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in Lifestyle &middot December 1, 2017

Gift Guide: Books & Bookish Gifts

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in Lifestyle &middot December 1, 2017

Gift Guide: Books & Bookish Gifts

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite gift guides to create every year, and one of the only ones that I regularly make. I have suggested books for various categories or ... Read the Post...

While you might not realize it, the questions you ask people with chronic illnesses might be offensive. Here is an explanation of why those questions are a problem and alternative questions to ask instead.
in Health &middot November 29, 2017

Questions Not To Ask Someone with a Chronic Illness

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in Health &middot November 29, 2017

Questions Not To Ask Someone with a Chronic Illness

While you might not realize it, the questions you ask people with chronic illnesses might be offensive. Here is an explanation of why those questions are a problem and alternative questions to ask instead.

One of the great things about the holidays is we are around our friends and families more often. But one of the downsides of that can be some of the conversations that we ... 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".
Currently [Vol. 15]
in Lifestyle &middot November 27, 2017

Currently [Vol. 15]

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in Lifestyle &middot November 27, 2017

Currently [Vol. 15]

Currently [Vol. 15]

Anyone else feeling like they're flying by the seat of their pants? End of the semester. Holiday season. Etc. Etc. I'm just trying to do the best that I can, and that all that ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot November 24, 2017

Gift Guide: Cyber Monday

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in Lifestyle &middot November 24, 2017

Gift Guide: Cyber Monday

It's Black Friday! I've never been one to do that - the one time I did, I wound up getting a mani-pedi away from the hustle and bustle - but Cyber Monday? Sign me up. In ... Read the Post...

Why Social Media Matters for Bloggers (And How To Grow Yours)
in Writing & Blogging &middot November 22, 2017

Why Social Media Matters for Bloggers (And How To Grow Yours!)

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in Writing & Blogging &middot November 22, 2017

Why Social Media Matters for Bloggers (And How To Grow Yours!)

Why Social Media Matters for Bloggers (And How To Grow Yours)

The strange thing about blogging is it isn't just about writing posts; running social media accounts are equally important. While you could be a blogger without social media ... Read the Post...

Chronic Illness Hacks for the Holidays
in Health &middot November 20, 2017

Chronic Illness Hacks for the Holidays

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in Health &middot November 20, 2017

Chronic Illness Hacks for the Holidays

Chronic Illness Hacks for the Holidays

Now that we're in the week of Thanksgiving, we are fully in the holiday season. This is my favorite time of year because of everything going on, but also there are a lot of ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot November 17, 2017

Gift Guide: Unique Personalized Gifts

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in Lifestyle &middot November 17, 2017

Gift Guide: Unique Personalized Gifts

It's that time of year again - gift guide season! Every Friday through December 15, I will have a new gift guide for you. These are to help you shop and get gift ideas for ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle, Writing & Blogging &middot November 14, 2017

Different Ways To Use Your English Major

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in Lifestyle, Writing & Blogging &middot November 14, 2017

Different Ways To Use Your English Major

If you're an English major, you've probably gotten one question more times than you can count: "So what are you going to do with your major?" Many people think that the only ... Read the Post...

6 Beauty Treatments You Shouldn't Overlook This Year
in Lifestyle &middot November 10, 2017

6 Beauty Treatments You Shouldn’t Overlook This year

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in Lifestyle &middot November 10, 2017

6 Beauty Treatments You Shouldn’t Overlook This year

6 Beauty Treatments You Shouldn't Overlook This Year

Thanks to Amy for this guest post! I'm still out from my infusion but I'll be back next week.  Even though people always say that age is nothing but a number, they often ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot November 8, 2017

5 Ways To Stay Motivated When You Feel Drained

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in Lifestyle &middot November 8, 2017

5 Ways To Stay Motivated When You Feel Drained

Many thanks to DeAndrea for this guest post! I'm having my infusion today and will probably be offline until next week. We all have a lot of different commitments going on ... Read the Post...

in Health &middot November 6, 2017

Tools for Pain Management that Aren’t Medications

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in Health &middot November 6, 2017

Tools for Pain Management that Aren’t Medications

One of the things a lot of people don't realize about chronic pain is that we don't just take medication for it. If you're new to chronic pain and are looking for tools to ... Read the Post...

October Blog Traffic Report
in Writing & Blogging &middot November 3, 2017

October Blog Traffic Report

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in Writing & Blogging &middot November 3, 2017

October Blog Traffic Report

October Blog Traffic Report

Well, we've passed Halloween and are barreling towards Thanksgiving. I don't hate it! This is my favorite time of year, except for the stress of school that comes with it. But ... Read the Post...

Positive Health Changes from Paying Off Debt
in Health &middot November 1, 2017

Positive Health Changes from Paying Off Debt

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in Health &middot November 1, 2017

Positive Health Changes from Paying Off Debt

Positive Health Changes from Paying Off Debt

By Patty Moore, a blogger who writes about career, family, and personal finances. Follow her on Twitter @WorkMomLife! Americans must have short memories. Not even a decade ... Read the Post...

Currently [Vol. 14]
in Lifestyle &middot October 30, 2017

Currently [Vol. 14]

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in Lifestyle &middot October 30, 2017

Currently [Vol. 14]

Currently [Vol. 14]

Anyone else feel like October has been all over the place? I've had so much going on between school and my health, and I'm both thrilled and terrified that October is almost ... Read the Post...

How To Use Twitter as a Blogger + Free List of Things To Post
in Writing & Blogging &middot October 27, 2017

How To Use Twitter as a Blogger + Free List of Things To Post

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in Writing & Blogging &middot October 27, 2017

How To Use Twitter as a Blogger + Free List of Things To Post

How To Use Twitter as a Blogger + Free List of Things To Post

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love Twitter. Words are my thing (hello, blog readers) and Twitter is all about words. But I hear a lot of bloggers say that they ... 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. ⁣
⁣
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⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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. ⁣
⁣
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. ⁣
⁣
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⁣⁣.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⬛⁣⁣
⁣
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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