be more present at her appointments.
“I started to trust her — and myself. I started taking down some of my walls. I realized I’d been operating with the assumption that doctors should be able to figure things out based solely on lab results and symptoms, when in reality, my experiences are a key piece of the puzzle, too,” she shares.
This is the level of care that helped her get a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.
Living with rheumatoid arthritis
“There’s no sugarcoating it: having a chronic illness is hard. Rheumatoid arthritis has impacted the ways I’ve been able to interact and be present with my family and friends,” Hazel shares.
However, the difference is that she now has the tools to deal with it and she realizes that grieving is a part of the process. Sometimes she doesn’t have the strength to get out of bed, but when she can, she tries to find ways to have a good day.
“I speak these things to myself. I say “Sister Girl, you are awesome. You’re amazing.” When you speak positively every day to yourself, no matter what your situation looks like, you can find one thing in the midst of your fog to be grateful for,” she adds.
She is also the founder of Sister Girl Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps empower women with endometriosis, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer to take charge of their health care. Hazel, who also has endometriosis, was able to apply what she learned from having a chronic disease and the Sister Girls to navigating life with rheumatoid arthrits.
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Research representation matters
Hazel says it is because of her doctor and her own advocacy work that she is able to have connections to RA research. However, she is aware that so many other people should also have a seat at the table.
“If my community — the Black community — isn’t involved, how can we be cared for properly? That’s not equal health care. The color of my skin shouldn’t determine the quality of treatment I get,” she says.
Tips for living with rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 2.1 million Americans or about 1 percent of the population. Women are two to three times more likely to develop the disorder than men. Blacks with RA experience worse disease activity and disabilities, according to senior investigator Richard Brasington, M.D., associate professor of medicine.
If you are living with rheumatoid arthritis, Hazel offers the following tips in her own words: