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Top Drugstore Makeup
in Lifestyle &middot October 25, 2017

Top Drugstore Makeup

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in Lifestyle &middot October 25, 2017

Top Drugstore Makeup

Top Drugstore Makeup

As you probably know (if you've been reading this blog for at least a month), I love makeup. However, I don't like makeup prices some times. Like many people, I started ... Read the Post...

Endometriosis: The Disease Women Aren't Talking About
in Health &middot October 23, 2017

Endometriosis: The Disease Women Aren’t Talking About

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in Health &middot October 23, 2017

Endometriosis: The Disease Women Aren’t Talking About

Endometriosis: The Disease Women Aren't Talking About

One of the joys of having an inflammatory autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis is that it can create other diseases. For me, the first "created" one was fibromyalgia, ... 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".
in Writing & Blogging &middot October 17, 2017

How To Build a World Like a Pro

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in Writing & Blogging &middot October 17, 2017

How To Build a World Like a Pro

When you write a fantasy or sci-fi novel, you generally need to build a world to go with it. I'm doing this right now for Novel 3, and there's a lot that goes into it. This ... Read the Post...

in Health &middot October 12, 2017

What You Need To Know about Arthritis

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in Health &middot October 12, 2017

What You Need To Know about Arthritis

Today is World Arthritis Day, so I want to take today to explain what you need to know about arthritis. If you've been around here for a while or follow me on social media, ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot October 10, 2017

36 Delicious Halloween Treats

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in Lifestyle &middot October 10, 2017

36 Delicious Halloween Treats

It's hard to believe, but Halloween is 3 weeks away! I've compiled a list of the best Halloween treats for you, so if you're throwing a party, have kids, or just like to have ... Read the Post...

Disability Facts: What Abled People Need To Know about Disability
in Health &middot October 6, 2017

What Abled People Need To Know about Disability

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in Health &middot October 6, 2017

What Abled People Need To Know about Disability

Disability Facts: What Abled People Need To Know about Disability

I like to think that the big reason why so many people say rude things about disability and disabled people is that they just don't know much about it. In that vein, today I ... Read the Post...

7 Healthy Meals I Love
in Lifestyle &middot October 4, 2017

7 Healthy Meals I Love + Free Printable for Cooking for Someone with Food Allergies

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in Lifestyle &middot October 4, 2017

7 Healthy Meals I Love + Free Printable for Cooking for Someone with Food Allergies

7 Healthy Meals I Love

A few months ago, I asked on my Facebook page what types of posts you would like to see, and someone asked for my favorite recipes. This is especially different from "regular" ... Read the Post...

in Writing & Blogging &middot October 2, 2017

September Blog Traffic Report

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in Writing & Blogging &middot October 2, 2017

September Blog Traffic Report

Happy October! As we get into the last quarter of 2017(!!), I'm looking at what I have left to accomplish in the year and how I can end the year on a high note. September was ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot September 29, 2017

Currently [Vol. 13]

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in Lifestyle &middot September 29, 2017

Currently [Vol. 13]

Another month come and gone. Time to look at what I've been up to! This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great! I'm currently ... Read the Post...

Best Books on Writing
in Writing & Blogging &middot September 27, 2017

Best Books on Writing

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in Writing & Blogging &middot September 27, 2017

Best Books on Writing

Best Books on Writing

A piece of advice you've probably heard (from me and others) is that if you want to be a better writer, you should read lots. I think it's helpful to read books in general and ... Read the Post...

in Health &middot September 25, 2017

Simple Acts of Self-Care

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in Health &middot September 25, 2017

Simple Acts of Self-Care

While it’s good to make the most of a day by doing activities that bring you closer to achieving your financial goals and activities that help establish good relationships ... Read the Post...

in Writing & Blogging &middot September 22, 2017

8 Ways to Lower Your Bounce Rate

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in Writing & Blogging &middot September 22, 2017

8 Ways to Lower Your Bounce Rate

There are a lot of components that go into your blog analytics. Page views, users, sessions, and bounce rate are all a part of it. But unlike the others, you want your bounce ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot September 19, 2017

2017 Recent Reads: July-September

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in Lifestyle &middot September 19, 2017

2017 Recent Reads: July-September

It's hard to believe it, but we're almost 3/4 of the way through 2017! Like I have so far this year, I'm wrapping up the books I've read over the last 3 months. Yes, September ... Read the Post...

in Health &middot September 15, 2017

The Deadly Consequences of Incorrect Healthcare Reform

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in Health &middot September 15, 2017

The Deadly Consequences of Incorrect Healthcare Reform

As you most likely know, the debates around healthcare laws and possible replacements for the current plan is near and dear to my heart. Through my own health situation, I ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot September 13, 2017

Best Places To Go in Boston

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in Lifestyle &middot September 13, 2017

Best Places To Go in Boston

From following me here and on my Instagram, you guys know that I live in Boston and that I love this city. I also grew up coming to the city at least once or twice a year, and ... Read the Post...

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Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

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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. ⁣
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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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⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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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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. ⁣
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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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