The Seated View

It’s a beautiful day, sunny and warm with a fresh breeze. I know where I want to be and leave the house within an hour of getting up. I’m headed for the islands . I get to the ferry terminal well in time for the 11 o’clock ferry. This is a good thing, because a bed of tulips catch me, stun me with their beauty. They are aglow with the light of the still-low sun, each single one looking like a cup of sunshine. (click to embiggen) Once on the ferry, I go to the opposite end, the part that faces our destination and wait just inside the gate, impatient to get to my little bit of paradise. One of the first off the ferry, I head towards Olympic Island to sit in the spot that shows you all of Toronto. It’s too early in the year for others to have discovered this place again and I almost have this entire small Island to myself. I look out over the grassy park, spotted by large aged trees. This is bliss. And the view is phenomenal, showing the city in all its glory. I live in a...

Being recognized is always nice. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get an extra spring in their step when they’re told they’re doing good stuff. It certainly makes me happy every time I get a comment on email from someone saying they appreciate my writing and my advocacy. I keep every single one of them. There, I said it. It might make me hopelessly dorky, but if someone bothers to tell me something nice, I treasure it. Sometimes, the appreciation gets a little more official. I’ve been selected as the recipient of the PM360 2015 ELITE Award in the Patient Advocate category ! The PM360 ELITE is in its first year and “recognizes the most influential people in the healthcare industry—true catalysts who are creating extraordinary results. They are the industry’s most powerful minds and are the ones responsible for designing the future of healthcare.” Wow. I’m blown away and completely thrilled. Thank you to PM360 for this honour. The last 12 months have ...

Being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an overwhelming thing. How are you supposed to remember asking the right questions at the right time?  Over the past few months, I’ve been part of a team of Canadian arthritis bloggers who were, with the support of Janssen Inc., asked to collaborate on ways to support people who are newly diagnosed with RA. We were invited to share questions that, looking back, they wish they had asked their doctors at diagnosis. I didn’t remember much about my diagnosis, what with being nine years old at the time, but I thought about what I would ask now or what I’ve heard others wish they’d asked. The idea is that these questions can be a resource in helping you have a productive conversation with your doctor. Hopefully, the questions can help you get the information you need to make an informed decision about your health. 1. What caused my rheumatoid arthritis ?  2. How might my rheumatoid arthritis progress, and ...