Hands Off My Crutches!Mobility aids should be seen as a blessing for people like us with conditions that can affect our mobility. Surely it’s a no-brainer to leave the house on crutches or...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Don't Let a Smile Fool YouBehind that smile of mine, hides many things, that I decide who to open up to and tell. Would you be able to tell that I have an invisible illness?...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Major Surgery With AxSpAAfter a diagnosis of a chronic condition that degrades your joints over time, it isn’t surprising you may eventually need surgery. But grappling with surgery and recovery with a condition...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
Pain and SleeplessnessI’ll be honest, I’ve always had some trouble sleeping. As a kid it would take me several hours to fall asleep, but once I was asleep I’d be out like...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Experiments While I’m Waiting for a CureDo you remember the first question you asked when you were told you had AS? For me it was immediate - “Is there a cure?” I remember the kindly face...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
I Bought an Ankylosing Spondylitis Friendly CarYou can read my article "Driving Difficulties with Ankylosing Spondylitis" to see the difficulties I had driving my Mini. My Mini Cooper was my first car, and oh I loved...Reactions0reactionsComments7 comments
Preparing For My Rheumatology AppointmentsNo matter how many times I’ve seen my rheumatologist, I always find these appointments a daunting experience. I feel nervous. Many thoughts run through my head: What if my condition...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
My Altered Breakfast RoutineI have never been a good breakfast eater. I am not a morning person and to be able to have a meal in the morning has always been a challenge...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
Blessings That Ankylosing Spondylitis Has Given To MeHaving AS has been one of the hardest things that has been placed on my path. I have come to believe that finding the lessons can make the pain hurt...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
Sex! (And Ankylosing Spondylitis)There. I’ve said it. Not out loud, of course, but on the page. Sex. It’s a great word when you think about it. It’s short – which can be a...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
Is It Just Me? My Struggles With Poor Body ImageI am sure other people worry about body image. It’s normal to worry just a little bit, right? But I wonder if others worry as much as I do. Is...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Full of Different Emotions Waiting to Start My Next BiologicIt’s been an anxious wait, since seeing my rheumatologist mid-July. I felt so confident leaving his office. Finally, felt listened to, that my pains needed some help. My pains had...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
The "Flu-mira"It has been more than a year since I started treating my ankylosing spondylitis with Humira. This treatment has been life-changing. Even though I still might get some rigidity or...Reactions0reactionsComments1 comments
3 Journaling Prompts For AS Self-CareWhen I’m really down, I tend to turn toward writing. There’s something about putting pen to page, or fingers to keyboard, that alchemizes the experience of emotion. It gives it...Reactions0reactionsComments10 comments
My Experience With Switching BiologicsI started biologics in July of 2020, a nerve-wracking experience for me. I was on Cimzia for 3 months, I did not have a pleasant experience with Cimzia. I wrote articles about this that you can read. I...Reactions0reactionsComments5 comments
My Third Of Many COVID Jabs?Last Thursday I was lucky enough to get my third Pfizer vaccination to protect me from this pesky coronavirus that doesn’t seem to be leaving us anytime soon. This COVID...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
I Cherish My Precious AttentionWith AxSpa we can experience brain fog, difficulty to stay focused, lack of attention, and short attention span. That is the kind of thing that strikes me the most with...Reactions0reactionsComments8 comments
What Brain Fog Looks Like for MeDo you ever struggle with remembering where you put things, forming complete thoughts, or even remembering what you were thinking about doing 2 minutes ago and now you’re standing in...Reactions0reactionsComments21 comments
My AxSpA WeathermanIt’s raining again, I think to myself. I peek out the window and sure enough, there’s a downpour. I don’t need to see rain in the forecast, I can feel...Reactions0reactionsComments3 comments
5 Things That Make Shopping EasierShopping is not my favorite thing. It was kind of fun before arthritis, but these days it’s just something that I have to get done. It’s the classic trickster’s trap...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments