A Year of PhysiotherapyI went to physiotherapy from February 2022 to February 2023. Prior to starting physio, I was unable to be active. I could barely walk or stand for more than five... By Anna Samson3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
How Goal Setting Can Help Us Self-Manage Chronic IllnessAs a health coach most of my time is spent working with people on making positive behavior change. Following a diagnosis like AS, a lot of people look to improve... By Anne-Marie Raymond2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Let's Find Some Positivity Out of This Chronic IllnessHaving a chronic illness of any sort is hard. It's a hard pill to swallow. Receiving a diagnosis or having to live with a chronic illness means this will be... By Nicky Flikas4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Navigating Work Stressors With an Autoimmune Disease: Tips for SuccessLiving with an autoimmune condition like axSpA can present unique challenges in various aspects of life, including work. Multiple symptoms, from lower back pain to fatigue, may affect your ability... By Tomesha Campbell3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
How Sound Healing Can Help With AxSpa SymptomsAt the beginning of March, I went to a sound healing session in a lovely venue, beautiful Church, here in Edinburgh. I had attended a couple of similar sessions last... By Julie Vallortigara3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Spinal Surgery Complications: I Have a Loose AS ScrewOuch, that hurt. That was what I told my back surgeon recently when he touched one of those spots that ache constantly. You may recall that in 2019, just as the pandemic... By Lawrence Rick Phillips3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
It's Just Allergies, Right?Seasonal allergies, the annoying across the hall neighbor of chronic illness. They always come over uninvited, eat our food, and try to suck us into their hairbrained schemes. So, I... By Jed Finley3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
My Chronic Struggles With Keeping Up With RepliesWe live in a bit of a "now culture" where people want everything instantly – including replies to text messages and emails. But sometimes this just isn’t doable for those... By James Hollens3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments15 comments
The Power of My WhiteboardWhen in doubt, write it down. As someone who has for so long relied on a very strong memory, AxSpA put a twist in how I organize my life. Before... By Jamie Shinkewski3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Birthday Planning the AxSpa WayMy daughter and husband's birthdays are a day apart. My daughter was born on February the 10th, and my husband was born on February the 11th. This year, both of their... By Nicky Flikas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
To Go Out or Not to Go Out?Last night, my husband with AxSpa, Keegan, went out for a creativity circle gathering at our Unitarian Universalist church. He’s been struggling with a flare-up for a few weeks now... By Auldyn Matthews3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments12 comments
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... By Jessica Gama3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Tips for Managing at Work With AxSpaSome of the biggest challenges with AxSpa can present themselves in the workplace. Only a small percentage of people are financially independent, and disability support is increasingly hard to obtain... By Anne-Marie Raymond3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments1 comments
I Tried "Yoga for AS"Many years ago, I walked into a sweaty, crammed group yoga class on Saint Marks Place here in New York City. It was open to the public for a nominal... By Lisa Marie Basile3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Good Self-Care Is As Relentless as TurmoilMy friends, we have seen history being made over these past few years. The smart money bets we’ll continue to be subject to volatility and turmoil in every aspect of... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Getting a Degree With AS I started college before my AS symptoms started. I was lucky enough that my AS symptoms started during lockdown as college lectures were moved to virtual. This meant I could... By Ali Long2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Foreign Music TherapyMusic has the power to transport me back in time. When I hear a certain song, I find myself thinking about what was happening in my life when I first heard... By James Hollens4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Getting Back to Walking With ASI can remember a time when I took walking for granted. I didn’t give my legs a second thought throughout childhood, or as a young adult when I lived in... By Anne-Marie Raymond2 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Moving 'Till I Can'tI've spent the last two weeks moving. I’ve left the duplex near the highway to the 1800s log cabin on a farm. I know the move will be totally worth... By Jed Finley4 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments15 comments
My AxSpAnalogy: Steering Through Brain FogBrain fog continues to be the AxSpA symptom I struggle the most with. Yes, the pain sucks and I could do without the fatigue but it’s the sporadic cognitive impairments... By Jamie Shinkewski3 min readBookmark for laterReactions0reactionsComments3 comments