• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic illness blog

  • Home
  • Start Here
    • About
    • As Seen On
    • Tags & Topics
    • Popular Posts
  • Blogging Resources
  • Freebie
  • Shop the Blog
    • Products for the Chronically Ill
  • Contact & Work with Me
    • Ads and Sponsoring
  • Follow
  • Holiday
    • Gift Guides
Living with chronic illness takes a toll on you, and not just physically; it is also hard on you emotionally. I’ve been in pain for nearly 20 years, and I have 6 chronic illnesses, so I know a lot about this. I want to talk a bit about mental health and chronic disease management.
in Health &middot May 25, 2021

Mental Health and Chronic Disease Management: What You Should Know

Read the Post »

in Health &middot May 25, 2021

Mental Health and Chronic Disease Management: What You Should Know

Living with chronic illness takes a toll on you, and not just physically; it is also hard on you emotionally. I’ve been in pain for nearly 20 years, and I have 6 chronic illnesses, so I know a lot about this. I want to talk a bit about mental health and chronic disease management.

Living with chronic illness takes a toll on you, and not just physically; it is also hard on you emotionally. I’ve been in pain for nearly 20 years, and I have 6 chronic ... Read the Post...

Whether you're an experienced blogger or a newbie, you need to understand your blog traffic. In this post, I'm breaking down why you should, as well as how you can grow your blog if you track blog traffic over time. Finally, I'm sharing a FREE blog traffic tracker, which you can download without signing up for anything.
in Writing & Blogging &middot May 21, 2021

5 Ways to Track Blog Traffic + a Free Traffic Tracker

Read the Post »

in Writing & Blogging &middot May 21, 2021

5 Ways to Track Blog Traffic + a Free Traffic Tracker

Whether you're an experienced blogger or a newbie, you need to understand your blog traffic. In this post, I'm breaking down why you should, as well as how you can grow your blog if you track blog traffic over time. Finally, I'm sharing a FREE blog traffic tracker, which you can download without signing up for anything.

Whether you're an experienced blogger or a newbie, you need to understand your blog traffic. The best way to do that is by tracking it over time. So in this post, I'm breaking ... 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".
Living with chronic pain can be difficult for a wide variety of reasons, but dealing with chronic pain on a day-to-day basis is really tricky. In this post, a long-time chronic pain patient shares what's in her tool box for dealing with chronic pain.
in Health &middot May 14, 2021

What’s In My Tool Box for Dealing with Chronic Pain

Read the Post »

in Health &middot May 14, 2021

What’s In My Tool Box for Dealing with Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain can be difficult for a wide variety of reasons, but dealing with chronic pain on a day-to-day basis is really tricky. In this post, a long-time chronic pain patient shares what's in her tool box for dealing with chronic pain.

There are a lot of people living with chronic pain, and learning how to manage it is difficult. It’s something that I’ve known how to do for a long time, so I thought that I ... Read the Post...

A great way to spend your time if you’re commuting or traveling is listening to audiobooks. I’m a big fan of them, so in this post I’m sharing the best audiobooks I’ve listened to (hence the title!), as well as the best free audiobooks apps.
in Lifestyle &middot May 7, 2021

The Best Audiobooks I’ve Listened To

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle &middot May 7, 2021

The Best Audiobooks I’ve Listened To

A great way to spend your time if you’re commuting or traveling is listening to audiobooks. I’m a big fan of them, so in this post I’m sharing the best audiobooks I’ve listened to (hence the title!), as well as the best free audiobooks apps.

Now that more and more people are getting vaccinated, the world is getting closer to normal. And that means returning to working outside the house, as well as going on ... Read the Post...

Blogging can be overwhelming, so this long-time blogger is sharing the blog tools I use and love. This includes free blog resources, free blog tools, and SEO blog tools.
in Writing & Blogging &middot April 30, 2021

The Blog Tools I Use and Love

Read the Post »

in Writing & Blogging &middot April 30, 2021

The Blog Tools I Use and Love

Blogging can be overwhelming, so this long-time blogger is sharing the blog tools I use and love. This includes free blog resources, free blog tools, and SEO blog tools.

There are so many blog tools out there that it can be a bit overwhelming. What should you use? What should you choose? What is worth your time, and in some cases your ... Read the Post...

dysautonomia and anxiety, dysautonomia or anxiety, how to treat dysautonomia, how do you treat dysautonomia, importance of mental health, POTS and anxiety, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and anxiety
in Health &middot April 23, 2021

The Connection Between Dysautonomia and Anxiety

Read the Post »

in Health &middot April 23, 2021

The Connection Between Dysautonomia and Anxiety

dysautonomia and anxiety, dysautonomia or anxiety, how to treat dysautonomia, how do you treat dysautonomia, importance of mental health, POTS and anxiety, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and anxiety

Dysautonomia and anxiety are connected in ways we don't often realize. Recently, I was talking to my therapist about how my POTS was flaring and also my anxiety was high. I ... Read the Post...

If you're a blogger and you want to make money, then you need a media kit. In this post, long-time blogger Kate the (Almost) Great shares how to make and use a media kit.
in Writing & Blogging &middot April 16, 2021

Your Guide to Making and Using a Media Kit as a Blogger

Read the Post »

in Writing & Blogging &middot April 16, 2021

Your Guide to Making and Using a Media Kit as a Blogger

If you're a blogger and you want to make money, then you need a media kit. In this post, long-time blogger Kate the (Almost) Great shares how to make and use a media kit.

If you're a blogger and you want to make money, you need to have a media kit. It is an essential! But even if you know that, it can be difficult to know how to go about making ... Read the Post...

in Health, Lifestyle &middot April 13, 2021

10 Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs with Chronic Illness

Read the Post »

in Health, Lifestyle &middot April 13, 2021

10 Productivity Tips for Entrepreneurs with Chronic Illness

Note from Kate: Please enjoy this guest post from Abayomi! Then check out his blog. As an entrepreneur living with a chronic illness, I sometimes find myself wanting to ... Read the Post...

Bookworm and blogger Kate the (Almost) Great shares and reviews the books she read in the first quarter of 2021.
in Lifestyle &middot April 9, 2021

2021 Recent Reads: January-March

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle &middot April 9, 2021

2021 Recent Reads: January-March

Bookworm and blogger Kate the (Almost) Great shares and reviews the books she read in the first quarter of 2021.

It's the first Recent Reads of the year! The last few years, I have shared blog posts with the books I read in the previous quarter. I love sharing what I'm reading! I'm a ... Read the Post...

What Is POTS? A POTS Frequently Asked Questions Post
in Health &middot April 2, 2021

What Is POTS? A POTS Frequently Asked Questions Post

Read the Post »

in Health &middot April 2, 2021

What Is POTS? A POTS Frequently Asked Questions Post

What Is POTS? A POTS Frequently Asked Questions Post

This time of year, my POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is really acting up, which tends to lead to talking about POTS. Basically, my POTS reacts negatively to ... Read the Post...

12 Tips for New Health Bloggers
in Writing & Blogging &middot March 30, 2021

12 Tips for New Health Bloggers

Read the Post »

in Writing & Blogging &middot March 30, 2021

12 Tips for New Health Bloggers

12 Tips for New Health Bloggers

Blogging is a great creative exercise, a great way to help other people, and a great way to make some extra money. Since I've been blogging for a long time - I started in 2013 ... Read the Post...

My Morning Routine for Success
in Lifestyle &middot March 23, 2021

My Morning Routine for Success

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle &middot March 23, 2021

My Morning Routine for Success

My Morning Routine for Success

Start your day off with a morning routine for success - whatever that looks like for you! As someone with a day job, a blog, and multiple chronic illnesses, my morning routine ... Read the Post...

So Someone Healthy Has Given You Health Advice
in Health &middot March 12, 2021

So Someone Healthy Has Given You Health Advice

Read the Post »

in Health &middot March 12, 2021

So Someone Healthy Has Given You Health Advice

So Someone Healthy Has Given You Health Advice

If you have experienced chronic illness or pain symptoms for longer than a month, then you have probably gotten unsolicited health advice, especially from healthy people. And ... Read the Post...

in Lifestyle &middot March 5, 2021

Clothes for the Chronic Pain Warrior in Your Life

Read the Post »

in Lifestyle &middot March 5, 2021

Clothes for the Chronic Pain Warrior in Your Life

Living with chronic pain is hard enough. But something I've learned over the last 20 years of living with it is that certain clothes can make your pain even worse. Whether ... Read the Post...

Getting Smart with an Editorial Calendar for Bloggers
in Writing & Blogging &middot March 2, 2021

Getting Smart with an Editorial Calendar for Bloggers + Free Editorial Calendar

Read the Post »

in Writing & Blogging &middot March 2, 2021

Getting Smart with an Editorial Calendar for Bloggers + Free Editorial Calendar

Getting Smart with an Editorial Calendar for Bloggers

Every blogger's style and process are a little different. I’ve previously explained my process for writing a blog post, so I'm not going to get into that, but I do want ... Read the Post...

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 7
  • Page 8
  • Page 9
  • Page 10
  • Page 11
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 64
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

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

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • Twitter

Categories

Health
Lifestyle
Writing & Blogging

Pages To Start With

  • About Kate the (Almost) Great®: Meet the Health Blogger
  • As Seen On
  • Contact & Work with Me
  • Follow
  • Health Blog Resources I Actually Use + Recommend
  • Newsletter
  • Popular Posts
  • Privacy Policy & Disclaimer Policy
  • Products for the Chronically Ill: My Recommendations
  • Shop
  • Start Here
  • Tags & Topics

Search

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This blog uses affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Kate the (Almost) Great!

Sign Up for the Newsletter

Please wait...

Thank you for sign up!

Most Popular Posts

  • What Every POTS Syndrome Patient Needs for the Summer
  • What Is the Difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?
  • What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Beginner’s Guide: Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Up
  • What Does Arthritis Pain Actually Feel Like?
  • The Lifestyle Changes I Made for My Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis: What I’ve Learned
  • The Products I Loved (And Wanted) in Grad School
  • 9 Arthritis Products That Help My Rheumatoid Arthritis


Bluehost.com Web Hosting $3.95

Health Union Patient Leader Certification

Support KTAG

If you like what I do, please support me on Ko-fi.




Footer

Sign Up for FREE Instagram Challenge

Get 25 FREE Instagram prompts for chronic health creators!

You can unsubscribe anytime. For more details, review our Privacy Policy.

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Get your FREE Instagram challenge here 

and 

For just $5 get your copy of my ebook Take Your Blog (And Income!) to the Next Level with code "greatest".

.

Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

Lets Go!
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Reminder: you can be proud of your disability comm Reminder: you can be proud of your disability community while wishing your body cooperated more⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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: 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.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
#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!⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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: Kate at 19 at Fenway Park for a Red Sox game. ⁣
⁣
#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?⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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".⁣
⁣
#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.⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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: The background image is a lake at sunset. Text reads what's above the first square and also "katethealmostgreat".⁣
⁣
#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. ⁣
⁣
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. ⁣
⁣
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.⁣
⁣
(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.)⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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: Kate takes a selfie in a doctor's office. ⁣
⁣
#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? ⁣
⁣
For context, I have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, POTS, heart disease, osteoporosis, and more. ⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣
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⁣
⁣
#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
Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2026 · Kate the (Almost) Great · Design by Studio Mommy