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Lifestyle

Text reads: 17 Classic Novels Worth Reading (end text). It’s no secret to the people in my life that I like classic novels. I’ve been reading classics since I was 10, and in grad school I focused on literature from before 1600. I still read classics in my spare time! All of that is to say that I’ve read a lot of classics, so I feel somewhat able to give a recommendation of the classic novels worth reading. 
Text reads: 17 Classic Novels Worth Reading (end text). It’s no secret to the people in my life that I like classic novels. I’ve been reading classics since I was 10, and in grad school I focused on literature from before 1600. I still read classics in my spare time! All of that is to say that I’ve read a lot of classics, so I feel somewhat able to give a recommendation of the classic novels worth reading. 
in Lifestyle &middot March 8, 2022

17 Classic Novels Worth Reading

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17 Classic Novels Worth Reading

Text reads: 14 amazing simple healthy dinner recipes (end text). In advance of moving, I compiled a list of simple healthy recipes for dinner that I made previously and liked. I figured I would share them in case you’re looking for recipes that are delicious, healthy, and easy to make if you're like me and you have chronic illnesses, especially arthritis in your hands. 
Text reads: 14 amazing simple healthy dinner recipes (end text). In advance of moving, I compiled a list of simple healthy recipes for dinner that I made previously and liked. I figured I would share them in case you’re looking for recipes that are delicious, healthy, and easy to make if you're like me and you have chronic illnesses, especially arthritis in your hands. 
in Health, Lifestyle &middot February 8, 2022

14 Amazing Simple Healthy Recipes for Dinner

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14 Amazing Simple Healthy Recipes for Dinner

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: 2021 Recent Reads, October - December (end text). Check out what one bookworm read in the last quarter of 2021 and get some great book recommendations.
Text reads: 2021 Recent Reads, October - December (end text). Check out what one bookworm read in the last quarter of 2021 and get some great book recommendations.
in Lifestyle &middot January 18, 2022

2021 Recent Reads: October-December

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2021 Recent Reads: October-December

Unfortunately, shopping online isn’t really an option right now if you want your gifts to arrive by Christmas. If you are having trouble figuring out what to buy people, or you can’t go shopping in person, you should try making some gifts! Luckily for you, this post contains thirty-six (36!) holiday gifts to make. 
Unfortunately, shopping online isn’t really an option right now if you want your gifts to arrive by Christmas. If you are having trouble figuring out what to buy people, or you can’t go shopping in person, you should try making some gifts! Luckily for you, this post contains thirty-six (36!) holiday gifts to make. 
in Lifestyle &middot December 17, 2021

Holiday Gift Ideas: Holiday Gifts To Make

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Holiday Gift Ideas: Holiday Gifts To Make

Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, chronic illness patients (end text). This post has the best gifts for someone with chronic pain or a chronic illness. I’m serious! Read on to see these 58 chronic illness gifts.
Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, chronic illness patients (end text). This post has the best gifts for someone with chronic pain or a chronic illness. I’m serious! Read on to see these 58 chronic illness gifts.
in Health, Lifestyle &middot December 3, 2021

Holiday Gift Ideas: Best Gifts for Someone with Chronic Pain & Illness

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Holiday Gift Ideas: Best Gifts for Someone with Chronic Pain & Illness

Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, gift ideas for dad (end text). If you’re struggling with shopping for your dad, I’ve pulled together this list of holiday gifts for dad.
Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, gift ideas for dad (end text). If you’re struggling with shopping for your dad, I’ve pulled together this list of holiday gifts for dad.
in Lifestyle &middot November 19, 2021

Holiday Gift Ideas: Holiday Gifts for Dad

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Holiday Gift Ideas: Holiday Gifts for Dad

Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, personalized holiday gifts (end text). Check out these personalized holiday gift ideas, perfect for basically everyone on your list.
Text reads: Holiday gift ideas, personalized holiday gifts (end text). Check out these personalized holiday gift ideas, perfect for basically everyone on your list.
in Lifestyle &middot November 12, 2021

Holiday Gift Ideas: Personalized Holiday Gifts

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Holiday Gift Ideas: Personalized Holiday Gifts

Text reads [start]: 2021 Recent Reads, July to September [end text] Bookworm and blogger Kate the (Almost) Great reviews the books she read in Q3 of 2021.
Text reads [start]: 2021 Recent Reads, July to September [end text] Bookworm and blogger Kate the (Almost) Great reviews the books she read in Q3 of 2021.
in Lifestyle &middot November 9, 2021

2021 Recent Reads: July-September

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2021 Recent Reads: July-September

Text reads: Easy holiday decorating ideas for when you have a chronic illness (end text) With Halloween a few days a day, it’s time to think about decorating for the holidays! It can be especially difficult to decorate when you have a chronic illness. To make that a little bit easier, I’m sharing decorating tips and holiday decorating ideas for a variety of holidays that are coming up. 
Text reads: Easy holiday decorating ideas for when you have a chronic illness (end text) With Halloween a few days a day, it’s time to think about decorating for the holidays! It can be especially difficult to decorate when you have a chronic illness. To make that a little bit easier, I’m sharing decorating tips and holiday decorating ideas for a variety of holidays that are coming up. 
in Lifestyle &middot October 26, 2021

Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas for When You Have a Chronic Illness

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Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas for When You Have a Chronic Illness

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Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

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July is: ⁣ - Disability Pride Month ⁣ - Juvenile A July is: ⁣
- Disability Pride Month ⁣
- Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month ⁣
- the anniversary of when I was diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis at age 19 after 9 years of symptoms ⁣
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As you can imagine, that makes me very aware of my disability via juvenile arthritis⁣
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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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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#DisabilityPride #JuvenileArthritis #RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimmuneDisease
There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt someone's chronic illness, but this is one of them. ⁣
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I'm always amazed by how people can have the exact same illness or set of illnesses and still have different experiences. Sure, there will be similarities, but which symptoms are the worst, what medications you respond to, and your quality of life can vary significantly. ⁣
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It doesn't mean that one person is necessarily worse off than another; they're just different.⁣
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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. A white text box reads "Chronic Illness Looks Different in Each Person"⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #Endometriosis #Fibromyalgia #POTS
This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a sewing project, and my foot in a cast⁣
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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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: Harley the golden retriever has his head on Kate's lap. Also on her lap is an in-progress needlepoint project and Kate's leg (in a walking cast) is elevated.⁣
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#Osteoporosis #RheumatoidArthritis #GoldenRetrievers #Needlepoint #Needlework
Week 28 of 2026 Weekly A very busy week! 1️⃣ Foo Week 28 of 2026 Weekly

A very busy week!

1️⃣ Foot checkup! Walking boot is on occasionally from now until September 
2️⃣ Boston 
3️⃣ IVIG
4️⃣ Dentist 🦷 All good! 
5️⃣ Not a filter - this was the Boston area the second half of the week 
6️⃣ Physical time!

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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 selfie in a doctor’s office
2️⃣ Looking at TD Garden, the bear statue for the Bruins, and Zakim Bridge in the background 
3️⃣ Looking at tubes coming out from under Kate’s clothes. There’s a Kindle on her stomach
4️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie before leaving
5️⃣ Medford Square looking like there’s a yellow filter over it
6️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office

#ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #Bostonian #IVIG
Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of people who care about me and this is the fastest way to tell everyone. 

Video: Kate talks to the camera while putting on makeup. There are captions. 

#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimnuneDisease #ChronicIllness #Arthritis #ChronicPain
Week 27 of 2026 Weekly (Delayed because last Sund Week 27 of 2026 Weekly

(Delayed because last Sunday was baaaaad)

1️⃣ Due airport difficulties, we got a few more days with Emma. Harley was THRILLED!
2️⃣ Beautiful bird/squirrel visitors
3️⃣ A beautiful Maine summer day

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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⁣⁣.

⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣

1️⃣ Harley the golden retriever putting his front legs up on Emma’s legs to demand hugs.
2️⃣ A bird feeder and hummingbird feeder on a deck. There is a hummingbird at one and squirrel at the other.
3️⃣ A barn, a pond, and the Maine woods

#207 #MaineLife #MaineTheWay #NewEnglandSummer #IGMaine
Reminder: you can be proud of your disability comm Reminder: you can be proud of your disability community while wishing your body cooperated more⁣
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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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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#DisabilityPride #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #Disabled #Disability
I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, bu I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, but this is from right around then in July 2010. ⁣
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When I was diagnosed, I had been having symptoms for 9 years. ⁣
- 9 years of foot pain (partially from tarsal coalition)⁣
- Arthritic damage in said food⁣
- Carpal tunnel off and on for several years⁣
- And more⁣
⁣
I was finally diagnosed because I woke up one morning and was unable to open my jaw more than 8 mm. It turned out that I had horrible arthritic damage to my TMJs, which got me off the waiting list at MGH rheumatology. I left that appointment with an autoimmune arthritis diagnosis. ⁣
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The fact that July is not only my diagnosis anniversary but also Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month has always seemed right. I may not have been diagnosed with JA, but given the amount of arthritis I had along with my many years of symptoms, it's generally accepted that I had it. ⁣
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This year marks 16 years since diagnosis and this fall marks 25 years since my symptoms started. It's pretty weird that so much time has already passed!⁣
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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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 at 19 at Fenway Park for a Red Sox game. ⁣
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#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimmuneDisease #Arthritis #JuvenileArthritis #JRA
Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is di Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis! What are some that you would add?⁣
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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: "So someone you know was diagnosed with Autoimmune Arthritis". Under the Do column (indicated with a green checkmark) is:⁣
"As how they feel about it⁣
Offer specific ways to help⁣
Treat them normally⁣
Ask follow-up questions⁣
Wear a mask around them when sick."⁣
Under the don't don't column (indicated with an x in a red circle) is:⁣
"Say “At least it’s not xyz!”⁣
Say that and not follow through⁣
Assume nothing about their lives has changed⁣
Conflate autoimmune arthritis with osteoarthritis⁣
Pass your cold to an immunosuppressed person".⁣
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#AutoimmuneDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #PsoriaticArthritis #AnkylosingSpondylitis #JuvenileArthritis
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