Category Archives: Osteoarthritis

Patient Partner’s Words of Wisdom About Living With Gout & OA

As part of our vetting process for Arthritis by the Numbers – a collection of verified arthritis facts and figures – we invited patients to comment on the disease section that most affected their lives. After all, they are the experts on how arthritis changes and challenges everyday living.

Meet Craig Buhr, who is challenged by gout and OA. Following, in his own words, are his thoughts about the statistics he reviewed in Arthritis by the Numbers – and how they relate to him personally.

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kathy geller patient story

Rethinking Life With Severe Osteoarthritis

As part of our vetting process for Arthritis by the Numbers – a collection of verified arthritis facts and figures – we invited patients to comment on the disease section that most affected their lives. After all, they are the experts on how the disease changes and challenges everyday living.

Meet Kathy Geller, who touched many lives during the years she spent as an Arthritis Foundation exercise trainer and education program presenter – a role model for successful self-management. Following, in her own words, is Kathy’s story about living with severe degenerative osteoarthritis (OA) and how the statistics she reviewed in Arthritis by the Numbers relate to her personally.

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Walk to Cure Arthritis National Adult Honoree 2017

Meet Our National Walk to Cure Arthritis Adult Honoree: Former MLB Pitcher Tom Walker!

Tom Walker, Walk to Cure Arthritis national adult honoree and former MLB pitcher, claims that it’s truly “mind over matter” when it comes to his osteoarthritis (OA) pain. Every day, he rises up and pushes forward, despite the obstacles – like having a harder time walking – that challenge him.
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From Coast to Coast: A Birthday Challenge Leads to Awareness, Funds for Arthritis

Tom Baltes arthritisA love of cycling seems to run in Tom Baltes’ family. Unfortunately, arthritis does, too.

As one of five children, Tom has watched as two of his siblings have been diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and another has had two hip replacements. Tom has osteoarthritis (OA).

“I was first diagnosed with OA in my left knee and lower spine when I retired from the military,” recalls Tom. “I’m a lucky man in that I have not been particularly bothered by arthritis, but my siblings have really struggled with pain. My arthritis is very minimal compared to what they go through.”

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Dina Gilmore Champion of Yes Massage Therapist

Healing Hands: Dina Turns Her Pain Into Helping Others

massage therapist arthritisDina Gilmore has many titles — former athlete, artist, arthritis advocate and author, just to name a few. But, the title she’s most proud of is healer.

Dina discovered that she had healing hands when her sister was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“I would always give my sister massages at home to help with her pain,” recalls Dina. “I was working a job in sales, and my sister said, ‘you ought to go to massage school.’”

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Four People Tell Their Stories of Sharing Osteoarthritis Pain & Relief With Their Dogs

When arthritis is diagnosed in dogs, many owners with OA feel true empathy. They know what it’s like to have achy, stiff joints, so they make it a top priority to ease their pets’ discomfort.

Carol and Abe

When Carol Pierce of Bucks County, Pa., noticed her dog limping last year, she went right to the vet. The diagnosis: knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Carol has OA, too – in her right wrist. She occasionally takes an over-the-counter, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). But Abe gets the prescription NSAID carprofen (Rimadyl) daily. “I’m not one of those people who just sits around thinking about my aches and pains,” Carol says. “But for Abe, he comes first. He can’t talk, so I make sure his pain is taken care of.”

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Osteoarthritis Knee and Hip Replacement Patient Story

New Knee, New Hip, New Start- Melba Moore Overcoming Osteoarthritis

Singer and actress Melba Moore says her pain is gone and now she’s on top of the world.

When Melba Moore recorded her 2013 single, “What Can I Do to Survive,” the iconic singer and actress couldn’t help but think that  it could serve as a theme song for her own life, with the physical and emotional challenges she’s overcome.

With her scale-defying voice and ­incred­­­ible stage presence, few of Melba Moore’s fans realized that, for years as she was performing on Broadway and recording chart-topping songs, she was also battling intense arthritis pain in her left knee and right hip.

“I became an expert at putting up a good front when I was on stage performing,” she says.

Melba established herself as a triple threat in the 1960s and ’70s, and she’s still commanding stages and drawing fans with her singing, dancing and acting. Her first big break came in 1967 when she joined the cast of Hair on Broadway, and was later asked to take the lead role vacated by Diane Keaton. Melba went on to star in the 1970 musical Purlie, which led to her Tony award.

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