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Kate the (Almost) Great

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Ideas for holiday gifts: customized gifts, www. kate the almost great .com
in Lifestyle &middot November 15, 2024

Ideas for Holiday Gifts: Customized Gifts

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in Lifestyle &middot November 15, 2024

Ideas for Holiday Gifts: Customized Gifts

Ideas for holiday gifts: customized gifts, www. kate the almost great .com

This is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links. I do not share any product or company that I dislike; all opinions are mine. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) ... Read the Post...

Text reads: COVID recovery diaries of an immunosuppressed patient, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot November 5, 2024

COVID Recovery Diaries of an Immunosuppressed Patient

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in Health &middot November 5, 2024

COVID Recovery Diaries of an Immunosuppressed Patient

Text reads: COVID recovery diaries of an immunosuppressed patient, www. kate the almost great .com

When I published my post about my experience with an active case of COVID, I had no idea that it would take an additional 6 weeks to fully recover from my infection. Or that ... Read the Post...

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: Tips for successful blog posts, plus blog post prompts you need, www. kate the almost great .com
in Writing & Blogging &middot October 29, 2024

Tips for Successful Blog Posts + Blog Post Prompts You Need

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in Writing & Blogging &middot October 29, 2024

Tips for Successful Blog Posts + Blog Post Prompts You Need

Text reads: Tips for successful blog posts, plus blog post prompts you need, www. kate the almost great .com

I’ve been blogging for a long time, so I’m super familiar with writing successful blog posts. It depends on the niche, and what makes them successful has changed over the ... Read the Post...

Rheumatoid arthritis guide A-Z, Part Three, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot October 1, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part Three

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in Health &middot October 1, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part Three

Rheumatoid arthritis guide A-Z, Part Three, www. kate the almost great .com

Welcome back to part three of my rheumatoid arthritis guide! In this post, we’re talking about remission, lots of different rheumatoid arthritis medications, seronegative ... Read the Post...

Rheumatoid arthritis guide A-Z, part two, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot September 24, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part Two

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in Health &middot September 24, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part Two

Rheumatoid arthritis guide A-Z, part two, www. kate the almost great .com

Welcome back to part two of my rheumatoid arthritis guide! In this post, we’re talking about juvenile arthritis, the Mediterranean diet, methotrexate, osteoarthritis, and so ... Read the Post...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part One, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot September 17, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part One

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in Health &middot September 17, 2024

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part One

Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide A-Z: Part One, www. kate the almost great .com

I have been working on this rheumatoid arthritis guide for months! And it’s finally here! I’ve tried to accumulate as many explanations for rheumatoid arthritis patients as ... Read the Post...

2024 Recent Reads: April-June, www. kate the almost great .com
in Lifestyle &middot September 3, 2024

2024 Recent Reads: April-June

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in Lifestyle &middot September 3, 2024

2024 Recent Reads: April-June

2024 Recent Reads: April-June, www. kate the almost great .com

It took me nearly 2 months, but I did it! I finally got this post up! In Quarter 2 of 2024, I read 8 books, basically all fantasy or historical fiction. So if you like those ... Read the Post...

COVID Diaries of an immunosuppressed patient, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot August 20, 2024

COVID Diaries of an Immunosuppressed Patient

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in Health &middot August 20, 2024

COVID Diaries of an Immunosuppressed Patient

COVID Diaries of an immunosuppressed patient, www. kate the almost great .com

Welcome to the journal of my experience with COVID in the summer of 2024. I’ve decided to publish this so that I can explain my experience as someone on 5 immunosuppressants ... Read the Post...

Living with tarsal coalition: my experience with symptoms, surgery, & more, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot July 9, 2024

Living with Tarsal Coalition: My Experience with Symptoms, Surgery, and More

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in Health &middot July 9, 2024

Living with Tarsal Coalition: My Experience with Symptoms, Surgery, and More

Living with tarsal coalition: my experience with symptoms, surgery, & more, www. kate the almost great .com

At least twice a month, I get messages from patients who either are about to have subtalar fusion surgery or who are living with tarsal coalition and trying to figure out how ... Read the Post...

Text reads: Research Tips for Health Bloggers, www. kate the almost great .com.
in Writing & Blogging &middot May 28, 2024

Research Tips for Health Bloggers

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in Writing & Blogging &middot May 28, 2024

Research Tips for Health Bloggers

Text reads: Research Tips for Health Bloggers, www. kate the almost great .com.

Your reputation is the most valuable thing that bloggers have. That’s why I’m sharing my research tips for health bloggers for those looking to improve their skills. While ... Read the Post...

What is endometriosis like? An FAQ, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot April 30, 2024

What Is Endometriosis Like? An FAQ

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in Health &middot April 30, 2024

What Is Endometriosis Like? An FAQ

What is endometriosis like? An FAQ, www. kate the almost great .com

People questioning if they have endometriosis regularly ask me, “What is endometriosis like?” Like with many chronic illnesses, it’s hard to answer that. But since I haven’t ... Read the Post...

11 things you need for a good health blog, www. kate the almost great .com
in Writing & Blogging &middot April 16, 2024

11 Things You Need for a Good Health Blog

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in Writing & Blogging &middot April 16, 2024

11 Things You Need for a Good Health Blog

11 things you need for a good health blog, www. kate the almost great .com

Whether you’re building a blog from scratch or you just want to make your current one a good health blog, there are some essential things you need. Which is why I’ve pulled ... Read the Post...

Text reads: 2024 recent reads, January - March, www. kate the almost great .com
in Lifestyle &middot April 2, 2024

2024 Recent Reads: January-March

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in Lifestyle &middot April 2, 2024

2024 Recent Reads: January-March

Text reads: 2024 recent reads, January - March, www. kate the almost great .com

Well, no one can say that I’m not making good headway on my reading goals in 2024! I’ve read a lot - and continue to do so. As always, there are a certain amount of spoilers, ... Read the Post...

120 resources for living a better life with chronic illness, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot March 5, 2024

120 Resources for Living a Better Life with Chronic Illness

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in Health &middot March 5, 2024

120 Resources for Living a Better Life with Chronic Illness

120 resources for living a better life with chronic illness, www. kate the almost great .com

Check out these 120 resources that will help those living with chronic illness through helping patients and helping patients' loved ones. I’ve meant to do this for a while, ... Read the Post...

Text reads: be a pro at blogging, best practices you need, www. kate the almost great .com
in Writing & Blogging &middot February 27, 2024

Be a Pro at Blogging: Best Practices You Need

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in Writing & Blogging &middot February 27, 2024

Be a Pro at Blogging: Best Practices You Need

Text reads: be a pro at blogging, best practices you need, www. kate the almost great .com

I know and use some of the blogging best practices. Want proof? KTAG had over 10 million hits in 2023 and it has made a profit in the last 7 years. Oh, and I work 36 hours a ... Read the Post...

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

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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. ⁣
⁣
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. ⁣
⁣
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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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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
Weekj 26 of 2026 Weekly Scenes of a summer week Weekj 26 of 2026 Weekly 

Scenes of a summer week in Maine! So glad I work from home, which means I can work from my real home (Maine, if that wasn’t clear)

1️⃣ Lots of Harley time
2️⃣ Working from home means saving my PTO for fun things!
3️⃣ Lots of duck families (📸 my dad)
4️⃣ What a lot of my days look like - Harley and my current project (needlepoint). And, yes, I’m still in a cast.
5️⃣ Learned how to play Mahjong, which my parents love
6️⃣ Lake views on the 4th

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣

⬛⁣⁣⁣

IDs:
1️⃣ Harley the golden retriever on a deck as seen through some plants
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie
3️⃣ A duck with little ducklings following on a lake
4️⃣ Harley coming up to Kate. Her legs are out on an ottoman, 1 foot in a walking cast, and an in-progress needlepoint project
5️⃣ Looking down at a Mahjong table with the game set up
6️⃣ A kayak on the shore of a lake 

#MaineTheWay #MaineSummer #Needlepoint #MaineLife
Living with chronic pain is really hard. You’re wi Living with chronic pain is really hard. You’re winning every day you’re still here.⁣
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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: The background image is a lake at sunset. Text reads what's above the first square and also "katethealmostgreat".⁣
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#ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RheumatoidArthritis #Fibromyalgia #Endometriosis
I've been spending a fair amount of time at my foo I've been spending a fair amount of time at my foot surgeon's office this year, and boy has it been messing with my head. ⁣
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I spent a lot of time from 2001-2010 dealing with my left foot. Long story short, it took until this foot surgeon saw me in 2010 after fixing this foot for me to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. But I spent those 9 years going from doctor to doctor, having surgery after surgery, trying to figure out what was causing my pain and to fix it. ⁣
⁣
Was it the tarsal coalition? Did I have another chronic health issue? Etc. ⁣
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I spent from age 10 to 19 unsure what exactly was wrong with me and in huge amounts of pain. We thought we figured it out, and then something else happened. ⁣
⁣
We know exactly what is wrong with this foot this time around: in 2024, I got 3 stress fractures, and no one put me in a boot. They almost fully healed before breaking in 2025, and then the same thing happened in 2026. ⁣
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This is a different part of the foot than I used to deal with, but any problems with my feet and especially my left foot messes with me. While this doctor eventually fixed the problems and even got me diagnosed with RA, every time I go back to his office, I have to fight not to become 17 again. ⁣
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PTSD is a bitch.⁣
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(PS - if you want to know why I'm going back to this guy when it messes with me, it's because I don't trust anyone else to fix my foot.)⁣
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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 takes a selfie in a doctor's office. ⁣
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#PTSDAwareness #ChronicallyIll #TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidArthritis #Osteoporosis
Week 25 of #2026Weekly Happy to be in Maine for Week 25 of #2026Weekly 

Happy to be in Maine for a few weeks! I didn’t get up to a lot, so another week of very few pictures

1️⃣ IVIG 
2️⃣ Lots of beautiful birds have been coming to my mom’s bird feeder!

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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⁣⁣.⁣⁣⁣⁣

⬛⁣⁣⁣

IDs: 
1️⃣ Looking at Kate’s lap. Tubes are coming out from under her shirt and there’s a Kindle
2️⃣ Birds arriving at a bird feeder as seen through a window

#ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #ChronicPain #IVIG
What do you have to do every day for your chronic What do you have to do every day for your chronic illnesses? ⁣
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For context, I have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, POTS, heart disease, osteoporosis, and 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: ⁣
Things I Do Every Day for My Chronic Illnesses⁣
Take pills at least 4 times a day⁣
Don’t eat gluten, dairy, corn, soy, or eggs⁣
Sleep 7+ hours a night⁣
Consume 80-100 grams of protein, 120 mg of calcium, 5-10 grams of sodium⁣
Wear a mask whenever I leave the house⁣
Do pilates 4+ days a week⁣
Work from home⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #RheumatoidArthritis #Fibromyalgia
Filmed this back in April (hence the sweater) but Filmed this back in April (hence the sweater) but it applies to whenever I have appointments! 

Video: Kate talks to the camera while holding a purse. She holds up individual items mentioned in the video before putting them in the bag. There are captions. 

#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #Osteoporosis #ChronicPain
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