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Are you tired of feeling like your voice isn't heard in the rheumatic disease community? Do you want to connect with others who understand what you're going through and offer guidance on navigating life with a rheumatic condition? Our platform is the perfect place for you to share your experiences and insights. Whether you want to discuss your relationship with arthritis or delve into niche topics that are often overlooked, we welcome your contributions. So don't hesitate - submit a blog today and join our supportive community. Need some inspiration? Check out our blog page for a wealth of stories, perspectives, and resources.
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Living without a Diagnosis for 7 years
My name is Daniela. I’m 18 years old, and I was officially diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) at 13, but I have been living with symptoms since I was five. When I was younger, I developed painful, inflamed rashes on my legs that made it hard to walk or even stand for more than a minute at a time. I went through years of medical appointments, bloodwork, biopsies, and specialist visits, but no one could give me a clear answer. My test results often pointed towar
Daniela Crissey
Apr 152 min read
Dealing With The Invisibility of a Chronic Illness
Being diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis for coming up on 2 years soon, I’ve faced many struggles. And while many of them have been caused physically by my illness, some of the hardest struggles I've faced have come due to misconceptions and predispositions against chronic illness. I was diagnosed with Lupus close to the end of grade 10. I started showing symptoms in March and would quickly worsen after that. I was unable to go to school and was quickly cut off from all my norma
Winston Pennington
Mar 193 min read
The Road to Diagnosis: Sometimes Winding, Often Unending
When it comes to your health, it wouldn’t come as much of a shock if you’ve been down this kind of road before; the kind with random stops and sometimes-unexpected traffic, the kind where you might find yourself all of a sudden pushing ninety clicks to a destination you won’t stay at for very long. For me and my journey, it was no exception! For me, it took repeated returns to specialists I had already seen. Specialists who were trained for a particular issue, whether I had i
Naomi Wirsta
Feb 194 min read
Having To Change With The (Rheumatic) Times
I got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2023. Before getting sick, I was always busy. But once my symptoms started to appear, I simply could not keep up with such a packed schedule. Keeping up with college was impossible and I had to take a semester off, my social life had to be reduced to almost a non-existing one and I was not able to do house chores either. My abilities had suddenly changed, and I did not know how to manage this new body. I could not control when or h
Isabel López
Jan 214 min read
Rheumatic Disease & Medical Trauma
As I sat waiting for my most recent medical tests, my anxiety amped up. I was required to fast and wasn’t even allowed to drink water in preparation. And of course, I needed to get an IV. When I was younger, I wasn’t bothered by needles, bloodwork, or IVs. But as my medical care for Vasculitis and Crohn’s has required more interventions over the years, my veins have also become more scarred. Previously, this has meant multiple “attempts” since my veins are tricky to get on a
Stacey Ivits
Nov 19, 20254 min read
Accessing Accommodations in Post-Secondary: What I Wish I Knew
Finishing high school and starting university or college is an exciting time. You get to choose classes, find your community, and learn to navigate adulthood. However, if you have a chronic illness or a disability, it can also feel overwhelming. In high school, parents and teachers often coordinated support. Now, that responsibility quickly shifts to you. The good news? Support systems exist, but you need to know how to access them. What are Accommodations? Accommodations are
Dr. Stephanie Garner
Oct 23, 20253 min read
To Get Loud or Not to Get Loud? That's the Question.
Life has a way of testing us in ways we never imagined. For me, that test came in the form of a chronic, invisible illness called...
Michael Santillo
Sep 19, 20253 min read
The Eternal Uncertainty of Being Chronically Ill
Being chronically ill has many challenges. There's the obvious part of it, where you feel exhausted and drained, living in a body that...
Isabel López Carrasco
Sep 3, 20254 min read
Dating in Your Teens vs. Your 20s
When I was a teenager, I thought love was supposed to feel like a full-blown Taylor Swift music video, all-consuming, heart-racing, “I’d...
Jenna Kedy
Aug 20, 20252 min read
Pain, Fatigue, and the Dentist’s Chair: When Doing ‘Better’ Isn’t That Simple
“Your gums are inflamed—are you brushing and flossing twice a day?” It’s a common question, often asked with good intentions. But for...
Dr. Natalia Trehan
Jul 24, 20253 min read
From Patient to Future Practitioner: How a Scholarship is Fueling My Dream to Help Others
Receiving the Take a Pain Check STEM Without Limits Scholarship has reminded me of just how far I’ve come, not just as a student or...
McKinley Penninga
Jul 9, 20253 min read
Acute Trauma Injuries with JIA
This morning, I realized something I've never contemplated before—probably because I've never had a reason to. I'm not an athlete, so the...
Pamela Jarvis
Jun 25, 20252 min read
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