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Text reads: What Immunocompromised Patients Need To Know, www. kate the almost great .com
Text reads: What Immunocompromised Patients Need To Know, www. kate the almost great .com
in Health &middot August 22, 2023

What Immunocompromised Patients Need To Know

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What Immunocompromised Patients Need To Know

People know so little about autoimmune diseases, so I thought it was time to talk about some autoimmune disease basics.
People know so little about autoimmune diseases, so I thought it was time to talk about some autoimmune disease basics.
in Health &middot July 25, 2023

What No One Tells You About Autoimmune Diseases

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What No One Tells You About Autoimmune Diseases

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 Health &middot May 30, 2023

Unusual Things I Do Because of Celiac Disease

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Unusual Things I Do Because of Celiac Disease

in Health, Lifestyle &middot May 23, 2023

The Restorative Power of Nature

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The Restorative Power of Nature

in Health, Lifestyle &middot May 16, 2023

Can a Low Histamine Diet Help Those with (Certain) Chronic Illness Conditions?

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Can a Low Histamine Diet Help Those with (Certain) Chronic Illness Conditions?

Text reads: The Autoimmune Blood Test That Empowers Patients, www. katethealmostgreat. com
Text reads: The Autoimmune Blood Test That Empowers Patients, www. katethealmostgreat. com
in Health &middot April 18, 2023

The Autoimmune Blood Test That Empowers Patients

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The Autoimmune Blood Test That Empowers Patients

Image alt text: Looking at a gray kiosk at an angle inside a building. The image on the front says “Safe Drug Disposal” in large text and the Spanish translation below in smaller text. (“Eliminación Segura de Medicamentos”). In the red text below is “Return Your Unused Prescription Medications Here”. The text below is blurry but most likely the Spanish version of that.
Image alt text: Looking at a gray kiosk at an angle inside a building. The image on the front says “Safe Drug Disposal” in large text and the Spanish translation below in smaller text. (“Eliminación Segura de Medicamentos”). In the red text below is “Return Your Unused Prescription Medications Here”. The text below is blurry but most likely the Spanish version of that.
in Health &middot March 5, 2023

Essential Prescription Tips

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Essential Prescription Tips

Text reads: Can chronic pain go away? What you should know (end text). People without chronic pain have questions that they often don’t feel comfortable asking of a patient, such as, “Can chronic pain go away?” Most of these questions - this one included - have nuanced answers! Which is why I’m answering a bunch of them in this post.
Text reads: Can chronic pain go away? What you should know (end text). People without chronic pain have questions that they often don’t feel comfortable asking of a patient, such as, “Can chronic pain go away?” Most of these questions - this one included - have nuanced answers! Which is why I’m answering a bunch of them in this post.
in Health &middot January 17, 2023

Can Chronic Pain Go Away? What You Should Know

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Can Chronic Pain Go Away? What You Should Know

Text reads: Food for TMJ Flares, the best recipes to help heal, www.katethealmostgreat.com (end text). Whether you have TMJ arthritis or problems with the muscles around your TMJs, it can be difficult to manage TMJ jaw pain. But since I have 12+ years of experience with this, and plenty of people don’t, I wanted to share my favorite food for TMJ flares. I mean, every year or so I go through a period of 1-2 months when I have a hard time chewing. That’s at least a year’s worth of time! 
Text reads: Food for TMJ Flares, the best recipes to help heal, www.katethealmostgreat.com (end text). Whether you have TMJ arthritis or problems with the muscles around your TMJs, it can be difficult to manage TMJ jaw pain. But since I have 12+ years of experience with this, and plenty of people don’t, I wanted to share my favorite food for TMJ flares. I mean, every year or so I go through a period of 1-2 months when I have a hard time chewing. That’s at least a year’s worth of time! 
in Health, Lifestyle &middot January 3, 2023

Food for TMJ Flares: The Best Recipes To Help Heal

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Food for TMJ Flares: The Best Recipes To Help Heal

Text reads: gift ideas, chronic illness must haves (end text). Patients might want these because they will make their life easier. Patients might want them because they have to spend their money on things like medications and doctor’s visits. Patients might want them because they are illness-specific products. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of reasons why chronic illness patients might want these gifts.
Text reads: gift ideas, chronic illness must haves (end text). Patients might want these because they will make their life easier. Patients might want them because they have to spend their money on things like medications and doctor’s visits. Patients might want them because they are illness-specific products. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of reasons why chronic illness patients might want these gifts.
in Health, Lifestyle &middot November 18, 2022

Gift Ideas: Chronic Illness Must-Haves

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Gift Ideas: Chronic Illness Must-Haves

Text reads: Hack for chronic disease management (end text). Living with chronic illness is damn difficult. If you’re reading this post, you probably know that. I’ve lived with it for over 20 years, and I’ve tried all sorts of different things over the years to make life easier with it. Skip a few decades of struggles by checking out my hacks for chronic disease management in this post.
Text reads: Hack for chronic disease management (end text). Living with chronic illness is damn difficult. If you’re reading this post, you probably know that. I’ve lived with it for over 20 years, and I’ve tried all sorts of different things over the years to make life easier with it. Skip a few decades of struggles by checking out my hacks for chronic disease management in this post.
in Health &middot October 25, 2022

Hacks for Chronic Disease Management That You Need

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Hacks for Chronic Disease Management That You Need

Text reads: 10 ideas for self-care you need this holiday season, plus a free holiday self-care plan (end text). The holiday season is coming right up. It’s a fun time of year, but it can also be a tricky one, which is especially true if you have a chronic illness. That’s why I’ve pulled together 10 ideas for self-care that chronic illness patients need this holiday season, as well as a free downloadable holiday self-care plan workbook.
Text reads: 10 ideas for self-care you need this holiday season, plus a free holiday self-care plan (end text). The holiday season is coming right up. It’s a fun time of year, but it can also be a tricky one, which is especially true if you have a chronic illness. That’s why I’ve pulled together 10 ideas for self-care that chronic illness patients need this holiday season, as well as a free downloadable holiday self-care plan workbook.
in Health, Lifestyle &middot September 27, 2022

10 Ideas for Self Care You Need This Holiday Season

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10 Ideas for Self Care You Need This Holiday Season

Text reads: 7 arthritis myths busted, do you know the truth? (end text). There are so many arthritis myths! As a millennial with arthritis, I have heard so many of them. This month marks 21 years of living with arthritis, so I figured it was as good a time as any to bust some of these arthritis myths. 
Text reads: 7 arthritis myths busted, do you know the truth? (end text). There are so many arthritis myths! As a millennial with arthritis, I have heard so many of them. This month marks 21 years of living with arthritis, so I figured it was as good a time as any to bust some of these arthritis myths. 
in Health &middot September 6, 2022

7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

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7 Arthritis Myths Busted: Do You Know The Truth?

Text reads: Do I have a chronic illness? What you should know if you're a new patient (end text). In the age of COVID-19, there are a lot of people who were healthy before their infection and who now have a chronic condition of some kind. Maybe it’s long-COVID, but maybe it’s damage to the heart or lungs. Maybe they now have an autoimmune disease triggered by the virus. Regardless, there are now a lot more people who are asking themselves, “Do I have a chronic illness?” 
Text reads: Do I have a chronic illness? What you should know if you're a new patient (end text). In the age of COVID-19, there are a lot of people who were healthy before their infection and who now have a chronic condition of some kind. Maybe it’s long-COVID, but maybe it’s damage to the heart or lungs. Maybe they now have an autoimmune disease triggered by the virus. Regardless, there are now a lot more people who are asking themselves, “Do I have a chronic illness?” 
in Health &middot July 26, 2022

Do I Have a Chronic Illness? What You Should Know If You’re a New Patient

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Do I Have a Chronic Illness? What You Should Know If You’re a New Patient

Text reads: What Sjögren's Syndrome Is, a beginner's guide (end text). As an arthritis advocate and someone who knows people with Sjögren’s, I knew a lot more than the average person does, but I still wondered what Sjögren’s syndrome is. We’re going to look at the definition, the symptoms, the treatments, and more, including, of course, how “Sjögren’s” is pronounced. 
Text reads: What Sjögren's Syndrome Is, a beginner's guide (end text). As an arthritis advocate and someone who knows people with Sjögren’s, I knew a lot more than the average person does, but I still wondered what Sjögren’s syndrome is. We’re going to look at the definition, the symptoms, the treatments, and more, including, of course, how “Sjögren’s” is pronounced. 
in Health &middot June 14, 2022

What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide

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What Sjögren’s Syndrome Is: A Beginner’s Guide

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Kate the (Almost) Great

Chronic health lifestyle blog

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I personally have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalg I personally have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and Sjögren's syndrome, which makes 3 forms of arthritis.⁣
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May is Arthritis Awareness Month, which is the perfect time to remind people of these facts. Here's today's fact.⁣
⁣
Like, comment, and share to spread awareness 💖 ⁣
⁣
⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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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: Fact or Fiction? Let's Check! ⁣
Fiction⁣
Arthritis means only 1 thing.⁣
Fact⁣
There are over 100 kinds of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and more!⁣
katethealmostgreat⁣
⁣
#ArthritisAwareness #RheumatoidArthritis #Fibromyalgia #SjogrensSyndrome #Arthritis
SHARING YOUR HEALTH EXPERIENCES PUBLICLY⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ I sh SHARING YOUR HEALTH EXPERIENCES PUBLICLY⁣⁣⁣
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I share my personal health experiences online, which I find it somewhat easy to do because I've been talking publicly - albeit to a smaller audience - since my health problems started in 2001. ⁣⁣⁣
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If you share something online, you need to be prepared for people to ask questions or argue with you. Should they? No. Will that stop them? Also do. ⁣
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That's one of the reasons that talking online about what can be trauma is not easy or for everyone. That's why it's important to practice self-care and to consciously think about what you want to share online before you do it. ⁣⁣⁣
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For example, I generally only talk publicly about a health situation once it has passed, especially if it's an emergency. I also make sure that I'm in a good place mentally before I talk about it. That way, I don't share things I'll regret sharing publicly later. It also helps me be less anxious about sharing these details.⁣⁣⁣
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And I don't share everything! There's lot of stuff that I haven't talked about not only online but with people in real life. It might seem like I share everything I've experienced, but I don't. ⁣
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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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⬛⁣
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IDs: Kate works on a laptop offscreen. She's a redheaded white woman wearing a beige-and-navy striped sweater, silver Claddagh necklace, and pink glasses.⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #ChronicPain #Endometriosis #SjogrensSyndrome
Week 18 of 2026 Weekly 1️⃣ Cross-stitch and IVIG Week 18 of 2026 Weekly 

1️⃣ Cross-stitch and IVIG 
2️⃣ Another trip to the foot doctor. We’re officially in Try To Avoid My 6th Foot Surgery mode 🤞🏻 
3️⃣ At least there were lilacs?

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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 down at Kate’s lap. Tubes are coming out of her shirt. She’s working on a cross stitch.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office. She’s wearing a lilac mask.
3️⃣ A lilac bush

#IVIG #CrossStitching #ChronicIllness #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness
FAQ: Have I Tried Yoga for My Pain? This is a se FAQ: Have I Tried Yoga for My Pain? 

This is a series where I answer questions I frequently get about my rheumatoid arthritis. I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice - just saying the truth about my body in particular. 

Video: Kate speaks to camera. There are captions. A black text box reads “FAQ: Have I Tried Yoga for My Pain?” 

#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimmuneArthritis #Arthritis #ArthritisAwarenessMonth
May is Arthritis Awareness Month, which is the per May is Arthritis Awareness Month, which is the perfect time to remind people of these facts. Here's today's fact.⁣
⁣
Like, comment, and share to spread awareness 💖⁣
⁣
⬛⁣
⁣
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: Fact or Fiction? Let's Check! ⁣
Fiction⁣
Arthritis only affects people as they age.⁣
Fact⁣
Arthritis can affect anyone at any age, including kids as young as 3.⁣
katethealmostgreat⁣
⁣
#ArthritisAwareness #Arthritis #RheumatoidDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #ArthritisAwarenessMonth
I’ve been on IVIG since September. So what does su I’ve been on IVIG since September. So what does success look like? ⁣
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*This is all just for me and my case!*⁣
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1️⃣ I haven't gotten sick at all since I started, not even a cold. ⁣
2️⃣ My lungs are clear of any ground glass opacities, which was what pushed us over to finally doing IVIG regularly. ⁣
3️⃣ We feel better about saying that I don't have any infections. Because symptoms are often signs of the body fighting an infection, we couldn't always trust that I wasn't sick because I didn't have symptoms. ⁣
4️⃣ Because of all of this, we're increasing my next Rituxan dose! This will mean better RA symptoms and hopefully no new illnesses for a few years.⁣
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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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⬛⁣
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ID: A bunch of IVIG supplies, including a pump. ⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #AutoimmuneDisease #Autoimmune
Week 17 of 2026 Weekly 1️⃣ Making some real progr Week 17 of 2026 Weekly

1️⃣ Making some real progress with this cross stitch
2️⃣ Walking casts have multiple uses, including holding down your mat! (Don’t worry - I only did broken-foot-compatible things) 

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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 An in-progress cross stitch. You can see that Kate stitched 2 bears.
3️⃣ A walking cast lies on a black yoga mat 

#CrossStitching #CrossStitcher #RheumatoidArthritis #Osteoporosis #LoopsAndThreads
Can we talk about fatigue for a sec? ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ Fatigue Can we talk about fatigue for a sec? ⁣⁣⁣
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Fatigue is so much more than being tired. It's sleeping 10 hours at night and then struggling to stay awake during the day. It's trouble focusing because, even though you just had 3 cups of coffee, you're thinking about sleep. It's needing to factor rest in during the day because you have plans at night. ⁣⁣⁣
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It's a lot. ⁣⁣⁣⁣
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It's no secret that I have multiple chronic illnesses. But did you know that all of them - all 11+ of them - have fatigue as a symptom? Sometimes the fatigue is worse than the pain and, uh, I live with a lot of pain.⁣⁣
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This picture was taken when I was super anemic and waiting for 4 iron infusions. Now, months later, I can see it. And I also don't know how I got through the months of that anemia. ⁣
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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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⬛⁣⁣
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ID: Kate takes a selfie. She's a redheaded white woman wearing a gray sweater and pink glasses.⁣
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#ChronicallyIll #RheumatoidArthritis #Fibromyalgia #Endometriosis #POTS
Week 16 of 2026 This week had EVERYTHING 1️⃣ Cr Week 16 of 2026 

This week had EVERYTHING

1️⃣ Cross-stitch during virtual mass 
2️⃣ Tuesday featured a 90-minute meeting during work and then an hour advocacy work call after my day job (both were good!)
3️⃣ Wednesday started at my foot doctor’s office and I left in a walking boot. Hopefully these 3 fractured bones will heal correctly this time 🤞🏻
4️⃣ Thursday started back at MGH for my annual neurology appointment + foot CT scan
5️⃣ Then I went up to Maine … 
6️⃣ to celebrate my grandma’s 85th birthday! 

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

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 In the foreground is an in-progress cross-stitch piece. The background shows an open laptop streaming Catholic mass.
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie. She’s a white woman with auburn hair and green glasses.
3️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office. 
4️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a car.
5️⃣ Kate takes a selfie snuggling with a golden retriever.
6️⃣ Kate and her cousins stand with their grandmother in front of a sign saying "Happy Birthday." 

#CrossStitch #ChronicPain #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness
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