Living

Ever wanna roll your eyes at someone who clearly has no idea what your disease is about — but who feels the need to share their thoughts or ask strange...

I am always grateful for a good week. But there is always a sense of sadness that comes with it. A sadness that this is what I miss out on...

Being kind to yourself is important when you have a chronic illness like ankylosing spondylitis. Some days self-compassion means cutting myself some slack when I feel too tired, sore, or...

It is a common trend in the Spondylitis community. Canceling plans. On Monday we were ready to go out with friends on Saturday. Come Saturday, we can’t bring ourselves to...

I’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...

Editor's note: Read the first part of Katie's journey here. Have you ever experienced stomach pain and the need to evacuate your bowels so severely that you start sweating, shaking...

It has been 2 years since I received my diagnosis of AxSpa and fibromyalgia. I remember this day like it was yesterday. It's a day I will always remember. A...

In 2021, I started identifying as disabled. My chronic fatigue took over my life in late 2020, and a few months later, in early 2021, I decided to start using...

I'd be surprised to hear that most people aren't feeling like a combustible blend of exhausted, wary, and squashed flat under the weight of these wild times. Add a twist...

I love the names of NFL offenses. I only have a rudimentary understanding of what they mean, but the names intrigue me. This past season I heard names for all...

When I was first diagnosed in 2018, I thought my life was over. I had already lost my job, and I lost my apartment, and I lost friends. I lost...

Several years ago, my boyfriend and I moved into a new, lovely apartment with a killer view of the NYC skyline. We were so excited for the move, but it...

Our site has been here since 2019, and in that time, we've published hundreds of articles. Our Patient Leaders have share their stories, journeys, tips, and tricks with us. Whether...

One of the worst feelings in the world is having a day where you’re glued to your bed, but knowing that time is going to move even slower because of...

After Christmas I had fallen into a huge state of burnout. Not only had the holidays exhausted me down to my bones, but this burnout had also stemmed from surviving...

I’m a support group guy! Some advocates are good at policy, others are good at knowing the latest medical trends, but I love leading support groups! That is where my...

I’ve had two pain management procedures. First being steroid injections into my muscle spasms, a very painful experience that did not work. My second pain management procedure was Botox injections...

After a long journey to get a diagnosis (see my series entitled "7 Years in No Diagnosis Land") and a bad experience with one of the DMARDS, I was finally...

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people have been affected by stress, the unknown, and the changing landscape. However, our ankylosing spondylitis community has been particularly affected...

If you read my previous article "Trouble Falling AS-sleep," you will know just how abysmal my sleep pattern had become. After writing the article I arranged a phone appointment with...