Articles

I have come to the realization that I have the sort of face that airport security can’t help but to "randomly select" for an inspection. So much so that when I...

This community – the one you’re visiting right now via this website – has done so much for me. It’s where I learned what ankylosing spondylitis was in the first...

When I think of dating in my 20s, it looks different than I expected in a lot of ways. So much of dating is debriefing friends and overthinking signals, these...

"I have ankylosing spondylitis or AS," I tell the busy-body woman who I know through friends and family. She's asking me how I'm doing — "and what is it you...

Part of life with ankylosing spondylitis includes scans to check for bone change and progression. My disease activity over recent years has been low so my rheumatologist is happy to...

I am tired frequently, meandering through the days, dragging my impaired body from room to room, the fatigue so overwhelming. Forget exercise and nutrition to any meaningful capacity. The pain...

Editor's note: Read how James' trip went in his follow up article, "Going on My First Trip Post Diagnosis and Pandemic." Prior to my diagnosis, I was most definitely a frequent...

Becoming a parent brings so many unanticipated joys and challenges, but one my husband and I never thought about before was how we would talk to the kids about AxSpa...

I can’t be the only one battling the unfortunate notion that there’s something lazy, inferior, or otherwise wrong about seeking the easiest ways to do things for myself. Years of...

Authentic self-care is grounded in the actions required to align our needs, desires, and commitments with our actions. It’s a deep process, especially when we aren’t used to spending so...

I have a hate-love relationship for the term “baby steps.” Maybe this is because of my perspective as a parent (and the hard work it takes to teaching the basics...

Growing up, I went through stages of depression, anxiety, and always not feeling well for long periods of time. I thought it was maybe just my body going through another...

You’re sitting at your desk with a heat pad plugged in, on high, and strapped to your lower back. A co-worker walks by, notices your setup, and stops to ask...

One of the most critical issues I think we've all been facing in the past few years is the regularity of disinformation. We have seen it during political elections and...

I’ve recently started a few different medications. My doctors and I are still trying to figure out what works best for all my conditions: depression, anxiety, AS, fibromyalgia, and colitis...

Here in Australia we’re leaving the cold weather behind and enjoying the spring. At this time I’m once again conscious of all my friends in the northern hemisphere living through...

I used to remind myself that I'm not the only one going through things in life. Sometimes my expectations of others wasn't fair. I expected everyone to check on me...

It’s no secret that getting diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can be a life-changing experience. It is an inflammatory disease that can cause pain, stiffness, and immobility in the spine...

I know today you are having a hard time. Last night, you went to bed thinking tomorrow would be a better day. You went to bed thinking tomorrow would be...

Not long after I was diagnosed with axial spondyloarthritis, I spoke to my doctor about accommodations at college. My pain and brain fog add a difficult layer to learning, and...