Click below to read a review of "How Many Marbles Do YOU Have? Helping Children Understand The Limitations of Those With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia" by Melinda Malott.
Children's Book Review: How Many Marbles Do YOU Have?
Mamas Facing Forward
In some strange ways, I think RA helped prepare me for motherhood. Being diagnosed with RA taught me the importance of realistically allocating my time and energy – giving myself credit for what I can accomplish and letting go of guilt for unfinished tasks.Mariah Leach
RheumatoidArthritis.net interviewed me about living with rheumatoid arthritis for over a decade and my experiences with motherhood.
The uncertainty that comes with diagnosis of a lifelong chronic illness can make it feel really difficult to plan in advance. But living with a chronic illness shouldn’t mean giving up on life goals that are really important to you...As an example of how to approach big life goals while living with a chronic illness, I’m going to use what seemed like a pretty outrageous goal that I set for myself in 2016: riding in the Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic.Mariah Leach
In this article I share some of the strategies I used in completing my goal of riding my bike 525 miles in the Arthritis Foundation's California Coast Classic - and how you can apply these same strategies to achieving big life goals while living with chronic illness.
3 Tips for Achieving Big Life Goals While Living with Chronic Illness
Mamas Facing Forward
Today we're featuring our review of "Aunt Barby's Invisible, Endless Owie" by Barby Ingle & Tim Ingle - and we're giving away a copy of the book over on Instagram!
Children's Book Review: Aunt Barby's Invisible, Endless Owie
Mamas Facing Forward
In honor of Black History Month, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the disparities that Black mothers are still facing today when it comes to maternal healthcare.
At school, my kids primarily learn about Black History Month in terms of events that have happened in the past – so when we talk about these issues at home, I always try to create a link and make them aware of the disparities that continue to exist today. It reminds me that I, too, have a lot to learn about these inequalities – and what we might be able to do to address them. I hope you will use the resources I’ve provided below and take some time this month to learn more about Black maternal health.
Mamas Facing Forward
In their open-ended answers, many participants spoke about not
wanting to feel isolated or alone, and shared how they wanted to be
connected to real people going through similar experiences. We linked
this desire for emotional support with the idea of community. While only
10 women chose emotional support as their primary motivation for
joining the group, more than three quarters of the women included at
least one answer that we thought discussed community. Mariah Leach
The Role of the Mamas Facing Forward Facebook Group in the Chronic Illness Community
Mamas Facing Forward
During the survey, we asked what participants would like healthcare
providers, researchers, or policymakers to know about the experiences
and needs of mothers with chronic illness. We’re still working with this
data to see what we can learn from it, but interestingly at least three
quarters of the women answered this question by expressing frustration
that their needs were not being met. Mariah Leach
This article is based on a presentation I gave at the virtual American College of Rheumatology Annual meeting on November 8, 2020. It shares the results of a survey conducted in the Mamas Facing Forward Facebook group.
Survey Shows Moms With Chronic Illness Need More Support From Their Doctors
Mamas Facing Forward
ACR Convergence Today
Valentine's Day tends to provoke expectations about romance - where everything is supposed to be perfect. But, here in reality, life is hardly ever perfect. If you are lucky enough to have a partner who supports you, I hope you will let them know how much they mean to you - no matter what day of the year it is!
Today I share the reasons I love my husband as supports me through living with a chronic illness.
On Valentine's Day and Every Day
Mamas Facing Forward
The 5 Love Languages is a book written by Gary Chapman in 1995, and the concepts it introduces can be a useful tool when communicating with your partner.
The 5 Love Languages – A Tool For Improving Communication in Relationships
Mamas Facing Forward
