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in Lifestyle, Uncategorized &middot April 20, 2015

FAQ + Giveaway

Here are the questions I am asked the most frequently in one handy dandy post. Hope this helps you get to know and understand me better!

FAQ - Kate the (Almost) Great

Q. What’s wrong with you, anyway? Why do you talk a lot about pain?
A. Rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. The RA caused me to dislocate my knee regularly, and each one would cause an arthritis flare, so I had surgery in February 2015 to fix it. My left ankle is also fused and I’ve had multiple surgeries on it.

Q. Where do you live?
A. Boston, Massachusetts, USA. And right in the city, too.

Q. How long have you lived there?
A. Since August 2014. I was born and raised in Maine and went to college in Tennessee.

Q. What do you do?
A. I’m a writer and blogger. I have 1 novel out right now and am working on 3 other books (I’m crazy, I know). A few days a week, I do administrative work for a company in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Q. What’s your book about?
A. Aureole is a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. It’s about a girl in her early twenties who was taken in by a rich family when she was 11. She was never really accepted by them, and when her whole world is turned around 11 years later, she has to decide if she will fight for what she believes in or start over. Learn more about it here.

Q. Do you really make a full income that you can live off doing that?
A. No, although hopefully I will eventually. I live at home with my parents thanks to the health stuff and to save money, especially because I need money for grad school.


Q. Where are you going to grad school and what for?
A. Boston College to get my masters in English literature

Q. What do you do for fun?
A. Read, write, watch crime shows, putz around on the Internet.

Q. You seem really quiet.
A. I’m not at all, and it amuses me when people assume that.

Q. So you’re an extrovert?
A. Not really. I’m more of an ambivert – I don’t fit neatly into extrovert or introvert tendencies.

Q. What religion are you?
A. Catholic

Q. Are you dating someone?
A. Yes, no, maybe so. If I’m in a serious relationship, I’ll talk about it here and on social media. I will say that I was in a relationship when I started this blog, so if you’re reading an early post and are confused, that’s why.

Q. It seems like you’re always online.
A. I am online an awful lot. That goes back to the whole disabled-from-a-chronic-illness thing. Also, I schedule social media posts throughout the day.

Q. What makes you qualified to teach grammar lessons on your blog?
A. I studied to be a teacher and taught ninth grade English, but stopped because the disabled-from-a-chronic-illness thing happened.

Q. Where did you study?
A. Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee

Q. Did you love it at Vandy/in Nashville?
A. I really did! I could not have lived their for the rest of my life, though. I’m too much of a New Englander and couldn’t handle Nashville summers. I’ll take 110″ of snow in the winter over it being 90 degrees regularly in the summer! But Nashville is such a cool city and has a really fun vibe.

Q. Are you serious?!
A. At any given moment? Probably not. I’m way too sarcastic for my own good.

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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.

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Comments

  1. Kati Rose @ Constantly Seeking Wonder says

    April 20, 2015 at 5:50 am

    Even though I've been reading your blog for a while and had learned most of these things this was still a bit more detailed and linear! It's always good to get a clearer look at a blogger. What would you say your favorite crime show you watch is?

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  2. grrrallie says

    April 20, 2015 at 11:24 am

    can i just tell you how utterly jealous i am! i'm originally from boston but stuck in about the most anti-boston place you can get and i miss it so much. also boston college <3

    xo, allie
    wellhellosugar.com

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Kate the (Almost) Great

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Me: I had this test on a Friday so I won’t hear un Me: I had this test on a Friday so I won’t hear until Monday at the earliest⁣
Also me: Well maybe this time will be different. I should check the portal every couple of hours just in case.⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: Screenshot of a thread post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by katethealmostgreat. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #HeartDisease #AutoimmuneDisease #ChronicallyIll
This is the face of coronary artery disease⁣ ⁣ Yup This is the face of coronary artery disease⁣
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Yup, I have heart disease. ⁣
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I've mentioned this in bits and pieces over the last year, but in 2025, I was diagnosed with coronary artery disease.To be clear, I have basically the lowest amount of artery calcification possible to still have heart disease, but I still have it. ⁣
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Coronary artery disease is a complication of rheumatoid arthritis, as cholesterol can be increased by inflammation. As I hung around the border of coronary artery disease, I got COVID. ⁣
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COVID is also an inflammatory condition, which is why research shows that COVID can increase risk of heart disease. ⁣
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We're keeping an eye on it now, and increasing my cholesterol medication has helped keep my cholesterol down. Which is good because I already eat a pretty heart-healthy diet and exercise is tricky for me. ⁣
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If you have an inflammatory condition like RA or Crohn's, you should know that that inflammation can contribute towards cholesterol levels and therefore heart disease, especially if you've had COVID (and every time you get it increases your risks). ⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: Kate takes a selfie. She's a white woman with auburn hair wearing a white sweater, silver Claddagh necklace, and pink glasses.⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #CoronaryArteryDisease #HeartDisease #ChronicallyIll #AutoimmuneDisease
I have a rheumatology appointment soon! Here are t I have a rheumatology appointment soon! Here are the things I’m thinking about ahead of time. 

#RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #Fibromyalgia #AutoimmuneDisease 

Video: Kate’s hand writes in a notebook. She voices over what she’s writing and there are captions.
New month, new calendar, new goals! One of which i New month, new calendar, new goals! One of which is to post more Reels 🤞🏻 

Video: an empty whiteboard calendar and the it is full. Music plays. 

#NewMonthNewGoals #ContentCreator #Blogger #HealthBlogger
💐 Week 8 of 2026 Weekly 💐 1️⃣ When you’ve got to 💐 Week 8 of 2026 Weekly 💐

1️⃣ When you’ve got to do IVIG but also empty the dishwasher (aka chronic illness in a nutsehll)
2️⃣ In progress 
3️⃣ New glasses!

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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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IDs:
1️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. She has a small black bag over her shoulder connected to tubes that go under her shirt. She’s a white woman with auburn hair wearing pink glasses, a Geaghan’s Pub & Brewery sweatshirt, and sweatpants. 
2️⃣ An in-progress embroidery project of flowers. 
3️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She’s wearing a blue and white striped rugby shirt with white writing that reads "University of Maine" and green glasses. 

#IVIG #ChronicallyIll #SjogrensSyndrome #Sjogrens #PunchNeedle
“Why don’t you take having 10+ chronic illnesses m “Why don’t you take having 10+ chronic illnesses more seriously”Because I have a ridiculous number of illnesses. Anything over 7 feels made up. Like, obviously it’s not, but I’m up to 10. That’s a ridiculous number.⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: Screenshot of a thread post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by katethealmostgreat. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #HeartDisease #AutoimmuneDisease
What do you do during infusions?⁣ ⁣ With Rituxan, What do you do during infusions?⁣
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With Rituxan, iron, and IVIG, I spend a lot of time in the infusion chair. That's a lot of time to kill!⁣
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Here is how I spend that time: ⁣
▪ Read on my Kindle⁣
▪ Play games on my phone⁣
▪ Listen to audiobooks⁣
▪ Work - hey, I need all my PTO possible with my health issues. Sometimes I need to work during my iron infusions!⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: In a hospital. Kate’s legs are under a white blanket and her hand (with an IV in the wrist) is next to her Kindle⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #ChronicAnemia #IVIG #AutoimmuneDisease #Autoimmune
View from this weekend as I worked on my next blog View from this weekend as I worked on my next blog post! I’ve posted 3 so far in 2026, including a fibromyalgia FAQ, so go to the blog to read them. Click the link in my bio or go to katethealmostgreat.com 

#HealthBlogger #Fibromyalgia #FibromyalgiaAwareness #ChronicIllnessBlog
👓 Week 7 of 2026 Weekly 👓 1️⃣ IVIG 2️⃣ Annual ey 👓 Week 7 of 2026 Weekly 👓

1️⃣ IVIG 
2️⃣ Annual eye doc appointment! New glasses coming soon, but eye health (especially Sjögren’s) looked good
3️⃣ Needing lots of blood work means more kindle time while waiting 
4️⃣ Getting ready to start my next punch needle project 👀

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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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IDs: 
1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. There are clear tubes coming out from under her shirt going to a pump next to Kate. Her laptop is open and a closed Kindle is on the bed.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She’s a redheaded white woman wearing a green scarf, beige mask, and pink glasses.
3️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. Her Kindle is on her coat on her lap. Her pink cane is in front of her legs. 
4️⃣ The start of an embroidery project, with a printed (but not started) frame, box with the finished project shown, and 2 open packets with instructions. 

#ChronicallyIll #DisabledAndCute #PunchNeedle #DMC #SjogrensSyndrome
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