago.   During that time, I was a full-time student working towards becoming a nurse.   I was doing a great job in school. When I first got sick, it took about a year to be diagnosed.   There were a lot of doctor visits and a whole lot of throwing fits just so that doctors would listen to me. At one point, I told the doctor that if they did not admit me I was going to hurt myself. It's sad that I had to go through such drastic extremes to get someone to listen to me, but it worked. Soon after the hospital stay I was referred to a rheumatologist.   That changed my life forever.   At that time the diagnosis was such a relief because I was finally going to get help. I didn’t feel crazy anymore, yet the news put me into a state of depression. The only thing I knew about RA was what I had read and the pict

What I Want You To Know...

Like most that suffer from chronic diseases, I feel like people typically do not understand what it is like to walk (or not to walk) in our shoes. While I do not want to constantly focus on my ailments, I think it is important to spread awareness. It is crucial that we educate and provide basic knowledge for the general public. I chose this picture for this post because it hit home for me personally. I have lots of friends with Rheumatoid Disease that do indeed have severe arthritis. While I look at them and see strength, hope, and courage,  you can also see the pain and suffering through their disfigurements. My sister and I have many health issues, but one can not visibly see any deformities as of yet. While I am grateful that all my extremities are characterized as normal so far, this can make it hard for others to realize what type of struggles we go through on a day to day basis. I wanted to post some symptoms here that go hand in hand with Rheumatoid Disease. These were co