Arthritis Foundation Logo
Español ES
Your Local Area
Sign In
Popular Search
arthritis gout home ja
Suggested Content
Article
Rx for Access
Online resource that helps patients better understand health coverage options, choose the right coverage, manage the denial process and reduce health care costs.
Article
Do I Have Arthritis?
Think you may have arthritis? Learn about the four most common warning signs.
Article
Gout
Gout is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can come and go.
Arthritis Foundation Logo
  • About Arthritis
    Common Topics
    woman holding her wrist What Is Arthritis?

    Arthritis is not one disease. Learn about the different types of arthritis, how they differ and why it’s important.

    microbes Inflammation and the Immune System

    Body-wide inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases — and you may have more control over it than you think.

    Patient talking with nurse Newly Diagnosed With Arthritis

    A new arthritis diagnosis can be overwhelming. These tips can help.

    • Understanding Arthritis
    • Arthritis Types
    • More About Arthritis
    • Where it Hurts
    • Related Conditions
  • Treatments
    Common Topics
    Woman holding shoulder Webinar: Touch Therapies for Pain Management

    Learn the evidence behind popular touch therapies for arthritis, including what to try and what to avoid, for how long and when.

    Managing Arthritis Care Costs

    Learn the basics about health care costs and financial tools available to you.

    Man with head in hands on bed Webinar: Arthritis Fatigue Causes and Solutions

    Learn the various causes of arthritis-related fatigue and strategies to combat weariness.

    • Treatment Plan
    • Drug Guide
    • Joint Surgery
    • Complementary Therapies
    • Insurance Management
  • Healthy Living
    Common Topics
    Woman with upset stomach Microbiome, Gut Health & Arthritis

    Microbiome, microbes, microorganisms – these terms may be confusing, but the types of bacteria living in and on our bodies can impact arthritis. Learn what helps or harms the microbiome and the health of your gut and discover dietary changes that can make a difference. This episode was originally released on January 19, 2021.

    man exercising Stairs Workout Demo

    Strengthen your leg muscles and improve your stability to make going up and down stairs safer and easier.

    woman consoling another Arthritis and Mental Health

    Learn about the connection between arthritis, depression and anxiety and how these conditions can make your arthritis worse.

    • Ease of Use Products
    • Managing Pain
    • Recipes & Nutrition
    • Physical Activity
    • Emotional Well-being
    • Daily Living
    • Family & Relationships
  • Juvenile Arthritis
    Common Topics
    2023 JA Family Summit

    Learn about the National Juvenile Arthritis Conference, a place for families to connect, share and learn.

    JA Camps

    The Arthritis Foundation’s JA camp programs give kids with arthritis and related childhood rheumatic diseases the chance to make lasting memories.

    Juvenile Arthritis Volunteer

    • About Juvenile Arthritis
    • Treatment
    • Managing Pain
    • Medical Decisions
    • Nutrition
    • Emotional Well-being
  • Professionals
    Common Topics
    Transforming Clinical Interactions

    The Live Yes! Arthritis community connects patients with others online and in-person for support and education, and encourages patients to play an active role in their health care.

    Partners 4 Patients with Arthritis

    The Arthritis Foundation recently launched an initiative to build stronger relationships and increase recognition of our most engaged practices.

    Fellowships

    See how we're aiming to address the growing shortage of arthritis specialists, especially in under-served parts of the country.

    • Better Living Toolkits
    • Our Issue Briefs
  • Science
    Common Topics
    OACS Forum Series

    The Osteoarthritis Clinical Studies Forum Series features OA thought leaders from across the globe discussing the future of how the disease can be treated to improve patient outcomes.

    man bandaging boy's knee Conquering Childhood Arthritis

    The Arthritis Foundation is mobilizing patients and their families to engage in studies comparing the effectiveness of treatments for juvenile arthritis and funding research for more options.

    Focus

    • Awards
    • Funding Opportunities
    • OACS Forum Series
    • Osteoarthritis Focus
    • Participate in Clinical Trials
    • Partnerships
    • Publications
  • Get Involved
    Common Topics
    Capital hill Action Center

    Take action today - use the resources here to learn who your elected officials are, what opportunities we have to advocate from the comfort of your own home, federal and state legislation, and more!

    LiveYes! Insights thumbnail Live Yes! INSIGHTS

    Share your experience in a 10-minute assessment to be among those changing the future of arthritis.

    woman listening to podcast Live Yes! Podcast

    You may have arthritis, but it doesn't have you. The Arthritis Foundation’s one-of-a-kind podcast. Hosted by patients, for patients.

    • Advocacy
    • Ways to Give
    • Fundraising
    • Volunteer
    • Partnership
    • Live Yes! Arthritis Community
Donate
Back

#WeLiveYes: Rachel’s COVID-19 Vaccine Journey

Get ting Vaccinated for COVID-19

When I received an email inviting me to sign up for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, I registered within minutes for a slot the very same day. My hands were shaking with excitement, even though I am absolutely terrified of needles. I chose to get vaccinated to protect myself as a 25-year-old immunocompromised woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I chose to get vaccinated because I provide telehealth social work services to COVID-19 patients and families, and the memories of this experience will weigh heavily on me forever. I chose to get vaccinated because I spent a month visiting my father in the ICU in pre-COVID times, and I had the privilege of sitting next to him every day as he recovered from cardiac arrest, long before visitor restrictions became the new norm. Although immunocompromised people were not included in the initial vaccine clinical trials, I trust my rheumatologist, who gave me the OK to get the vaccine. I take a weekly biologic injection as well as methotrexate and prednisone, and I am aware that this means the vaccine may be slightly less effective for me. I chose to get vaccinated because I strongly believe that the benefits outweigh the risks, and I hope that you will too.

In the past few years, not a day has gone by in which I did not think about my illness. That’s sort of how it goes when you live with chronic pain, because pain does not allow you to forget. This year in particular, I am acutely aware of my identity as a young chronically ill woman, now with a new label of “high risk” of coronavirus complications. And while, this year especially, I am fortunate in many other ways — to feel economically secure, to feel safe as I walk down the street, to live without fear of losing my home — my diagnosis has profoundly affected my day-to-day life.

I watch people collectively commiserate about the limitations this year brought and the exhausting calculations that accompany every social interaction. Pandemic or not, though, limitations and calculations are a part of my every day. If I spend an hour cleaning, will I be able to go to the grocery store, too, or will I need to lie down and rest my knees? These are things I never had to consider before my diagnosis. And when I first encountered them, there wasn’t a globe full of people sharing my experience. It was just me, seemingly alone, figuring it all out as I went along.

For my internship for my master’s degree in social work, I work three days a week in the medical/surgical unit at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts. When I started in September, the hospital staff were thrilled to have zero COVID-19 patients for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Now, there are nearly 40.

In the weeks following Thanksgiving, I received three different calls from my supervisor. “Your patient’s wife/husband/child was just admitted to the hospital with COVID symptoms. You might want to check in with the family.” Although I visit in person with patients who don’t have COVID, I don’t see COVID-19 patients in person, to protect myself and conserve PPE for the medical staff who need it most. Instead, I speak to these patients and their families on the phone from my office in the hospital. About a month ago, I spoke to a woman on the phone who had three close family members hospitalized with COVID. Two of them were intubated. I wonder what kind of support will ever be enough for a family unable to visit their loved one in person. I can listen, validate their concerns, encourage the medical team to set up a Zoom call, connect them with pastoral care and so on. But I can’t change the fact that they are unable to wait in a crowded waiting room, to hold their loved one’s hand or to look the nurse in the eye. No social work class prepared me for this experience, and I’m not sure one ever could.



Soon, the day came to receive the vaccine. After the painless injection, I sat in a room for 15 minutes while a nurse observed me in case of an allergic reaction. When he asked what I was in school for, I hesitated to answer. Would he think I was taking a vaccine away from a more deserving nurse or doctor, and that social work should have been further down the list? Instead, when I explained that I’m in a dual master’s program for social work and special education, he said, “Wow, we’re lucky to have you here! I’m so glad you were able to get your shot.” When I went home that day, I experienced nothing more than a very sore arm, which frankly paled in comparison to the symptoms of RA that I deal with every day. After my second dose, I had a sore arm, a slight headache and fatigue. The next day, I felt good as new.

Although the pandemic remains far from over, those of us with arthritis know that we have to cling to moments of hope to propel us forward, to carve out space for joy in the midst of pain. I am grateful that this vaccine gives me a small glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel and allows me to feel hopeful in a year that has felt anything but. — Rachel Drucker, graduate student in social work and special education


Share Your Story

If you have arthritis and would like to share your COVID-19 experience or vaccination story, we’d love to hear from you. Share you journey in our Live Yes! Story Bank . Join the Live Yes! community to connect with others who have arthritis through our online community or a connect group in your area.





Get Involved
  • Live Yes! Arthritis Community
  • Live Yes! Connect Groups
  • Live Yes! Online Community
  • Local Office
  • Fundraising
  • Webinars
  • Volunteer Portal
  • Store
About
  • About Us
  • Annual Report
  • Careers
  • Code Of Ethics
  • Financials
  • News and Stories
  • Privacy Notice
  • Terms of Use
  • Español
Join Us
  • Jingle Bell Run
  • JA Camps
  • Pathways Conference 2023
  • Walk to Cure Arthritis
  • Fundraise Your Way
  • JA Family Summit
Home Office
  • 1355 Peachtree St NE Suite 600
  • Atlanta, GA 30309
  • Helpline: 1.800.283.7800
  • Contact Us
Mountain View, CA
49° Arthritis Index At Risk
See More Details
Arthritis Foundation is a qualified 501(c)(3) EIN 58-1341679
I Want to Contribute
I Need Help
  • Donate

    Donate

    Every gift to the Arthritis Foundation will help people with arthritis across the U.S. live their best life.

  • Volunteer

    Volunteer

    Join us and become a Champion of Yes. There are many volunteer opportunities available.

  • Live Yes! INSIGHTS

    Live Yes! INSIGHTS

    Take part to be among those changing lives today and changing the future of arthritis.

  • Partner

    Partner

    Proud Partners of the Arthritis Foundation make an annual commitment to directly support the Foundation’s mission.

Donate


Ways to Give

Every gift to the Arthritis Foundation will help people with arthritis across the U.S. live their best life. Whether it is supporting cutting-edge research, 24/7 access to one-on-one support, resources and tools for daily living, and more, your gift will be life-changing.

Make a Donation

Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease. Please, make your urgently-needed donation to the Arthritis Foundation now!

Become a Member

Become an Arthritis Foundation member today for just $20 and you'll receive access to helpful tools..... and more.

Make a Honor or Memorial Gift

Honor a loved one with a meaningful donation to the Arthritis Foundation. We'll send a handwritten card to the honoree or their family notifying them of your thoughtful gift.

Gift Planning

I want information on ways to remember the AF in my will, trust or other financial planning vehicles.

Other Ways to Give

  • Match Gift
  • Donate a Car
  • Donor-Advised Funds

Volunteer


Volunteer Opportunities

The Arthritis Foundation is focused on finding a cure and championing the fight against arthritis with life-changing information, advocacy, science and community. We can only achieve these goals with your help. Strong, outspoken and engaged volunteers will help us conquer arthritis. By getting involved, you become a leader in our organization and help make a difference in the lives of millions. Join us and become a Champion of Yes.

Become a Volunteer

More About Volunteering

  • Walk to Cure
  • Jingle Bell Run
  • Do it Yourself Fundraising
  • JA Camp
  • Start a Live Yes! Connect Group
  • Be an Online Community Moderator
  • Local Leadership Board

Live Yes! INSIGHTS


Give Just 10 Minutes.

Tell us what matters most to you. Change the future of arthritis.

By taking part in the Live Yes! INSIGHTS assessment, you’ll be among those changing lives today and changing the future of arthritis, for yourself and for 54 million others. And all it takes is just 10 minutes.

Your shared experiences will help:

- Lead to more effective treatments and outcomes
- Develop programs to meet the needs of you and your community
- Shape a powerful agenda that fights for you

Now is the time to make your voice count, for yourself and the entire arthritis community.

Currently this program is for the adult arthritis community.  Since the needs of the juvenile arthritis (JA) community are unique, we are currently working with experts to develop a customized experience for JA families.

How are you changing the future?

By sharing your experience, you’re showing decision-makers the realities of living with arthritis, paving the way for change. You’re helping break down barriers to care, inform research and create resources that make a difference in people’s lives, including your own.

Get Started

Partner


Meet Our Partners

As a partner, you will help the Arthritis Foundation provide life-changing resources, science, advocacy and community connections for people with arthritis, the nations leading cause of disability. Join us today and help lead the way as a Champion of Yes.

Trailblazer

Our Trailblazers are committed partners ready to lead the way, take action and fight for everyday victories. They contribute $2,000,000 to $2,749,000

Visionary

Our Visionary partners help us plan for a future that includes a cure for arthritis. These inspired and inventive champions have contributed $1,500,00 to $1,999,999.

Pioneer

Our Pioneers are always ready to explore and find new weapons in the fight against arthritis. They contribute $1,000,000 to $1,499,999.

Pacesetter

Our Pacesetters ensure that we can chart the course for a cure for those who live with arthritis. They contribute $500,000 to $999,000.

Signature

Our Signature partners make their mark by helping us identify new and meaningful resources for people with arthritis. They contribute $250,000 to $499,999.

Supporting

Our Supporting partners are active champions who provide encouragement and assistance to the arthritis community. They contribute $100,000 to $249,999.

More About Partnerships

  • Partner with Us
  • Ease Of Use Commendation
  • Let's Get a Grip On Arthritis
  • Promotions that Give Back