RA Blog Week - High Fives

Great Blogs I have read this week – RABlog week is, at its heart, a way for bloggers to connect. Tell others about the great blogs you have read over the week. Perhaps you have found a gem from a blogger you did not know before or maybe one of your friends shared special insight. Give the high five in print to another blogger or two who participated in 2017 RABlog week.

It has been another amazing week of learning and growing with the RA community. Thank you so much Rick for organizing and promoting this amazing community event and for everyone who shared their stories. It's been a busy week for me, but I enjoyed sitting down and reading through several different blog posts. I didn't get to as many as I would have liked, but there is still time! Here are a few special gems from each day. 

Day 1: Mental Health
The Unexpected Advocate does a beautiful job of sharing her journey in the post Emotional Stability & Me. She admits she doesn't have the answers, but shares how she is managing - help from friends, listening to her body, and asking for help. Love!

My good friend Lene from The Seated View shares Five Tips for Better Mental Health with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Each tip is magnificent but I especially love #4 - Choose Joy. 

Day 2: Tips and Tricks
A Rheumful of Tips never disappoints at breaking down life into simple tasks. Check out her Day 2 post plus all the other wonderful tips she has to share on her blog.  
The Old Lady in My Bones provides us with items she includes in her emergency kit in her post Days Like This. She has some great things.

Day 3: Partners 
In A Panegyric to My Partner, Pollyanna Penguin discovers one of the best lessons to a good relationship - taking a step outside of our own pain and viewing it from our partner's perspective. 

If you ever need a dose of love, talk to Rick from RADiabetes. There is never a drop of doubt that Rick is in-love with his wife. In his post Valentine Day Love Letter, Rick shares his story of love and the woman who stands by his side. 

Day 4: Hobbies
Cathy at Arthritis Wisdom wrote an elegant post titled 3 Gardening Tips RA Style. When I clicked on her blog I was instantly drawn to her welcoming smile. And, since I have started enjoying a little gardening myself over the years, I wanted to learn tips on her success. I'll definitely be back to read more of her posts.

Karen at The Dog and Duck wrote several great pieces this week but I couldn't figure out how to leave comments. (Karen I hope you are reading this! I enjoyed your posts this week.) In the post on hobbies, Karen shared several activities that I enjoy myself - drinking with my husband, camping, and my kids. I think we are both at a phase in our lives where we are slowing things downs a bit and enjoying the time with our husbands.     
  
When I first started blogging in 2008, I would sit at my computer reading blogs each morning. Reading about how others were managing their RA gave me such hope. As my symptoms have improved, I have not spent as much time doing this. This week was good. I felt like we were a community sharing and helping each other. Plus, knowing there are still many posts to read through makes me happy.