Digestive System and Axial SpondyloarthritisSometimes I feel like the number of ways AxSpA can affect my body are endless. It’s extremely discouraging. But as a systemic...reactions15comments
Is Chronic Illness Trauma a Thing and Do I Have It?The short answer is: I don’t know. This would be an incredibly short article if my answer was simply yes. I asked...reactions9comments
Self-Care as a Practice for People With AxSpaI’m still working out the details of what self-care means for me. If I’m being honest, my idea of self-care and my...reactions5comments
An Unnerving Complication of AxSpa: CostochondritisAxial spondyloarthritis is a systemic disease, so I know it has the potential to affect any organ system (and therefore any area)...reactions14comments
My Decision to Stick With a Biologic, and How It’s HelpedThe decision to start any medication is one that I do not take lightly. I do my due diligence, ask lots of...reactions4comments
Coming Out at the Doctor's OfficeI have seen countless physicians in four different states in the U.S. and my experience with heteronormativity is generally the same. Often...reactions1comment
What You Don’t See: Living With an Invisible IllnessLiving with an invisible illness has taught me a couple of things: (1) people make assumptions about my condition based on what...reactions9comments
Adding Injury to AxSpA Pain: Thinking About Acute vs. Chronic PainMost of the pain I feel these days--well, for the past two decades--is chronic pain related to AxSpA. As I’ve previously mentioned...reactions4comments
Hold for Infections: My Recent Experience with Biologics and ImmunosuppressionMy life with biologics stretches back six years now. I was diagnosed nearly 15 years after initial symptoms appeared, and since I...reactions7comments
Four Ways to Destress in Stressful TimesSince the beginning of the pandemic it seems like increased stress levels have become the new normal. Stress can be a risk...reactions2comments
A Look Back at Seven Years With ASThis past winter marked my seven-year diagnosis anniversary with ankylosing spondylitis. My how time flies! While my official diagnosis came seven years...reactions2comments
Effects of Heteronormativity in Healthcare on LGBTQ+ PatientsFrom the start, I want to be clear that I do not intend to paint with a broad brush here. There are...reactions1comment
Four Low-Impact Exercises for SpondiesIt’s that time of year again when most of us not only think about making changes to our daily lives, but we...reactions5comments
Rating Pain and The Pain ScaleLately, I’ve been reading a lot of creative nonfiction essays during the process of designing an upper-level Creative Nonfiction writing course at...reactions10comments
Self-Care For Spoonies: More Than A BuzzwordThe National Institute on Mental Health says that self-care “means taking the time to do things that help you live well and...reactions4comments
The Many Doctors Who Manage My Axial SpondyloarthritisOne question I get often is "who treats axial spondyloarthritis?" Typically, this question arises from individuals with some of the symptoms of...reactions11comments
Adapting to Work Environment Changes with AxSpAThere’s a huge shift happening right now in on the work scene, with employees demanding more in terms of benefits, pay, and...reactions4comments
I’m So Over It - Chronic Illness and Healthcare Burnout2021 was fun, tiring, wonderful, complicated, and stressful, among other things. Above all, it was a long, exhausting year full of healthcare...reactions4comments
Supporting a Partner with AxSpA, Vol. 1: The Diagnosis ProcessLiving with axial spondyloarthritis is not easy, and I know it would be all that much more difficult without a support system...reactions4comments
Axial Spondyloarthritis With a Side of Peripheral ArthritisA cold front has arrived and my joints are rigid and slow to respond. Not just the joints in my back and...reactions4comments
