3 Years Of AS: Reflecting On My Journey So FarThis January marks the third anniversary of my AS diagnosis. However, I can’t tell you the exact date. The previous January, a close...reactions2comments
Becoming ButterfliesThe idea of raising butterflies never crossed my mind until I spotted two mature Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars lazily munching away on...reactions4comments
Getting Ready for My Hip SurgerySoon I will undergo right hip surgery. After a more than a year of hip pain, trying every conservative measure possible (physio...reactions5comments
The Fear of My Symptoms Getting Bad AgainIf you live with AS or any chronic illness, I’m sure you know the feeling of what I’m about to talk about...reactions5comments
Living, Working, Experiencing DisabilityWhen you are someone who experiences disability, there are many barriers that you face in your everyday life. There is a lot...reactions4comments
Strengthening the Core Without Causing a Flare: Part OneEditor's note: Be sure to speak with your doctor before trying a new exercise program. Building a strong core can be difficult...reactions2comments
The Many Doctors Who Manage My Axial SpondyloarthritisOne question I get often is "who treats axial spondyloarthritis?" Typically, this question arises from individuals with some of the symptoms of...reactions11comments
Dry Eyes With BiologicsSoon after getting my diagnosis with AxSpa (after years of waiting for a diagnosis, though), and starting my first biologic treatment (Embrel)...reactions8comments
Polyvagal Theory and Chronic IllnessDr. Stephen Porges developed his polyvagal theory in 1994. You may already know that the vagus nerve is involved in how we...reactions3comments
Enthesitis and Ankylosing Spondylitis: Part 2"Centipede to the physician: Doc, when my feet hurt, I hurt all over." In Part 1 of this discussion, I talked about...reactions12comments
My Experience With Humira And LDNBefore being diagnosed with AS (and fibromyalgia), I was the type of person who would only take medication if I felt it...reactions1comment
My Symptom Tracking MethodI used to loathe the idea of symptom tracking. It stressed me out to think of making a list of all the...reactions13comments
New City, New RheumatologistIn many ways, your quality of life with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) depends on your rheumatologist. That’s why it was nerve-wracking when I...reactions6comments
If I Can Turn Back TimeEvery day, I wake up hoping today will be a different day. Hoping that today, will be a better day, then the...reactionscomments
An Open Letter to Able-Bodied IndividualsDear able-bodied individuals, If you lived in my shoes for just one day, you would understand—the trauma, the sacrifices I have to...reactionscomments
Thinking About Food I can’t imagine another time when food played a more central role in our society. We can watch cooking shows at any...reactionscomments
I’m On A DietMy doctor and I had The Talk, you know the one. We talked about the dreaded BMI, exercise, and carbs. She asked...reactions2comments
Having a Good Rheumatologist AppointmentAs sad as it is, having a good doctors’ appointment is harder than it seems to achieve. Far too often, I’ve had...reactions1comment
The Rollercoaster of Living with Chronic PainBeing in pain 24 hours of the day, 7 days of the week is exhausting. Losing sleep because of it, waking up...reactionscomments
Life Lessons from 17 Years of IllnessI’ve had many different chapters in my life—I was diagnosed with AS when I was nine—and I was incredibly ill until I...reactionscomments
