How Pets Help Build Confidence and Joy With AxSpaI remember reading an article in the NASS magazine about a young woman sharing her story entitled "Farming is my Therapy." I found that inspiring, and amazing to read that...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Old Boots and Ankylosing Spondylitis I threw away my old boots today. These were not just any old boots. These were boots I bought in August 1973. Yes, you got that right, 1973. Wow, I...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Reflecting and Welcoming a New YearA Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a happy New Year ahead for all of us. Wishing you all happiness and nothing but the best for our health. Reflecting on the...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
3 Tips to Help Relieve AS SymptomsI don’t have to tell you how frustrating and debilitating your symptoms can be. From joint pain to blurred vision, many ways in which ankylosing spondylitis (AS) symptoms can impact...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Become Friends With FearWhen I was diagnosed with AS, along with the pain, stiffness, and fatigue, one of the most debilitating symptoms was...fear. If you obtain an injury, for example you sprain your...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
Here We Go Again...Another FlareIt's been exactly three weeks since attending my brother's 30th birthday party. It was something I really wanted to attend, as my brother turns 30 only once. Before the event...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
A Negative Mind Will Never Give Us a Positive Life!It's so easy to turn a positive mindset into a negative one, right? Your brain is on the go 24/7 and if you're anything like me, who has anxiety, then...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Whatever It TakesMany of our grandparents and great grandparents dealt with world wars, economic calamities, pandemic influenza, polio, difficult working conditions, insecurity around basic needs, and the indignity of institutionalized hatred. These...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
New Year's AS-olutionsIt’s that time of year again when something as minor as a number at the end of the date changing makes us believe we can make drastic changes to our...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
My First Time Traveling Since Becoming HomeboundA little over a year ago I wanted to surprise my fiancé with something big for our 3 year anniversary--a trip to Las Vegas for an Emo Festival. I snagged...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
The Pain of Being the Spondy SubYou all might know that I am a teacher, but I don’t imagine too many of my readers know what kind of teacher I am. My current placement is as...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
The Verdict in My Low Dose Naltrexone ExperimentIt’s been just over two years since I started taking Low Dose Naltrexone to help manage my AS. LDN is a somewhat controversial, off-label prescription that is well known in...Reactions0reactionsComments17 comments
Getting Through the Cold Months With ASHaving ankylosing spondylitis, you feel like you are a human barometer sometimes. It is getting colder, I can feel it in my hips, back (insert wherever you feel it or...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Self-Care During the Holiday Season and BeyondOn the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday, many of my patients reported severe flares of their arthritis and back pain from ankylosing spondylitis (AS). One woman who was recently diagnosed...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Luggage, Long Lines, and Jet-LagWhen my daughter received notice of acceptance into the University of Edinburgh for her Master's degree, she asked, "Will you go with me to get me settled?" Of course, I...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Remission From Ankylosing Spondylitis: The Search for a UnicornIn something of a weird coincidence, my step-father also had ankylosing spondylitis. Russ died tragically in a car accident several years before I was diagnosed, and most of my knowledge...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Sticking With My Healthy Habits Through the HolidaysThe holidays are approaching fast! I will go home to see my family in the south of France for two weeks! What happens to my daily healthy habits which have proven...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
My Medication Temperature TroublesAS is certainly a condition full of challenges. Medications like the Enbrel that I take, are supposed to help, although sometimes they can bring a whole lot of challenges themselves. Enbrel is a very...Reactions0reactionsComments12 comments
Chronic Help For Chronic Pain: Trying Marijuana For Pain For The First TimeOn my recent trip to Mexico and the USA, I was unable to bring my Enbrel injections with me. As I would be traveling around during the 2 weeks I was...Reactions0reactionsComments13 comments
Redefining My Identity With AxSpaI’ve told my personal story with AxSpa many times over. Following my diagnosis I decided to help create awareness by creating a blog called Living Well With AS. In it...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments