Growing with an illness and great support!

#gettoknowme I am not seeking a pity party, but I want to remind everyone to be grateful for the people who helped you along the way-the parent who was there, the sibling who helped you get dressed, the teacher who understood your pain and reassured you that it was okay not to complete the assignment, and the healthcare workers-the nurses and doctors-who greeted you with a smile even as they gave you the shot.

I am grateful for the overwhelming support from friends, family, and support groups.

I am strong. I am invincible. I am a phenomenal woman. #lifelivingwithRA #arthritisandme

2025/12/22 Edited to

... Read moreLiving with a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be an emotionally and physically challenging journey. However, many who face this condition find that having a strong support network is crucial for managing daily struggles and maintaining a positive outlook. From parents who assist with daily tasks to teachers who offer understanding during flare-ups, these relationships make a significant difference in the quality of life for those affected. Support groups play a vital role as well by connecting individuals who share similar experiences. They provide a safe space to exchange coping strategies, medical advice, and emotional encouragement. These communities remind us that we are not alone in our battles, fostering resilience and hope. Healthcare professionals, including nurses and doctors, contribute immensely not only through medical care but also by offering compassion and reassurance during difficult treatments. Their kindness often helps ease the anxiety associated with managing chronic pain and ongoing therapies. Moreover, cultivating a mindset of gratitude and self-empowerment transforms the way individuals perceive their illness. Recognizing one's strength, acknowledging every small victory, and celebrating personal identity beyond the disease helps build invincibility from within. Affirmations such as “I am strong,” “I am invincible,” and “I am a phenomenal person” resonate deeply, inspiring continued perseverance. If you or someone you love is living with RA or a similar chronic condition, remember that leaning on your network of loved ones and healthcare providers can be your greatest asset. Embrace support, cherish those who care, and maintain hope. Together, these elements form the foundation for thriving despite the challenges of chronic illness.

Related posts

🌻 The Prayer I Pray During Flares | Faith for Chronic Illness Warriors
Some prayers are long. Some prayers are powerful. And some prayers are simply: "Lord, help me get through today." When pain is loud, fatigue is heavy, and my body is doing things I don't understand, I come back to the same truth: 🤎 God is still with me. 🤎 God still sees
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

10 likes

🌻 Things I Keep In My Medicine Basket During Flares | Chronic Illness Flare Day
🌻 Things I Keep In My Medicine Basket During Flares When a flare hits, I've learned not to wait until I'm already struggling to gather what I need. I keep a medicine basket nearby filled with the little things that help me get through hard days: 🤎 Heating pad 🤎 Compression gloves
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

85 likes

🌻 5 Affirmations For When You're Stuck In Bed | Chronic Illness, Flare Days
🌻 5 Affirmations For When You're Stuck In Bed | Chronic Illness, Flare Days & Self-Compassion Some days chronic illness asks more of us than we have to give. The to-do list waits. The dishes wait. The laundry waits. And sometimes the bravest thing we do all day is rest. If you
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

13 likes

Chronic Illness Changed How I Buy Clothes
I don't shop for trends anymore. Shopping looks different when you're living with chronic illness. Every clothing choice is about reducing pain, saving energy, and making life just a little easier. Comfort isn't giving up—it's adapting. I shop for **comfort, function, and e
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

85 likes

🌿 Naturally Support Your Immune System When Sick🌿
Hey Friends, This immune-boosting syrup is a staple in my family’s wellness toolkit! 💪 Taking it at the first sign of symptoms helped us recover 3-4 days faster – and I’m sharing the recipe so it can work its wonders for YOU too! 💚 The herbs I use and WHY: Elderberries - Antiviral/Immu
Herbswithjen

Herbswithjen

112 likes

Women and Mental Illness (Books)
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about mental health, especially for us women 🧠✨ It's like...society expects us to be superheroes, juggling a million things while always looking perfect and put-together. No wonder so many of us are burning out! 🔥 Honestly, I used to feel so alone
Meredith Jao

Meredith Jao

70 likes

Growing and becoming the best! ✨
Hello friends! 🍋 Becoming the best version of yourself is an exciting journey. It’s not about huge changes but the little steps that make a big difference. You might feel its difficult sometimes, but celebrating the small signs of progress can help. At the end you will find yourself
Thamires Cottone | REALTOR

Thamires Cottone | REALTOR

34 likes

The Real Reason Your Nails Started Growing Faster
When people say “my nails are growing so much after using this oil,” what’s really happening is circulation doing its job again. Oil doesn’t make blood flow. It keeps the skin and tissue around your nails soft and flexible, which helps circulation stay open and efficient. Oil can’t penetrate dee
andrea.m | Nails•Nourish•Glow

andrea.m | Nails•Nourish•Glow

343 likes

Healing from chronic illness
I pray you don’t experience what I walked through in my health journey. But I also am so thankful I walked through it. All the suffering, the nausea, the protein shakes to get some calories, the depression, the eczema, the tears and deep dark thoughts the $40k I spent trying to heal…that I c
Lauren_Clayton

Lauren_Clayton

58 likes

🏆 Kitchen Tools That Save My Hands on Bad Days | Chronic Illness Kitchen Essen.
🏆 Kitchen Tools That Save My Hands on Bad Days One thing chronic illness has taught me is that working smarter is not the same as giving up. On painful days, even simple kitchen tasks can feel overwhelming. Opening a jar, chopping vegetables, stirring a pot, or standing too long can drain the
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

6 likes

Mental Illness Tips For Kids
when you are in elementary school, you learn the rules in the classroom and majority they teach kids how to be kind and how to share. For someone with a mental illness, it's crucial to recognize negative thought patterns and actively work on transforming them into more positive, constructiv
🌸Gen✨𖥔 ′ ⩇⩇:⩇⩇ ⋆☾⋆⁺₊ ✧

🌸Gen✨𖥔 ′ ⩇⩇:⩇⩇ ⋆☾⋆⁺₊ ✧

19 likes

A red flag on a pole against a purple background with circles, titled "red flags for chronically ill people friendship and relationship edition" by @chronically.char.
Three red flags against a purple background. They list red flags: not accepting conditions, pressuring to push limits, and saying to 'just relax' or 'think positively'. Creator: @chronically.char.
Three red flags against a purple background. They list red flags: only wanting to see you on good days, shaming for medication/mobility aids, and making the condition about them. Creator: @chronically.char.
Relationships & Chronic Illness 🚩 Tips
All credit for the images and written content in this post goes to @chronically.char on Instagram. “Red flags for chronically ill people - friendship and relationship edition ❤️‍🩹🚩 I wanted to make this to go along with my green flags I posted a few days ago! ✨ -they don’t accept or try t
Lexii👽

Lexii👽

270 likes

DHH+ chronic illness support group
Meet The Social Hour, hosted by @distaaybled and @Ryien Smith ! A monthly online meet up hosted the first Tuesday of every month for dDeaf and Hard of Hearing individuals with Disabilities, Neurodivergence, and Chronic Illness. Check out the link in our bio to sign up today! VD: Tayler, a
distaaybled

distaaybled

11 likes

Wild Wellness Growing Right at My Feet 🌿✨
Don’t sleep on this “weed” 👀🌿 — this is red dead nettle, and it’s actually packed with medicinal and nutritional benefits! ✨ Why it’s amazing: • Rich in vitamin C, iron, and fiber • Supports allergy relief (great for seasonal transitions!) • Has anti-inflammatory & antimicrobial propertie
Yarned By Lisa 🧶🌻

Yarned By Lisa 🧶🌻

67 likes

Creator called Graham Greene home after a battle of long illness 🕊️🪶
In many of his movies, Graham Greene was a pioneer of cinema. It is therefore sad news to learn that the Canadian First Nations actor, who starred in movies such as Kevin Costner’s Dances With Wolves and the Stephen King classic The Green Mile, has died at the age of 73. The news of the actor’s pas
🍉vanessabuhnessa🪶

🍉vanessabuhnessa🪶

28 likes

My Chronic Illness Pantry Staples 🍳 | What I Keep on Hand for Flare Days
Living with chronic illness has taught me that a well-stocked pantry can be the difference between ordering takeout and putting together a simple meal. These are some of my go-to staples for low-energy days: 🥣 Oats 🍚 Rice 🥫 Canned goods 🍝 Pasta 🍲 Broth & soup 🥜 Peanut butter🫛 Frozen ve
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

16 likes

What I Wish I Knew Before Growing Tomatoes
🪴tomatoes get BIG! You can grow containers in pots, but 15 gallon or more is recommended for indeterminate types. Determinate types can do well in a 10 gallon, but of course the more soil the better the yield! ⛓️plan your support system! There are plenty of resources online for how to make your ow
𖦹。⋆Brooke ⋆.˚𖦹

𖦹。⋆Brooke ⋆.˚𖦹

26 likes

Steroid Survival Kit 🫠✨ Chronic Illness Essentials That Actually Helped
Being on steroid and coming off of them has been… an experience 😅 so I put together my personal “steroid survival kit” with some of the little things that helped make flare days, insomnia, sweats, cravings, and overall chaos a little more manageable. Comfort clothes, hydration, easy snacks, cool
Kaelee Hagins

Kaelee Hagins

2 likes

A scenic coastal view features a narrow inlet of clear turquoise water cutting through rocky cliffs covered in dry vegetation. The ocean extends into the background under a bright blue sky. Overlay text reads "Chronic Illness How I cope as a nature addict." with a Lemon8 logo and username.
Chronic Illness ❤️‍🩹
I don’t really like the idea of opening up this part of my life to the endless void of the internet, but I’ve been following so many accounts in this chronic-illness-niche and haven’t seen much in terms of those who crave the outdoors, but can’t always get there or do what they truly love. Not to s
d.alexis.gone.hiking

d.alexis.gone.hiking

12 likes

Growing a peach here!
Just got this today. I know I know don’t ask why I’m reviewing so early 😭 I’m actually here to ask YOU guys for a review on this. It doesn’t taste bad at all! I do NOT like working out as I don’t have the discipline for it. I saw multiple reviews on women who have taken this without working out
BlaccBerryX

BlaccBerryX

213 likes

A young woman with long brown hair and makeup, looking to the side. Text overlay reads "My personal struggle with a chronic illness" and "Lemon8 @rebekah.riley04."
An image showing two scented body products crossed out with red circles, and an unscented body deodorant with a green checkmark. The text "NO SCENTED BODY PRODUCTS" is prominently displayed.
A white package for a "HENRY SCHEIN Instant COLD COMPRESS," sized 5" x 7" (12.7 cm x 17.78 cm), indicating it's for use whenever a cold pack is needed.
My personal struggle with a chronic illness
I struggle with a chronic illness. I have had this illness since I was 14 and I didn’t get a diagnosis till I was 18. When I started getting flare ups my pediatrician said it was just a bacterial infection. But after years of them not getting me more help when it was getting worse I finally got
Rebekah

Rebekah

4 likes

Living with chronic illness is humbling 🥹🫶🏻🎗️
There was a season where I truly felt like I lost myself. I was exhausted, frustrated, and struggling to recognize the person staring back at me. Recovery humbled me in ways I never expected. It was hard and while I’m doing better I still have hard days. Chronic illness is no joke. It can be
killitwithkenz

killitwithkenz

32 likes

A graphic titled 'Simple Joys Growing Memories' features a potted cilantro plant, promoting gardening for calm, purpose, and happy memories. It outlines easy steps to care for plants, benefits for wellbeing like stress reduction and mood boosting, and encourages sharing memory moments related to gardening.
Growing memories while tending to a garden
🌱 Growing More Than Plants 🌱 Sometimes the most meaningful activities are also the simplest. A small pot of herbs on a porch, a few minutes of sunshine, the scent of fresh cilantro between your fingers. For a person living with dementia, gardening is not just about growing plants. It is about
Dementia Care At HomeTM, LLC

Dementia Care At HomeTM, LLC

9 likes

Herbs For Winter: Cold Flu Season Immune Support
During cold and flu season, herbs can be your best allies in supporting your immune system and alleviating symptoms. Elderberry is renowned for its antiviral properties, helping to boost immunity and reduce the duration of illness. Echinacea can stimulate your body’s defenses, making it a popular c
The Boho Apothecary

The Boho Apothecary

32 likes

Traveling with a chronic illness? Save this guide
- Gluten-free places to eat - Mobility + accessibility tips - Activities by energy level - The best areas and hotels to stay in Full travel guide is in my bio 💚
Makayla | Gluten Free Nomad

Makayla | Gluten Free Nomad

4 likes

Life & Chronic Illness Coach
Chronic illness isn’t just physical—it messes with your head, your heart, and your sense of who you are. As someone living with Lupus + MCTD, I get it. That’s why I help others shift the emotional and mental weight of autoimmune life—guilt, self-blame, frustration—into self-compassion and real
Life & Chronic Illness Coach🦋

Life & Chronic Illness Coach🦋

1 like

🌿 Chronic Illness Vol. 8
#emergingcreator Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than three months or continues even after an injury has healed. Unlike acute pain, which warns your body that something is wrong, chronic pain can persist because the nervous system becomes more sensitive over time. 💜 What Chronic Pain Ca
🔥✨️🪬♥️☯️ JENNI  🔥✨️🪬♥️☯️

🔥✨️🪬♥️☯️ JENNI 🔥✨️🪬♥️☯️

0 likes

You are not your illness ✨
This reminds us that an illness doesn’t define who you are. You’re more than a diagnosis—you have your own story, strengths, and personality. Staying true to yourself is a powerful part of your journey and healing. 🌸✨ Join my discord link in bio 💬 #mymentalhealth #mentalhealth #selfcare
Anxiety Diary

Anxiety Diary

90 likes

How I’m Parenting with a Chronic Illness
Most parenting books don’t talk about what it’s like to raise kids while battling chronic pain, fatigue, or invisible illnesses. So I wrote one. How to Be a Parent When You Have a Chronic Illness is my personal journey—full of hard days, small wins, and practical ways to manage life with littles
authorkellianwolfe

authorkellianwolfe

2 likes

My Life with an Invisible illness
#lemon8diarychallenge #embracevulnerability #chronicillnesswarrior #Lemon8Diary #sicklecellwarrior 📍 City/Country: Seattle/USA Location: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center 📝Description: living with a blood disease that causes extreme pain . It can be hard at times to manage, and I may requ
Breeweird

Breeweird

10 likes

Girl talk: recovery & growing ✨🌸
After living through a traumatic event, healing and growth often come with time and effort to a recovery. Here are important things I feel it’s important to remember or learn after a traumatic event! 1. Self-Compassion Matters Trauma can leave you blaming yourself or feeling weak. Learning to
LetsBeBestieBoos

LetsBeBestieBoos

41 likes

My Endometriosis and Chronic illness Journey
I was diagnosed with endometriosis two years ago after years of debilitating pain that caused me to faint and vomit. It took multiple late night ER trips and an invasive surgery with a gynecologic oncologist to get diagnosed (cancer doctor). They found a 10cm sized chocolate cyst on my ovary and le
Kendall Fae

Kendall Fae

12 likes

A graphic with a meditating figure on a purple and blue background, titled "My Favorite YouTube Channels: Chronic Illness," highlighting channels for meditation, chronic pain, and somatic processing.
Screenshots of the YouTube channel "Tanner Murtagh MSW, RSW," which offers videos on healing chronic pain and illness using psychological and somatic processing techniques.
Screenshots of "The Mindful Movement" YouTube channel, offering meditations for inner peace, positive mindset, and self-healing, including options for sleep and stress relief.
YouTube Resources for Chronic Illness
#chronicillness #meditation #health #therapy
prettybendyy

prettybendyy

4 likes

How I Explain Chronic Illness to Kids Without Fear
As a chronic illness warrior, one of the hardest things I've faced isn’t the pain or the flare-ups—it’s explaining it to the little ones in my life. How do you talk about something so big… with someone so small? That’s why I created the first issue of my SpoonieNinja Newsletter: “Tiny Heart
TeslasFightingChance

TeslasFightingChance

1 like

🌻 How To Explain A Flare-Up To Family | Chronic Illness, Invisible Illness
🌻 How To Explain A Flare-Up To Family One of the hardest parts of living with chronic illness isn't always the pain—it's trying to explain the pain to people who can't see it. A flare-up isn't laziness. A flare-up isn't attention-seeking. A flare-up isn't making excu
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

3 likes

Great Drink For Your Overall Health!
I love kombucha, it has so many great health benefits. Digestion Drinking kombucha before or during a meal may help with digestion and make you feel full faster Detoxification The acids and enzymes in kombucha may help your liver remove unwanted compounds from your body Heart health Kombuc
Kayla Renee

Kayla Renee

36 likes

Life with Chronic Illness
You won’t believe how long it takes to get a diagnosis. 😳 For many people with chronic illness, it’s not just the pain—it’s the years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told “it’s just in your head.” ➡️ The average time to a proper diagnosis? 4 to 8 YEARS. That’s YEARS of fighting your body
Lexie - Chronic Health🦋

Lexie - Chronic Health🦋

3 likes

A hand holds seed packets for lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and carrot, with text "Growing for an Autumn Harvest?" against an outdoor backdrop, suggesting apartment gardening.
A hand holds a Burpee Organics Little Gem Lettuce seed packet, highlighting "HOME GARDENING" and "LETTUCE" as "Small & Space Saving, Container Friendly" on a balcony.
A hand holds a Back to the Roots Organic Carrot 'Scarlet Nantes' seed packet, with text "ORGANIC CARROTS" and details on Vitamin A benefits and soil preference for apartment gardening.
Here’s What I’m Growing In My APT This August🍁
Did you know that you can create a beautiful garden even in late summer? Here are my picks for planting in my Apartment Garden! If you’re a space saver like me and enjoy whole/organic produce, check this out! 👩🏻‍🌾 Carrots — rich in Vitamin A (beta-carotene), excellent for vision, skin, and immun
LILUHPOTTERY

LILUHPOTTERY

29 likes

A black slow cooker filled with water and numerous whole and halved lemons, placed by a window. Above the slow cooker, a recipe for a cold and flu remedy is displayed, detailing ingredients like lemons, ginger, honey, and apple cider vinegar.
Great for illness 🍋
#feelbetter #cold #flu
Ashley

Ashley

5 likes

The unseen burden of chronic illness
I don’t usually talk about my health or personal life publicly, but I felt called to share this. If even one person reads it and feels less alone, that’s more than enough for me. Back in 2023, I caught a string of infections that completely tanked my health — and honestly, nothing has really bee
Desmarie

Desmarie

64 likes

Chronic Illness Support
You’re not alone. Let’s find hope and solutions together 🙏 #chronicillnessfighter #chronicillnessawareness #chronicdiseases #CRPS #elhersdanlos
Heather Cavender-Turley

Heather Cavender-Turley

0 likes

God's Timing is Beautiful: We are Growing! 🥹🌻✨
Hey friends, I am sitting here with tears in my eyes and a heart overflowing with gratitude. I just found out that Cooking Through Pain has been selected for the Lemon8 Emerging Creator Program! 😭💛 When I started this page, it wasn’t about vanity numbers or perfection. It was about creati
Cooking Through Pain 🩹

Cooking Through Pain 🩹

3 likes

See more