Making Planning Work For YouLife is a tug of war between disruptive chaos and the things we want and need to do. Lots of cool things happen along the way, but this struggle is...reactions2comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions5comments
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...reactions5comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions15comments
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...reactions4comments
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...reactions5comments
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...reactions12comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions1comment
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...reactions3comments
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...reactions2comments
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...reactions6comments
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...reactions5comments
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...reactions15comments
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...reactions3comments