Feeling the Pressure from Able-Bodied People to Get BetterOne thing that has remained a constant throughout decline of my health these last two years is this: the looming pressure to get better. With chronic illnesses, hearing the term... By Sarah Lee2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
The Hardest Part of This DiseaseHow many of you wish more people around you would understand? How many of you wish living in this world, as a chronically ill person, with an invisible illness, would... By Nicky Flikas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
What IfsWith something like ankylosing spondylitis, there are so many physical effects of the condition that it’s sometimes easy to overlook the mental effects that it also brings. One of the... By James Hollens4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments19 comments
Advocating Helps My Mental HealthMy advocating journey began in October 2020 with a fundraiser. A year later I continue to advocate every day. It was the best decision I have ever made. It changed my... By Ali Long3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Top 5 Things I've Learned As An AS PatientOver the past few years, I've learned a lot about what it means to have ankylosing spondylitis. When I was first diagnosed, I lived in this hazy fever dream. I... By Lisa Marie Basile3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Even The Nicest People Don't Get ItYou know how living with ankylosing spondylitis can feel like speaking a language that only you understand? It can be really isolating and frustrating, even when other make a concerted... By Lisa Marie Basile2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
3 Frenemy Habits Threatening Your Self-CareI hate finding out that somebody wasn’t actually my friend. It’s painful and embarrassing, especially when the evidence was plain for me to see all along. Betrayal can be confirmed... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Too Disabled To Employ, Not Disabled Enough To HelpGetting diagnosed with AS really took a massive hit on my career. Before my spine started to act up, I was enjoying life working as a teacher in China. Then... By James Hollens4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
I Feel Unwelcome in My Own BodyThe other day a friend sent me a poem and one line really stuck out to me. It said, “Growing inside of a body that I no longer call my... By Sarah Lee2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
How I Care For Myself: 6 Types of Self-CareThis article will be about my self-care plan. I always thought self-care was just taking baths, going for a walk and lighting candles to relax. After some research, I learned that there... By Ali Long5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
Exploring Fibromyalgia: Is It My AS or Something New?I have been back on Humira for 6 months now, which is the same drug that had put me into remission for 8 years. Of course, I was not assuming... By Sarah Lee2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
Chronically Ill Through COVID-19The COVID-19 pandemic as well as my spondyloarthritis (SpA) have tossed me in so many directions over the past 2 to 3 years - fear, panic, fatigue. I feel at... By Rebecca C4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Fatigue, The Mother of All Calls From Inside The HouseAnybody reading this already knows that arthritis is serious. It hurts. It burns. It stops people in their tracks with brain fog, stiffness, reduced range of motion, and fatigue. In... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
7 Questions for Checking in With A PartnerNext month marks 14 years since Keegan and I got together. I remember it very fondly. We were 17-years-old and mutual friends were trying to get us to date. Keegan... By Auldyn Matthews2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
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... By Jessica Gama3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
What is My Criteria for a New Rheumatologist?My rheumatologist of the last fifteen or so years is retiring. Talk about striking fear in the heart of a long-term patient. Wow, that is not great news. I know... By Lawrence Rick Phillips4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments11 comments
The Nutrition ParadoxWhen I was diagnosed with AS, I was also diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. A double whammy. I grew to understand that dietary changes and certain diets could have the potential... By Jamie Boder2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
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... By Jessica Gama3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Mourning My Former AthleticismReceiving an AxSpA diagnosis can come with a flurry of emotions, both good and bad. I received my diagnosis before my senior year of college and what was supposed to... By Pamela White2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Another Day With Axial SpondyloarthritisIt is going on 2 months since returning back to work. I have good days and I have bad days. I love what I am doing. Then what is the... By Nicky Flikas2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments