A Cold FishA Cold Fish: Someone who lacks empathy and emotion I feel like I am taking a big risk coming out like this, but I feel I am taking one for... By Jed Finley3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Gene Testing My Children for ASLike the majority of people with ankylosing spondylitis, I tested positive for the gene HLA-B27. Following my diagnosis I often wondered about this genetic marker and the line it traced... By Anne-Marie Raymond2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
Bursts of Denial: When AS Hits SuddenlyThe thing about ankylosing spondylitis, like many immune-mediated diseases, is that no matter how much we've figured out how to manage/control/collaborate with/understand it, it is still a disease with a... By Lisa Marie Basile2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
3 Tips for Managing Anxiety If You Have ASIt's no secret that living with a chronic illness can be challenging—mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. I remember when I was first diagnosed, there was the mental stress... By Tomesha Campbell3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments12 comments
Switching Biologics (Again)I have once again switched my biologic medication! I’ve been on Inflectra, Humira, Cosentyx, and now, drumroll, please...Remicade! Remicade is chemically very similar to Inflectra, which is actually a biosimilar... By Steff Di Pardo2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
Symptoms of NegativityI titled this article “Symptoms of Negativity” but please do not think that this is going to be one of those, outward in, all you need is a smile on... By Jed Finley5 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments2 comments
How Regular Stretching Relieves My AS Pain“Be sure to stretch” was one of the few pieces of advice I walked away with when I was told I had AS. The message got lost for a while... By Anne-Marie Raymond3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
Rating Pain and The Pain ScaleLately, I’ve been reading a lot of creative nonfiction essays during the process of designing an upper-level Creative Nonfiction writing course at the University where I teach and work. The... By Jessica Gama4 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
Biologic Medications and My Finger InfectionHaving an autoimmune disease like AS, my body can be vulnerable to getting infections much easier. I am on biologics (I take Cosentyx) which makes me even more vulnerable to... By Nicky-Flikas3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments5 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... By Rick Phillips5 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments8 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... By Tomesha Campbell2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments9 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... By Nicky-Flikas2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments4 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... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments7 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... By Sarah Lee3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments3 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... By Ashley Nemeth3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments4 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... By Dr. Donica Baker3 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments6 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... By Anne-Marie Raymond2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments8 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... By Lana Buettner2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments3 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... By James Hollens4 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments13 comments
My New Diagnosis of ColitisI wrote about my new digestive issues back in the summer. Back then I didn’t know what would come of these new issues, but I’m here to say I now... By Steff Di Pardo2 min readBookmark for later Reactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
