• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic illness blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About
    • As Seen On
    • Tags & Topics
    • Popular Posts
  • Blogging Resources
  • Freebie
  • Shop the Blog
    • Products for the Chronically Ill
  • Work with Me
    • Ads and Sponsoring
  • Follow
  • Holiday
    • Gift Guides
Text reads: 2023 recent reads, July through December, www. kate the almost great .com
in Lifestyle · January 9, 2024

2023 Recent Reads: July-December

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle · January 9, 2024

2023 Recent Reads: July-December

It’s a new year! Before we get into 2024, let’s finish out 2023 with my last edition of 2023 Recent Reads. 

Since I never did one for Q3 of 2023, I’m combining Q3 and Q4 in this post. Which means there are a LOT of books to choose from! 

All books posts | All Recent Reads posts | 2023 Recent Reads

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great®!

Text reads: 2023 recent reads, July through December, www. kate the almost great .com

Because of Miss Bridgerton 

“Everyone expects Billie Bridgerton to marry one of the Rokesby brothers. The two families have been neighbors for centuries, and as a child the tomboyish Billie ran wild with Edward and Andrew. Either one would make a perfect husband… someday […] There is only one Rokesby Billie absolutely cannot tolerate, and that is George. He may be the eldest and heir to the earldom, but he’s arrogant, annoying, and she’s absolutely certain he detests her. Which is perfectly convenient, as she can’t stand the sight of him, either. But sometimes fate has a wicked sense of humor…Because when Billie and George are quite literally thrown together, a whole new sort of sparks begins to fly. And when these lifelong adversaries finally kiss, they just might discover that the one person they can’t abide is the one person they can’t live without” (x). 

This book is the first in the Bridgerton prequel series about the Rokesbys. I first tried to get into the book a year or so ago and couldn’t, so I just put it aside. I think this was more because of being all Bridgerton-ed out at the time, as I sped through it when I took it up this time. It wasn’t as good as the original Bridgerton books, but it was still enjoyable. 

20+ of the Best History Novels

Lilac Girls 

“New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences. For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten” (x). 

This was a reread! The Lilac Girls were a real group of people, specifically Polish women who went through specific things at Ravensbrück. Kasia is not based on a specific one of them, but instead, she is an amalgamation of some women who went through truly horrific things at the hands of Nazis. Caroline and Herta, however, were real women who had opposite roles in the Lilac Girls experiences. Caroline used her influence and powerful friends before the war officially started, when it was underway, and afterwards to help a wide variety of people impacted, but she brought the plight of the Lilac Girls forward and helped them about a decade or two after the war. 

SPOILER AHEAD! 

Herta was the only female doctor at Nuremberg’s Doctors’ Trials. She did horrible things and, the first time I read it, I hoped against hope that she wasn’t real. But she was, and many of the things she does in the book were real, too. 

SPOILER OVER

Read my review from the first time I read it here.

2023 Recent Reads: April-June

The Queen’s Fortune

“As the French revolution ravages the country, Desiree Clary is faced with the life-altering truth that the world she has known and loved is gone and it’s fallen on her to save her family from the guillotine. A chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her answer. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon’s futures become irrevocably linked. Quickly entering into their own passionate, dizzying courtship that leads to a secret engagement, they vow to meet in the capital once his career has been secured. But her newly laid plans with Napoleon turn to sudden heartbreak, thanks to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Once again, Desiree’s life is turned on its head […] From the lavish estates of the French Riviera to the raucous streets of Paris and Stockholm, Desiree finds herself at the epicenter of the rise and fall of an empire, navigating a constellation of political giants and dangerous, shifting alliances. Emerging from an impressionable girl into a fierce young woman, she discovers that to survive in this world she must learn to rely upon her instincts and her heart” (x). 

This book was good and interesting, especially since I wasn’t familiar with Desiree beforehand. It wasn’t the best book, but I enjoyed it. If you are interested in the time period, I definitely recommend it, but I don’t know that I will be rereading it any time soon.

The Best Audiobooks I’ve Listened To

The Priory of the Orange Tree 

“A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction–but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic. Across the dark sea, Tané has trained all her life to be a dragonrider, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel. Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep” (x). 

This book almost immediately became one of my all-time favorites. I can’t wait to reread it in 2024! 

This book is also described as a feminist version of the legend of Saint George. The world is inclusive, with same-sex relationships being normalized, as are a variety of sexualities, including asexuality. It gripped me right from the start.

One of my fav orite things about this book is that the narrators are all at different parts of the world, so the worldbuilding is really full and you get a grasp of what the different parts of it are like. I loved it SO much.

2023 Recent Reads: January-March

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband 

“With her brother Thomas injured on the battlefront in the Colonies, orphaned Cecilia Harcourt has two unbearable choices: move in with a maiden aunt or marry a scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He’s unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecilia vows that she will save this soldier’s life, even if staying by his side means telling one little lie […] When Edward comes to, he’s more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out three months of his memory, but surely he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecilia Harcourt is—even if he does not recall her face—and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he’d always assumed he’d marry his neighbor back in England” (x). 

This book is the second in the Bridgerton prequel series about the Rokesbys. I liked it better than Because of Miss Bridgerton, maybe because I found it easier to get into. What is especially interesting about it is that most of it takes place in the then-colony of New York, not in England like the Bridgerton books do. 

I will say that I’m not a huge fan of the premise, but it is more ethical than what Daphne does in The Duke and I (it’s included in the TV show). 

Advice Books To Read (That Aren’t Cheesy!)

Jane Austen's "Persuasion" sits on a white bedspread with gray stripes on it. Black text at the bottom reads "www. kate the almost great .com"

The Last White Rose 

“Elizabeth of York is the oldest daughter of King Edward IV. Flame-haired, beautiful, and sweet-natured, she is adored by her family; yet her life is suddenly disrupted when her beloved father dies in the prime of life. Her uncle, the notorious Richard III, takes advantage of King Edward’s death to grab the throne and imprison Elizabeth’s two younger brothers, the rightful royal heirs. Forever afterward known as ‘the Princes in the Tower,’ the boys are never seen again. On the heels of this tragedy, Elizabeth is subjected to Richard’s overtures to make her his wife, further legitimizing his claim to the throne. King Richard has murdered her brothers, yet she feels she must accept his proposal. As if in a fairy tale, Elizabeth is saved by Henry Tudor, who challenges Richard and defeats him at the legendary Battle of Bosworth Field. Following his victory, Henry becomes king and asks Elizabeth to be his wife, the first queen of the Tudor line. The marriage is happy and fruitful, not only uniting the warring houses of Lancaster and York—the red and white roses—but producing four surviving children, one of whom, Henry VIII, will rule the country for the next thirty-six years” (x). 

I really enjoyed this! It is by Alison Weir, a Tudor historian, who also wrote the biography Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World. (You can read my review of that here.) So little is known about who she was separate from all of the men in her life, as she was the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of kings. She was significantly overshadowed by all of the men in her life. 

I loved Weir’s biography of her, and I’ve read a couple of Weir’s other fiction books, so I decided to give this a shot. I really enjoyed it, but it’s definitely for the Tudor nerds and not the casual historical fiction fans.

2022 Recent Reads: October-December

The Year of Magical Thinking 

“John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion saw their daughter fall ill. At first they thought it was flu, then she was placed on life support. Days later, the Dunnes were sitting down to dinner when John suffered a massive and fatal coronary. This powerful book is Didion’s ‘attempt to make sense of the weeks and then months that cut loose any fixed idea I ever had about death, about illness’. The result is a personal yet universal portrait of marriage and life, in good times and bad, from one of the defining voices of American literature” (x). 

Coincidentally, my sister and I read this at the same time. I described it to her as devastating and beautiful, and I stand by that description. 

Joan Didion experienced so much tragedy in a year and a half, and this memoir walks through what was probably the toughest time in her life. I have no idea how she was able to eloquently describe the grief she experienced, let alone live for nearly 2 decades after her soulmate died, but she was. 

I’m sharing this because I want you to know what you’re walking into when you read this book, but I do really recommend it.

2022 Recent Reads: July-September

A Day of Fallen Night 

“In A Day of Fallen Night, Samantha Shannon sweeps listeners back to the universe of The Priory of the Orange Tree and into the lives of four women, showing us a course of events that shaped their world for generations to come. Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. For fifty years, she has trained to slay wyrms – but none have appeared since the Nameless One, and the younger generation is starting to question the Priory’s purpose. To the north, in the Queendom of Inys, Sabran the Ambitious has married the new King of Hróth, narrowly saving both realms from ruin. Their daughter, Glorian, trails in their shadow – exactly where she wants to be. The dragons of the East have slept for centuries. Dumai has spent her life in a Seiikinese mountain temple, trying to wake the gods from their long slumber. Now someone from her mother’s past is coming to upend her fate. When the Dreadmount erupts, bringing with it an age of terror and violence, these women must find the strength to protect humankind from a devastating threat” (x).

This is the prequel to Priory! It takes about 500 years before Priory does and is absolutely incredible. I still prefer Priory to this one, but these two are miles ahead of other books I read this year.

17 Classic Novels Worth Reading 

The Armor of Light 

“The Spinning Jenny was invented in 1770, and with that, a new era of manufacturing and industry changed lives everywhere within a generation. A world filled with unrest wrestles for control over this new world order: A mother’s husband is killed in a work accident due to negligence; a young woman fights to fund her school for impoverished children; a well-intentioned young man unexpectedly inherits a failing business; one man ruthlessly protects his wealth no matter the cost, all the while war cries are heard from France, as Napoleon sets forth a violent master plan to become emperor of the world. As institutions are challenged and toppled in unprecedented fashion, ripples of change ricochet through our characters’ lives as they are left to reckon with the future and a world they must rebuild from the ashes of war” (x).

I love the Kingsbridge series, but with this novel, we are officially out of my preferred time periods. I’m a big fan of books set pre-1700, and all the other books are set in that time. But this is the first book in the series set after 1700, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. 

There are a few reasons why I really enjoyed it, beyond the fact that it’s in a series I enjoy.

One reason is that it’s set in the time of Jane Austen, who is one of my favorite authors. 

Another is that the events of the book reminded me of books written by Anthony Trollop and Elizabeth Gaskell, which I was introduced to via my Victorian lit class in grad school, and whose work I like. 

Read my reviews of Pillars of the Earth, World Without End, A Column of Fire, and The Evening and the Morning.

2022 Recent Reads: April-June

A Court of Thorns and Roses 

“When 19-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin – one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world. As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it… or doom Tamlin – and his world – forever” (x).

I feel behind the times, but I finally started reading this series! As a lover of fantasy, fairy tales, and romance books, it definitely felt made for me. 

I’ve read the first three books in the series thus far, and in my experience, each book is better than the previous one. This is good because, while I found the first book super interesting and loved the world-building, I didn’t love parts of it, namely how much Tamlin keeps Feyre in the dark.

If you’re on the fence about this book, I suggest checking it out! 

19 Retellings of Classic Fiction You Need To Read

The background is mauve. Top text reads "What I Read in July through December 2023". Then there are 3 rows of 5 book covers. Bottom text reads "www. kate the almost great .com"

A Court of Mist and Fury 

“Feyre survived Amarantha’s clutches to return to the Spring Court – but at a steep cost. Though she now has the powers of the High Fae, her heart remains human, and it can’t forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin’s people. Nor has Feyre forgotten her bargain with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court. As Feyre navigates its dark web of politics, passion, and dazzling power, a greater evil looms – and she might be key to stopping it. But only if she can harness her harrowing gifts, heal her fractured soul, and decide how she wishes to shape her future – and the future of a world cleaved in two” (x).

This is the second book in the series! I LOVED it, so much more than the first one. Along with the fantasy and romance parts of it, this novel depicts PTSD, a controlling/emotionally abusive relationship, coming into your own, found family, and more. It’s SO GOOD!

2022 Recent Reads: January-March

Half Spent Was the Night 

“During the nights between Christmas and New Year’s, the witches of New York–Adelaide Thom, Eleanor St. Clair and the youngest, Beatrice Dunn–gather before the fire to tell ghost stories and perform traditional Yuletide divinations. (Did you know that roasting chestnuts was once used to foretell one’s fate?) As the witches roast chestnuts and melt lead to see their fate, a series of odd messengers land on their doorstep bearing invitations for a New Year’s Eve masquerade hosted by a woman they’ve never met. Gossip, dreams and portents follow, leading the witches to question the woman’s motives. Is she as benevolent as she seems or is she laying a trap? And so, as Gilded-Age New York prepares to ring in the new year, the witches don their finery and head for the ball, on the hunt for answers that might well be the end of them” (x).

I started the year with Witches of New York, and I finished it with this novella! This follow-up was perfect to read right before Christmas, since it’s set between Christmas and New Year. It closes the lingering plot elements from the first book without being too long. It was, in my opinion, the perfect length. 

Read my review of the first book here.

17 Modern Classic Novels

Persuasion 

“The story concerns Anne Elliot, a young Englishwoman of twenty-seven years, whose family moves to lower their expenses and reduce their debt by renting their home to an Admiral and his wife. The wife’s brother, Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, was engaged to Anne in 1806, but the engagement was broken when Anne was “persuaded” by her friends and family to end their relationship. Anne and Captain Wentworth, both single and unattached, meet again after a seven-year separation, setting the scene for many humorous encounters as well as a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne in her second ‘bloom’” (x).

I hadn’t read this book in at least 15 years. I was inspired to reread it because I watched the Netflix movie, starring Dakota Johnson. I liked the movie a lot more than I expected, so I decided to reread it. And I’m so glad I did! 

As an adult in her 30s, I understand Anne a lot better than I did as a teenager, and I loved the book. I understand the experience of letting someone you love and trust lead you astray; of being surrounded by happy people when you are not; of being overlooked; and more. There are fewer misunderstandings in the book than in the movie, but there are some. 

I think Persuasion might have replaced others as my favorite Austen book, and that’s definitely because I’ve been rereading them as an adult after reading all of them as a teenager. My teenage conception of the novels, their characters, and their morals, were all different than my adult understanding.

2021 Recent Reads: October-December

The Secret Commonwealth (The Book of Dust – sequel series to His Dark Materials – #2)

“The windows between the many worlds have been sealed and the momentous adventures of Lyra Silvertongue’s youth are long behind her—or so she thought. Lyra is now a twenty-year-old undergraduate at St. Sophia’s College and intrigue is swirling around her once more. Her daemon Pantalaimon is witness to a brutal murder, and the dying man entrusts them with secrets that carry echoes from their past. The more Lyra is drawn into these mysteries, the less she is sure of. Even the events of her own past come into question when she learns of Malcolm Polstead’s role in bringing her to Jordan College. Now Lyra and Malcolm will travel far beyond the confines of Oxford, across Europe and into the Levant, searching for a city haunted by daemons, and a desert said to hold the truth of Dust. The dangers they face will challenge everything they thought they knew about the world, and about themselves” (x).  

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did La Belle Savauge, as it reminded me of the original series but with Lyra as an adult. My only complaint is that Philip Pullman is NOT good at writing realistic romances. Aside from the fact that it feels weird for them to like each other, let alone fall in love with each other, Pullman writes it as “and then Malcolm realized he was in love with Lyra” with no hint of it beforehand. 

But other than that, which really made me roll my eyes, it’s a really good book and I want the last part of the trilogy to come out already!

Read my review of the first book in this series here. 

2021 Recent Reads: July-September

The Lady Sherlock Series (7 books)

I reread all of the books at the end of 2023! This was my third time reading the first six books and my second time reading the seventh. Once again, I really enjoyed it! There isn’t much more to say about it because I’ve posted about the series multiple times before, but you should know that I’ve enjoyed it every single time.

Read my reviews from the last time I read the series here. 

2021 Recent Reads: April-June

Like this post? Share it! Then check out: 

The Books I Couldn’t Finish, Most Popular Books of the 21st Century, 20+ Dystopian, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Books To Escape With, 31 Historical Fiction Novels To Take You Back in Time  

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

Share this with your family and friends:

  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr

Related

Previous Post: « 27 Tricks To Increase Blog Traffic You Need in 2024
Next Post: Everything You Need for Promoting Your Blog »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. 2024 Recent Reads: January-March - Kate the (Almost) Great says:
    April 2, 2024 at 7:00 am

    […] Read my review of the first two books in the series in this post.  […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. 2024 Recent Reads: April-June says:
    September 7, 2024 at 9:07 am

    […] Read my review from the last time I read this […]

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Kate the (Almost) Great® is a chronic illness lifestyle blog. It is a resource for chronic illness patients and their loved ones.

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Health
Lifestyle
Writing & Blogging

Pages To Start With

  • About Kate the (Almost) Great®: Meet the Health Blogger
  • As Seen On
  • Follow
  • Health Blog Resources I Actually Use + Recommend
  • Newsletter
  • Popular Posts
  • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer Policy
  • Products for the Chronically Ill: My Recommendations
  • Shop
  • Start Here
  • Tags & Topics
  • Work with Me

Search

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This blog uses affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for sign up!


Bluehost.com Web Hosting $3.95

Health Union Patient Leader Certification

Support KTAG

If you like what I do, please support me on Ko-fi.




Footer

Sign Up for FREE Instagram Challenge

Get 25 FREE Instagram prompts for chronic health creators!

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Get your FREE Instagram challenge here 

and 

For just $5 get your copy of my ebook Take Your Blog (And Income!) to the Next Level with code "greatest".

.

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

Lets Go!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Having decades-long health problems sometimes mean Having decades-long health problems sometimes means coming across something in your health history that you completely forgot about⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshot of a thread post written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is what’s above the first black square.⁣⁣⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #rheumatoidarthritis #arthritis #spoonielife #healthblogger #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicallyill #healthblog #dysautonomia #fibro #fibromyalgia #endo #chronicallyill #disability #disabled #invisibleillness #spoonielife #healthblogger
Here are some ways I practice self care, aka talki Here are some ways I practice self care, aka talking care of myself AND who I am as a person separate from illness⁣
⁣
This is my Wonderful Things jar. Every day, I write down something wonderful or good that happened that day. ⁣
⁣
I know it looks like I'm forcing Harley to sit like this, but he was making this face before I put my arm around him. Dog snuggle time is the best!⁣
⁣
I got a Kindle this year and it has been amazing. It's so much easier on my body than lugging around books and it makes borrowing from the library a lot easier.⁣
⁣
Yes, I share this all the time, but filling my pill boxes every 3 weeks make it so I stick with all of my medications. But the self-care part of this is that I don't have to take the time to refill a box every single week.⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ A glass jar on a desk with a lot of multi-color post-its inside⁣
2️⃣ Kate has her face in a golden retriever who is slumped onto her. They're in a teal room with a red rug. Kate is a brunette white woman wearing red pants and a gray sweater.⁣
3️⃣ A Kindle on dark mode in Kate's lap⁣
4️⃣ 3 open pill cases on a yellow bedspread ⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #SelfCare #ChronicallyIll #ChronicallyAwesome #SpoonieLife #Spoonie #ChronicLife #ButYouDontLookSick #InvisibleIllness #MentalHealthMatters #RetrieversOfInstagram #Readers #Kindle #WonderfulThings #GratitudePractice
What I Bring To the Doctor _______ Video: a pa What I Bring To the Doctor 

_______ 

Video: a pan of an exam room. White text reads “What I Bring To the Doctor ” and the “1. Planner/notebook
2. List of current medications 
3. Notes on my biggest concerns and questions 
4. My kindle for wait time” 
The intro to Maroon 5’s Priceless plays. 

#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #Fibromyalgia #Endometriosis
💃🏼 Week 17 of #2025Weekly 💃🏼⁣
⁣
1️⃣ She’s married!! ⁣
2️⃣ She married the best person in the world for her!!!!!⁣
3️⃣ I got dressed up! ⁣
4️⃣ The reality of doing fun things with chronic illness and pain is that then you have to recover from the fun things. It took … a while. One million percent worth it, but this is why I don’t do big events on a regular basis. ⁣
5️⃣ And then I had to be a person again for an appointment!⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ Kate stands hugging Emmie. They're both white woman. Emmie is in a wedding dress and Kate is in a red dress and wearing round tortiseshell glasses.⁣
2️⃣ Kate and Emmie stand next to Matt, Emmie's husband. He is a white man.⁣
3️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. she's in the same red dress but now also wears a jean jacket and holds a cane and mask.⁣
4️⃣ Kate takes a selfie while giving a thumbs up. She looks tired. She's now wearing a pink flowery dress. ⁣
5️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. She's wearing black shorts, a gray shirt, a jean jacket, a blue mask, and black aviator sunglasses. She has a bag over her shoulder and holds a cane.⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Autoimmune #ButYouDontLookSick #AutoimmuneDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DisabledAndCute
On the one hand, you should always believe what pe On the one hand, you should always believe what people tell you about their bodies.⁣
⁣
On the other hand, I’ve had so much ridiculous and unconnected health things happen that I do understand why people might not believe me.⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshots of a thread posts written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is what’s above the first black square.⁣⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #ChronicPain #Autoimmune #AutoimmuneDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness
Last week, I talked about how it surprised me how Last week, I talked about how it surprised me how systemic autoimmune arthritis can be. But something else that surprised me was how much pain can be caused by small things.⁣
⁣
In this picture, I was getting ready to have an MRI on my knee. It has been bothering me a fair amount the last 6+ months, so I'm trying to do something about that. ⁣
⁣
Unsurprisingly, some of the tissue is damaged, but it's not bad. What's probably causing it to bother me so much is a teeny tiny cyst. ⁣
⁣
Baker's cysts are a type of cyst in the knee that are generally caused by arthritis. But having a cyst in my knee means that it's causing pressure on that damaged tissue. ⁣
⁣
The body is a weird thing, and one of these weird things is developing tiny cysts that cause a lot of pain. ⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Kate takes a mirror selfie. She's a brunette white woman wearing a hospital gown, scrub bottoms, black mask, round tortoiseshell glasses, and round tortoiseshell glasses. ⁣
🌸 Week 16 of #2025Weekly 🌸 ⁣ ⁣ 1️⃣ S 🌸 Week 16 of #2025Weekly 🌸 ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Spring has sprung … ⁣
2️⃣ … Which means I am overheating! ⁣
3️⃣ A quick view of NYC on my travels ⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ A flowering tree on a street ⁣
2️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. She's a brunette white woman wearing a blue t-shirt saying "The Future Is Accessible," a black mask, a green hat reading "Facilities Management), black shorts, a black knee sleeve, and a black knee brace. She holds a pink cane.⁣
3️⃣ A picture of the New York City skyline behind a bridge.⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #SpoonieLife #Autoimmune #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicPain #Arthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Dysautonomia #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #POTS #InvisibleIllness
If I met my newly diagnosed self for coffee ... ⁣
⁣
I tell her how things would get worse before they got better. ⁣
⁣
I'd tell her to stop eating gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and eggs immediately (although that would have been a lot harder in 2010, more than it even is now). ⁣
⁣
I'd tell her that she still needs to keep advocating for herself. ⁣
⁣
I'd tell her that having a diagnosis unfortunately doesn't mean everything automatically falls into place. ⁣
⁣
I'd tell her that she'll develop many more illnesses but her quality of life will actually get significantly better. ⁣
⁣
I'd tell her that she would eventually have to get her right foot fixed, although she does expect that.⁣
⁣
I'd tell her that using a cane is not a sign of failure, but a tool to make life better.⁣
⁣
(I did a sort of tongue-in-cheek post about this a while ago and thought I'd post a more serious one).⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣
⁣
ID: Kate poses for the camera holding a mug with the letter M on it. Kate is a brunette white woman wearing a blue sweater and round tortoiseshell glasses. A white text box reads "If I met my newly diagnosed self for coffee ...". ⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #ChronicallyIll #Autoimmune #AutoimmuneDisease #AutoimmuneArthritis #Rheum #InvisibleIllness #Arthritis #ButYouDontLookSick #ArthritisWarrior #CureArthritis
The thing that surprised me the most about autoimm The thing that surprised me the most about autoimmune arthritis is how systemic it is. ⁣
⁣
Like with most things, it's one thing to know the fact and it's something else to experience it. ⁣
⁣
Yes, my joints are affected (a lot). ⁣
⁣
But I've had enough serious infections thats I have to see an immunologist because we need to be aware of my antibodies and I sometimes need help recovering from illnesses. ⁣
⁣
And, yes, I see pulmonology because of my asthma, but we also have to keep an eye out on developing rheumatoid nodules in my lungs. (So far so good!)⁣
⁣
Not to mention that, when I developed POTS, the hospital admitted me to run every heart test to make sure that, at 26, I wasn't experiencing heart failure. ⁣
⁣
Plus, when I developed endometriosis, I also went through a number of GI tests because one theory was that I had ulcerative colitis. ⁣
⁣
Anyway, RA is so much more than "just" joints. If it wasn't, I wouldn't have to kill my immune system every 3 months like I am in this picture.⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
ID: Kate takes a selfie in an infusion chair. She is a brunette white woman wearing a Boston Red Sox shirt, blue mask, and round tortoiseshell glasses.⁣⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Rheum #Autoimmune #AutoimmuneDisease #InvisibleIllness #ButYouDontLookSick #Sjogrens #SjogrensSyndrome #POTS #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #Dysautonomia
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 · Kate the (Almost) Great · Design by Studio Mommy

%d