The Other Side of ButterfliesButterflies and baseball are 2 of my favorite things. Both combine simplicity, flashes of beauty, and long stretches of quiet and apparent inactivity to balance bursts of frenetic activity. I... By Dawn Gibson2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments10 comments
New Year, Same BodyWhat do I want to make sure to get out of 2023? Some common New Year's resolutions have to do with body management, such as exercising and eating a certain... By Jill King3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
Communicating With Brain Fog, Fatigue, & Pain From Ankylosing SpondylitisI'm a born orritor. Worked in radio, was a storyteller, provided voice over for different projects. I can speak in a voice that both comforts and excites. (I also might... By Jed Finley3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments16 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-Flikas-aks3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
How Pets Help Build Confidence and Joy With AxSpaI remember reading an article in the NASS magazine about a young woman sharing her story entitled "Farming is my Therapy." I found that inspiring, and amazing to read that... By Julie Vallortigara3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 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 Lawrence Rick Phillips5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments
Reflecting and Welcoming a New YearA Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a happy New Year ahead for all of us. Wishing you all happiness and nothing but the best for our health. Reflecting on the... By Nicky Flikas3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments9 comments
Become Friends With FearWhen I was diagnosed with AS, along with the pain, stiffness, and fatigue, one of the most debilitating symptoms was...fear. If you obtain an injury, for example you sprain your... By Jamie Boder2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 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-Flikas-aks2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments4 comments
A Negative Mind Will Never Give Us a Positive Life!It's so easy to turn a positive mindset into a negative one, right? Your brain is on the go 24/7 and if you're anything like me, who has anxiety, then... By Nadine Cruz2 min readBookmark for laterReactions 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 laterReactions 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments3 comments
The Pain of Being the Spondy SubYou all might know that I am a teacher, but I don’t imagine too many of my readers know what kind of teacher I am. My current placement is as... By Jed Finley4 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments5 comments
The Verdict in My Low Dose Naltrexone ExperimentIt’s been just over two years since I started taking Low Dose Naltrexone to help manage my AS. LDN is a somewhat controversial, off-label prescription that is well known in... By Anne-Marie Raymond3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments17 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 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 Baker-aks3 min readBookmark for laterReactions 0 reactions Comments6 comments
Luggage, Long Lines, and Jet-LagWhen my daughter received notice of acceptance into the University of Edinburgh for her Master's degree, she asked, "Will you go with me to get me settled?" Of course, I... By Rebecca C5 min readBookmark for laterReactions 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 laterReactions 0 reactions Comments8 comments