• Skip to main content
  • 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

Health

Text reads: 10 ideas for self-care you need this holiday season, plus a free holiday self-care plan (end text). The holiday season is coming right up. It’s a fun time of year, but it can also be a tricky one, which is especially true if you have a chronic illness. That’s why I’ve pulled together 10 ideas for self-care that chronic illness patients need this holiday season, as well as a free downloadable holiday self-care plan workbook.
Text reads: 10 ideas for self-care you need this holiday season, plus a free holiday self-care plan (end text). The holiday season is coming right up. It’s a fun time of year, but it can also be a tricky one, which is especially true if you have a chronic illness. That’s why I’ve pulled together 10 ideas for self-care that chronic illness patients need this holiday season, as well as a free downloadable holiday self-care plan workbook.
in Health, Lifestyle · September 27, 2022

10 Ideas for Self Care You Need This Holiday Season

Read the Post »

10 Ideas for Self Care You Need This Holiday Season

Text reads: 7 arthritis myths busted, do you know the truth? (end text). There are so many arthritis myths! As a millennial with arthritis, I have heard so many of them. This month marks 21 years of living with arthritis, so I figured it was as good a time as any to bust some of these arthritis myths. 
Text reads: 7 arthritis myths busted, do you know the truth? (end text). There are so many arthritis myths! As a millennial with arthritis, I have heard so many of them. This month marks 21 years of living with arthritis, so I figured it was as good a time as any to bust some of these arthritis myths. 
in Health · September 6, 2022

7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

Read the Post »

7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

Text reads: Buy my ebook for chronic health bloggers, worth $140, but buy for $10! There is also an image of the ebook cover. The ebook is named "Take Your Blog (And Income!) To The Next Level: Resources for Chronic Health Bloggers".
Text reads: Do I have a chronic illness? What you should know if you're a new patient (end text). In the age of COVID-19, there are a lot of people who were healthy before their infection and who now have a chronic condition of some kind. Maybe it’s long-COVID, but maybe it’s damage to the heart or lungs. Maybe they now have an autoimmune disease triggered by the virus. Regardless, there are now a lot more people who are asking themselves, “Do I have a chronic illness?” 
Text reads: Do I have a chronic illness? What you should know if you're a new patient (end text). In the age of COVID-19, there are a lot of people who were healthy before their infection and who now have a chronic condition of some kind. Maybe it’s long-COVID, but maybe it’s damage to the heart or lungs. Maybe they now have an autoimmune disease triggered by the virus. Regardless, there are now a lot more people who are asking themselves, “Do I have a chronic illness?” 
in Health · July 26, 2022

Do I Have a Chronic Illness? What You Should Know If You’re a New Patient

Read the Post »

Do I Have a Chronic Illness? What You Should Know If You’re a New Patient

Text reads: What Sjögren's Syndrome Is, a beginner's guide (end text). As an arthritis advocate and someone who knows people with Sjögren’s, I knew a lot more than the average person does, but I still wondered what Sjögren’s syndrome is. We’re going to look at the definition, the symptoms, the treatments, and more, including, of course, how “Sjögren’s” is pronounced. 
Text reads: What Sjögren's Syndrome Is, a beginner's guide (end text). As an arthritis advocate and someone who knows people with Sjögren’s, I knew a lot more than the average person does, but I still wondered what Sjögren’s syndrome is. We’re going to look at the definition, the symptoms, the treatments, and more, including, of course, how “Sjögren’s” is pronounced. 
in Health · June 14, 2022

What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide

Read the Post »

What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide

Text reads: Tips to make living indepdently living with a chronic illness easier (end text). I know how difficult independently living with a chronic illness can be. Whether you’re looking to be independent or you already are and want tips, this post will help.
Text reads: Tips to make living indepdently living with a chronic illness easier (end text). I know how difficult independently living with a chronic illness can be. Whether you’re looking to be independent or you already are and want tips, this post will help.
in Health, Lifestyle · May 31, 2022

Tips To Make Independently Living with a Chronic Illness Easier

Read the Post »

Tips To Make Independently Living with a Chronic Illness Easier

Text reads: What's chronic pain? What you should know if you love someone with it (end text). You can’t know what it’s like living with chronic pain unless you have it, and understanding what it’s like living with chronic pain dramatically affects how you treat someone who lives with it. I hope this post helps you!
Text reads: What's chronic pain? What you should know if you love someone with it (end text). You can’t know what it’s like living with chronic pain unless you have it, and understanding what it’s like living with chronic pain dramatically affects how you treat someone who lives with it. I hope this post helps you!
in Health · May 17, 2022

What’s Chronic Pain? What You Should Know If You Love Someone with It

Read the Post »

What’s Chronic Pain? What You Should Know If You Love Someone with It

Text reads: What is considered a chronic illness? And other chronic illness basics (end text). When it comes to chronic illness, there's a lot to learn. Maybe you have a chronic illness, maybe someone in your life has one. I've talked a lot about specific elements to chronic illness over the years, but I thought I would go into some chronic illness basics today, such as the question, "What is considered a chronic illness?"  
Text reads: What is considered a chronic illness? And other chronic illness basics (end text). When it comes to chronic illness, there's a lot to learn. Maybe you have a chronic illness, maybe someone in your life has one. I've talked a lot about specific elements to chronic illness over the years, but I thought I would go into some chronic illness basics today, such as the question, "What is considered a chronic illness?"  
in Health · May 3, 2022

What Is Considered a Chronic Illness? And Other Chronic Illness Basics

Read the Post »

What Is Considered a Chronic Illness? And Other Chronic Illness Basics

Text reads: 9 Ways To Advocate for Disability Rights (end text). I absolutely love the disability community and am a vocal advocate for disability rights, so I thought it was a good idea to help any of you who want to be an advocate or be a better one. We’re going to talk about what the disability rights movement is, as well as 9 ways that you can advocate for disabled people and our rights.
Text reads: 9 Ways To Advocate for Disability Rights (end text). I absolutely love the disability community and am a vocal advocate for disability rights, so I thought it was a good idea to help any of you who want to be an advocate or be a better one. We’re going to talk about what the disability rights movement is, as well as 9 ways that you can advocate for disabled people and our rights.
in Health · April 5, 2022

9 Ways To Advocate for Disability Rights

Read the Post »

9 Ways To Advocate for Disability Rights

Text reads: 8 essential tips for living with POTS (end text). If you live with POTS, you know that spring tends to bring with it increased POTS symptoms. As we gear up for warmer weather, I thought I was should share some of my tips for living with POTS to help you be as prepared as possible.
Text reads: 8 essential tips for living with POTS (end text). If you live with POTS, you know that spring tends to bring with it increased POTS symptoms. As we gear up for warmer weather, I thought I was should share some of my tips for living with POTS to help you be as prepared as possible.
in Health · March 1, 2022

8 Essential Tips for Living with POTS

Read the Post »

8 Essential Tips for Living with POTS

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 30
  • Go to Next Page »

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
Some things I've done for this so far:⁣ ▪ Gett Some things I've done for this so far:⁣
▪ Getting professional haircuts on a regular basis⁣
▪ Got a Kindle and therefore reading more⁣
▪ Making bread regularly, even though I'm bad at it ⁣
▪ Doing my best to keep houseplants alive⁣
▪ Regularly looking for more recipes to try making and not relying on the ones I already have⁣
⁣
◾ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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 thread posts written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is here, with one paragraph per image:⁣
"I realized recently that, big picture, this is the best my health has been since I got sick. When I got my infection in 2018 that impacted my whole body until 2023, I wasn’t diagnosed with one of my illnesses and 3 of my diagnosed ones weren’t controlled to the level they are now.⁣
So this year my quasi-resolution is being nice to myself and focusing more on thriving than existing. Because I can, for the first time maybe ever, thinking about thriving *and* existing."⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatLife #AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #SpoonieLife #ChronicallyAwesome #InvisibleIllness #ButYouDontLookSick #LivingWithIntention #Disability #Disabled #Spoonie
Some housekeeping! 1) I am not sponsored. 2) These Some housekeeping! 1) I am not sponsored. 2) These were recommended by my foot surgeon. When you have RA affecting most joints and tarsal coalitions, good sneakers are essential. 

_______ 

Video: 3 pairs of HOKA sneakers on wood floor. Kate’s hand picks up one and tosses it out of view. White text reads “My Hoka system” and there are captions in a black box. 

#AlmostGreatLife #TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidDisease #RheumatoidArthritis
In July 2025, it will have been 15 years since my In July 2025, it will have been 15 years since my RA diagnosis. Here's how I've changed since then!⁣
⁣
(And I'm not talking about how my health has changed!)⁣
▪ I trust myself and my instincts a LOT more⁣
▪ I understand my body's limitations AND the best ways o get around them to have the life I want⁣
▪ I love using mobility aids as they make my life a lot better⁣
▪ I cook and bake a lot more⁣
▪ Work-life balance is not an option for me: it's a requirement⁣
⁣
How have you changed since your diagnosis?⁣
⁣
◾⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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 sits at a desk with her head in her hand. On her desk are notebooks and pens. She is a brunette white woman wearing an olive dress, gray stone necklace, and round tortoiseshell glasses. ⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #RheumatoidArthritis #arthritis #SpoonieLife #healthblogger #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicallyill #healthblog #chronicallyill #disability #disabled #invisibleillness #DisabledAndCute #spoonielife #RheumatoidDisease
Week 18 of #2025Weekly ⁣ ⁣ This week was prima Week 18 of #2025Weekly ⁣
⁣
This week was primarily about getting things set and wrapped up before a heavy appointment week, including my infusion, next week. ⁣
⁣
1️⃣ Meal prepping (the finished product of this salad has a lot more ingredients, including protein, but it doesn’t looks as aesthetically pleasing once they’re in there) ⁣
2️⃣ Started the week at the doctor and with a cortisone shot in my knee. He was very impressed with me and I had to point out that when you start your cortisone shots with some in your ankle area - which has a lot more stuff in it and requires being done under x-ray) your knee is truly nothing.⁣
⁣
◾⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣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 Cut up vegetables in a clear glass container⁣
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor's office. She's a brunette white woman wearing a green t-shirt, blue mask, round tortoiseshell glasses, and silver Claddagh necklace.⁣
⁣
#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Rheum #Arthritis #ArthritisAwareness #AutoimmuneDisease #Autoimmune #SpoonieLife
Drop your suggestions in the comments _______ Drop your suggestions in the comments 

_______ 

Video: the view of a sun setting over a lake as seen through the trees. Upbeat music plays. Top text reads “How To Deal with Unsolicited Advice”. Then a series of messages pop up. The are: 
“Sorry, my mom said I can’t do that”

“Didn’t you hear? The new pope said that was heresy.” (Ideal if you’re not Catholic)

“I have to wait until mercury isn’t in retrograde, and it’s always in retrograde”

“My psychic said that will kill me”

#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #ChronicIllnessHumor #ChronicPainHumor #InvisiblyIll
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
Follow on Instagram

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