Hi, friends! I hope you’re all doing well. It’s been quite some time since I’ve updated my Arthritis Ashley blog here, and I apologize. Since September, I’ve dealt with a death in the family, selling and buying a house, renovating and redecorating the new house, lots of traveling, and a total knee replacement complete with … Continue reading
Author Archives: Arthritis Ashley
Spryngs by Brevani: Elegant Arthritis-Friendly Rings for Swollen Fingers
Spryngs by Brevani’s tagline is “elegance that fits comfortably for a lifetime.” I love that, because it encapsulates what this brand is all about. This upscale high-end fine jewelry line has finally come out with rings that have the arthritis patient in mind. Actually — their beautiful jewelry is well-suited to anyone whose ring size … Continue reading
Feeling Adult-ish After My Total Knee Replacement
There was a song that was popular when I was in high school called “What’s My Age Again?” by Blink 182. I’ve always related to that question: what IS my age? It’s mostly because of my rheumatoid arthritis. First off, there’s always been an issue with my actual diagnosis: yes, it WAS “juvenile” rheumatoid arthritis, … Continue reading
The Imperfection of Appropriate Language: Discussing Disability is Difficult
I want to first start off by apologizing to anyone I may have offended in my recent article for A Woman’s Health Magazine (online version) and Women magazine (print version) entitled: For Some With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Beauty Really is Pain. I enjoyed writing this article and was very proud of it, until someone wrote me … Continue reading
Your Story Counts: Help Further Autoimmune Disease Research Today
Autoimmune diseases can be serious, and the following video includes just some of the faces of the millions of people who live with these often-invisible illnesses. Today is #WorldArthritisDay. I personally live with just one of many autoimmune forms of arthritis. But did you know that arthritis, and joint & muscle pain, are also common … Continue reading
When Stars Get Sick: Glamorizing Illness or Bringing Awareness?
It never fails to amaze me how fired up people on the Internet get about celebrities. Like, okay … I’ve been guilty of it to an extent. I’m an admitted fangirl. I’m proudly in the “fandoms” of Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Oprah. I’m a Grey’s Anatomy lifer. … Continue reading
“What RA Looks Like” – by Healthline
What Rheumatoid Arthritis Looks Like In August, Healthline.com sent a film crew to my home in Pittsburgh. They followed me around for 8 hours to see what a typical day is like for me as a patient with RA. (Of course, we all know that there is no “typical” day. That day, I was able … Continue reading
#RealTalkRA Summit: Pharma, Fun, and Friends
This week, I was invited by Pfizer to attend the 2017 Real Talk Summit in New York City. While they did compensate me for my time and took care of accommodations, I’m going to go ahead and disclaim now that they are NOT paying me for this blog post, and did NOT ask *or* … Continue reading
X-Rays Don’t Lie
I thought I’d share these as a follow-up to my “My Joints are 90 Years Old” post. I am having a total knee replacement of the right knee in a few weeks. I also need a right thumb joint replacement. My left wrist and right foot are beyond surgical repair. I’ve been told that my … Continue reading
To Friends I’ve Lost Because of Illness
To the friends I’ve lost becuase of illness: I understand. I understand that it would be hard to befriend someone who seems like a flake, who is unpredictable with keeping plans, who always seems like a “no” RSVP. I know it would be difficult to trust that someone would show up if they were wishy-washy … Continue reading