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 their eyes see; and (2) that I need...reactions9comments
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 ago, my AS symptoms began long before then...reactions2comments
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 also resolve to do so. But adding more...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 the University where I teach and work. The...reactions10comments
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 the question because I’ve seen a change in...reactions9comments
Personal Needs and Self-Care as PracticeI’m still working out the details of what self-care means for me, and if I’m being honest my idea of self-care and my own personal needs are always changing. There...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) of the body. But when a new symptom...reactions14comments
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 improve both your physical health and mental health.”...reactions4comments
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 work flexibility. One of the changes I’m seeing...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 visits for me. As a result, I’ve been...reactions4comments
Autumn and the Seasonal Shift of SymptomsFall is by far my favorite time of year, especially when living in a place with prime foliage. The few weeks at the end of September and beginning of October...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 had been self-medicating with NSAIDs for years (without...reactions7comments
Supporting a Partner with AxSpA Vol. 2 - Advice for OthersThis is volume 2 in a series of articles focusing on supporting loved ones with axial spondyloarthritis. The advice I would give to others with a spouse or family member...reactions2comments
Everyday Thoughts and My Chronic IllnessWhen it can affect every aspect of your day-to-day life, there’s no forgetting about a chronic illness. After I was first diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, I had trouble plugging the...reactions5comments
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 AxSpA but no diagnosis, so I figured why...reactions11comments
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, the idea that a patient may be part...reactionscomments
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. I also realize that while I experience all...reactions4comments
Dealing With a Chronically Ill and Changing BodyWhen we talk about ourselves (and other people), we often reference character qualities as if they’re immutable and innate. We have expectations for ourselves, perhaps shaped from being told countless...reactions1comment
Traveling With Axial SpondyloarthritisNow that warmer weather is here, I find myself daydreaming about all the places I hope to visit this summer. I recently made a quick, long-weekend trip out to Utah...reactionscomments
How Life Has Changed - A Partner's PerspectiveWe talk so much about how our personal lives have changed with axial spondyloarthritis, but it occurred to me recently that my AS has affected more than just my life...reactions1comment
