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Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic illness blog

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Health

Text reads: Can chronic pain go away? What you should know (end text). People without chronic pain have questions that they often don’t feel comfortable asking of a patient, such as, “Can chronic pain go away?” Most of these questions - this one included - have nuanced answers! Which is why I’m answering a bunch of them in this post.
Text reads: Can chronic pain go away? What you should know (end text). People without chronic pain have questions that they often don’t feel comfortable asking of a patient, such as, “Can chronic pain go away?” Most of these questions - this one included - have nuanced answers! Which is why I’m answering a bunch of them in this post.
in Health &middot January 17, 2023

Can Chronic Pain Go Away? What You Should Know

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Can Chronic Pain Go Away? What You Should Know

Text reads: Food for TMJ Flares, the best recipes to help heal, www.katethealmostgreat.com (end text). Whether you have TMJ arthritis or problems with the muscles around your TMJs, it can be difficult to manage TMJ jaw pain. But since I have 12+ years of experience with this, and plenty of people don’t, I wanted to share my favorite food for TMJ flares. I mean, every year or so I go through a period of 1-2 months when I have a hard time chewing. That’s at least a year’s worth of time! 
Text reads: Food for TMJ Flares, the best recipes to help heal, www.katethealmostgreat.com (end text). Whether you have TMJ arthritis or problems with the muscles around your TMJs, it can be difficult to manage TMJ jaw pain. But since I have 12+ years of experience with this, and plenty of people don’t, I wanted to share my favorite food for TMJ flares. I mean, every year or so I go through a period of 1-2 months when I have a hard time chewing. That’s at least a year’s worth of time! 
in Health, Lifestyle &middot January 3, 2023

Food for TMJ Flares: The Best Recipes To Help Heal

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Food for TMJ Flares: The Best Recipes To Help Heal

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: gift ideas, chronic illness must haves (end text). Patients might want these because they will make their life easier. Patients might want them because they have to spend their money on things like medications and doctor’s visits. Patients might want them because they are illness-specific products. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of reasons why chronic illness patients might want these gifts.
Text reads: gift ideas, chronic illness must haves (end text). Patients might want these because they will make their life easier. Patients might want them because they have to spend their money on things like medications and doctor’s visits. Patients might want them because they are illness-specific products. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of reasons why chronic illness patients might want these gifts.
in Health, Lifestyle &middot November 18, 2022

Gift Ideas: Chronic Illness Must-Haves

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Gift Ideas: Chronic Illness Must-Haves

Text reads: Hack for chronic disease management (end text). Living with chronic illness is damn difficult. If you’re reading this post, you probably know that. I’ve lived with it for over 20 years, and I’ve tried all sorts of different things over the years to make life easier with it. Skip a few decades of struggles by checking out my hacks for chronic disease management in this post.
Text reads: Hack for chronic disease management (end text). Living with chronic illness is damn difficult. If you’re reading this post, you probably know that. I’ve lived with it for over 20 years, and I’ve tried all sorts of different things over the years to make life easier with it. Skip a few decades of struggles by checking out my hacks for chronic disease management in this post.
in Health &middot October 25, 2022

Hacks for Chronic Disease Management That You Need

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Hacks for Chronic Disease Management That You Need

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 &middot September 27, 2022

10 Ideas for Self Care You Need This Holiday Season

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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 &middot September 6, 2022

7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

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7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

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 &middot July 26, 2022

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

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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 &middot June 14, 2022

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

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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 &middot May 31, 2022

Tips To Make Independently Living with a Chronic Illness Easier

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Tips To Make Independently Living with a Chronic Illness Easier

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Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

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There's beauty everywhere, not just in the Maine w There's beauty everywhere, not just in the Maine woods. (Shocking to me, I know.) ⁣⁣⁣
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There's beauty in little things, medium things. There's beauty in ordinary things. ⁣⁣⁣
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In the first cup of coffee of the day with the sun shining into the kitchen. ⁣⁣⁣
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In a completed checklist.⁣
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In a freshly cleaned house. ⁣⁣⁣
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In discovering a new-to-you genre of television that you LOVE. ⁣⁣
In quiet moments with people you care about. ⁣⁣⁣
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There's beauty everywhere. ⁣⁣⁣
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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: A beautiful lake and a mossy bank. ⁣
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#MaineLife #207 #MaineLiving #IGNewEngland #Vacationland
Weeks 15 of 2026 Weekly Just trying to get throug Weeks 15 of 2026 Weekly

Just trying to get through!

1️⃣ IVIG time
2️⃣ I got a hair cut last week and then I looked nice at one point!

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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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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. There’s a pump with tubes attached that go under Kate’s shirt.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She’s a white woman with auburn hair wearing a navy dress with flowers, a silver Celtic knot necklace, and green glasses. 

#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #Fibromyalgia #IVIG
FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery? Background FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery? 

Background: I have tarsal coalition and rheumatoid arthritis and had subtalar fusion in my left foot in 2009 and in my right in 2018. While this was started because of the tarsal coalitions, it is a surgery that can help rheumatoid arthritis, too. 

Video: Kate talks to the camera. There are captions. A black text box at the binning reads “FAQ: What Is Subtalar Fusion Surgery?”. 

#TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidArthritis #SubtalarFusion #AutoimmuneDisease
There will be times when you do everything you can There will be times when you do everything you can to feel better and it won't work. That's not a failing on your part.⁣⁣
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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 Bluesky post. The background is dark teal, and it's written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat.bsky.social. ⁣The text reads what's above the first black box.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #Endometriosis #Fibromyalgia #SjogrensSyndrome
Weeks 13 and 14 of 2026 Weekly Had some rough pai Weeks 13 and 14 of 2026 Weekly

Had some rough pain days in here so I didn’t do a lot and I combined the weeks in 1 post!

1️⃣ Hematology appointment 
2️⃣ PCP, after which an x-ray showed stress fractures in 3 bones 
3️⃣ Tea and cross-stitching

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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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1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. There’s a medical bracelet on her wrist and a Kindle on her lap.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office. She’s a white woman with auburn hair wearing a black t-shirt, silver Celtic knot necklace, apricot mask, and green glasses.
3️⃣ Looking at a table on which is an orchid, an in-progress cross-stitch project, and a mug of tea.

#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #CrossStitcher #DisabledAndCute
Background: I have tarsal coalitions and rheumatoi Background: I have tarsal coalitions and rheumatoid arthritis in both of my feet, and I’ve had resection surgery and subtalar fusion surgeries. I am not a medical professional and am sharing my experience! 

Video: Kate talks to the camera. There are captions. Text reads at the beginning “FAQ: What Was the Recovery from Tarsal Coalition Surgeries Like?”. 

#TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidArthritis #ChronicPain
We've all made this mistake once (or twice or a hu We've all made this mistake once (or twice or a hundred times ...) ⁣
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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 smiles at the camera. A white text box reads "No two chronic illness patients are the same, but we've all given ourselves flares by overdoing it on a good day". ⁣
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#InvisibleIllness #ChronicallyIll #ChronicPain #SpoonieLife #ChronicIllness
SELF-IMAGE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ It can be rea SELF-IMAGE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS⁣⁣⁣
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It can be really easy to feel like chronic illness has taken over everything about you and that all you are is a patient. ⁣⁣⁣
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You might be different than you were before you developed symptoms, but that doesn't mean that everything about you is different, even if everything about your life is different. ⁣⁣⁣
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There is no one aspect of our lives that defines all that we are. That's true for LITERALLY EVERYONE! No one is just one thing. We're all many, many things. ⁣⁣⁣
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For example: yes, I'm a chronic illness patient, and yes, I talk about it a lot online. But I'm also someone who is passionate about education, who played 1-3 instruments for 12 years, who is obsessed with her home state, who reads a ridiculous amount of historical fiction, and who has been writing in some capacity for decades. ⁣⁣⁣
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Even if all you know about me is that I'm a chronic illness patient, that doesn't mean that all I am is a chronic illness patient. ⁣⁣⁣
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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 hear with a blue sweater, green scarf, and pink glasses.⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #Fibromyalgia #Sjogrens #Endometriosis #POTS
PREPARING FOR SUMMER WITH POTS⁣ ⁣ Summer is right PREPARING FOR SUMMER WITH POTS⁣
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Summer is right around the corner. Here are somethings I'm doing now to make it easier. ⁣
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1️⃣ Finding my many fans and making sure they're charged⁣
2️⃣ Increasing my sodium intake ⁣
3️⃣ Making sure I have plenty of @cure, my preferred electrolyte supplement⁣
4️⃣ Getting back into the habit of using Tachymon, the app I use on my watch as pictured here. I have it set to notify me not only when my heart rate gets high, but also when it has changed by a fair amount. Here, it shows my heart rate is 150 and the change from my recent average (104) is 45.6. With POTS, the problem isn't only an increase, but a quick increase. ⁣
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What are you doing to prepare for summer with POTS? ⁣
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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: An Apple watch showing a heart rate of 150, recent average of 104, and change from that average of 45.6. A white text box reads "Preparing for Summer with POTS". ⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #PosturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #Dysautonomia #POTS #SpoonieLife
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