I’m Alyssa. I’m a writer and jewelry designer, among other things. I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disease which affects my joints and internal organs. Years ago a friend of mine suggested that I start blogging about my experiences with the disease. I haven’t looked back since.
My hope is that I’ll be able to help others like me realize that they’re not alone. When people hear “arthritis,” they think it’s just an annoying illness that comes with aging. In reality, RA is much more serious and can affect people of all ages, including children and teenagers. Since most of the information I’ve read online about RA seems geared towards older adults, I’m hoping that I can help the younger crowd out. Being a kid nowadays is bad enough; throwing an incurable and often painful disease on top of that just flat-out sucks.
If you have RA too, I hope you will find the inspiration you need to live your life to the fullest. If you’re reading this for a friend or family member or just happened to stumble upon it while surfing the web, I hope this will serve to educate you and raise awareness.
Thanks for coming on this journey with me. I promise I will be as entertaining as possible.
Till next time,
Alyssa
My Battle with RA 
March 11th, 2013 at 5:09 PM
Hi Alyssa,
I found your blog while searching for natural solutions to healthcare. I recently had a severe problem with my gallbladder which led to several surgeries and a lot of after affects. I have found a lot of natural ways to deal with pain. When I saw that you had RA I thought I would share with you what I use for pain. Its called Deep Blue. It is a blend of essential oils that have a lot of healing properties. I also use birch and frankincense. I have been studying essential oils for about three years now and have benefited greatly. If you would like to chat about it let me know. I have a website its. http://www.mydoterra.com/naturemeetsnurture I have a membership with DoTerra and get essential oils at 25% discount. I would love to share with you what I know. Using pure natural solutions is key to getting results and getting out of pain! I found your blog inspiring!
March 11th, 2013 at 5:55 PM
Thank you! 🙂 I sometimes use essential oils and I have quite the collection lying around, but I guess I never used them to their full potential. I will definitely look into your suggestion.
April 24th, 2013 at 5:33 AM
Dear Alyssa, have you heard about paleo eating? As far as I know it is very beneficial in autoimmune diseases. I have read several articles that said gong totally gluten-free can stop ( or lessen) the pain in RA. You can read about this topic more at the blog of the Plaeo Mom, or at Chris Kresser’s Blog. Best wishes for you, I hope you will get better! Blessings, Lilla
April 24th, 2013 at 8:28 AM
Hi Lilla, yes, I’ve heard about the paleo diet and its benefits for people with autoimmune diseases. I have a friend who swears by it. The only reason I haven’t tried it yet is because I didn’t feel educated enough to make the switch. Thanks for the blog suggestion! Maybe now I can give it a try.
April 24th, 2013 at 5:35 AM
sorry for wrong spelling, correctly it is The Paleo Mom (http://www.thepaleomom.com)
August 28th, 2013 at 7:39 AM
Hey Alyssa – thanks for following my blog. I love your honesty here and your dedication 😉
August 29th, 2013 at 11:39 PM
No problem, and thanks! This blog is my baby. I started it when I was at a low point and it’s gotten me through some rough patches. My only hope is that my honesty can help other people who are struggling.
January 25th, 2014 at 2:31 PM
Dear Alyssa, You write beautifully. Thank you for sharing your experiences with the rest of us. I never knew about how debilitating RA is and how it can affect very young people until I found out a family friend had RA. I didn’t even know she’s had it for 30 years because she never complained even though she was always in pain. She is now on a natural therapy and her condition has improved dramatically, but it has been quite an experience for me personally to see how RA not only affected her but her entire family. I’m glad you have an outlet like this blog to educate others on what you go through daily. I hope you keep on sharing your stories.
February 1st, 2014 at 10:31 PM
Thank you for your kind words, Kate. It’s a great feeling to know that I’m helping to educate and inspire people. I hope your friend continues to improve.