Living

The scariest and most confusing time of my life was when I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. A condition with a long and spooky-sounding name was thrust on me, and...

I used to be quite a party animal before I was diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis! When I studied in France at uni, I would go out on Friday and Saturday...

This is a continuation of How I Manage My AxSpa Without Biologics: Nutrition and Movement. In the first part, I talked about my decision not to take biologics and the...

One of the hardest lessons I've learned over the years is the importance of communicating your feelings, especially when hurt by a friend or family member. When living with axial...

2025 marks 10 years since my AxSpa diagnosis! What a journey! Once I got the diagnosis, my rheumatologist suggested strong anti-inflammatory medication, which helped with symptoms at first, but after...

Something that has been difficult for me ever since becoming chronically ill with AxSpA is the change of lifestyle – particularly working out/exercising. Before becoming sick, I was doing Insanity...

Up until recently, I had never been in an official romantic relationship. I was in my "having fun stage" before chronic illness turned my life upside down at the age...

I was scrolling through social media when I stumbled upon a quote from a health coach that read, "You can make time for health or illness. Those are your choices."...

My AS has caused endless disruption to my sleep. At my worst, I couldn’t sleep for more than three hours at once. I’d wake up with so much pain and...

I've been a devoted part of this community for many years—as a writer, moderator, and Patient Leadership Council member. I've even been nominated (and was a finalist in two categories)...

I left France 15 years ago and I have lived in the UK ever since, but I visit for the holidays. Those who left their hometown know what it means...

Insomnia, or the inability to get to sleep or stay asleep, affects millions of people worldwide. For many, chronic pain is a significant contributor to their insomnia. When you're in...

My planning and organization skills have always left a lot to be desired. I often find myself going on holiday with zero plans on what I am going to do...

When I was 18, I was only one year into my university degree and nowhere near knowing what I wanted to “do with the rest of my life.” I was...

We recently moved into a new community. We've been in our new home for over a year now. Through healing, there's an urge to connect with family, friends, and with...

I’ve been receiving care from a chronic pain clinic, and a few months ago they offered me acupuncture. I had a telephone consultation with the acupuncture service to check I...

I got a reminder this summer about how effective my biologic is at keeping my flares at bay. To give a bit of context to this story, I have been...

Picture this: enjoying brunch with colleagues, where you’re excitingly exchanging anecdotes, insights, and perspectives over pancakes. Slowly, our conversation turned from discussing the latest bestseller to something more profound—how technology...

I spent about half a year thinking I was experiencing a recurrent, terrible axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) flare-up only to learn that I had, in fact, a spinal fracture (spondylolysis). The...

I was informed I had a gene mutation a few months ago that could contribute to more severe health complications down the line. After speaking with my healthcare team, we...