Doing What We Can

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Something I’ve struggled with during my decades of illness is what I WANT to do, versus what I CAN do. I’m learning to accept that I can only do what I can. Some days, like last weekend, it is hiking up over 500 steps on the side of a mountain. Some days, like yesterday, it … Continue reading →

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No, Lady Gaga Did NOT Confirm That She Has Rheumatoid Arthritis

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 5 Comments

A post has gone viral in recent days, feverishly declaring that “Lady Gaga Has RA!” “Lady Gaga Reveals She Has Rheumatoid Arthritis” and “Pop Star Lady Gaga Opens Up About Life With Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Except … she never specifically revealed that she has it. I admit that I was guilty of initially, (hesitantly) sharing it with a … Continue reading →

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#Longread: LEMONADE: Who Would I Be Without My Lemons?

Posted on February 12, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 10 Comments

“Oh, stars in her eyes, She fights and she sweats those sleepless nights, But she don’t mind, she loves the grind, She grinds from Monday to Friday, Works from Friday to Sunday…” – ‘6-Inch,’ Beyoncé, Lemonade. Beyonce and Lemonade The above quote is from a song off of Beyoncé’s album, Lemonade. You see, the Grammy Awards are tonight. Grammys … Continue reading →

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Body Shaming + When Illness or Disability Affect Body Image, Fashion, and Beauty

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

Body-shaming is sadly a very real phenomenon. I mean, just look at the awesome and mega-fit Lady Gaga (who I LOVE, by the way!) who was shamed and trolled over a practically-nonexistent “belly roll” during the Super Bowl. It almost became a bigger topic of conversation than her stellar, iconic, and historically-great Super Bowl Halftime Show. … Continue reading →

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#Longread: The Emotions of Thinking and Talking About Illness

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

I’ve written and posted before about hiding our pain to spare the feelings of others, and many similar topics of conversation. I have also written about the emotions of guilt, resentment, and burden that can accompany a lifelong illness or disability. I decided to revisit the topic and reframe it in a couple of new ways. The first … Continue reading →

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Walking in My Shoes: Keeping Perspective With a Chronic Health Issue

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

Today I decided to post a photo to my blog that I had posted on Facebook and Instagram back in November, 2016. Since I finally have my custom medial-unloader knee brace and my custom permanent Arizona cast for my foot, I decided that this particular post would be worthy of a re-share, and you will see … Continue reading →

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Breaking: Sick Girl is Sick of Absolutes and Assumptions

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

We live in a society where people think that if you’re for one thing, you’re against another. It’s also a world in which people think that by discussing your own journey, you are somehow dismissing theirs. We are divided on many issues, we still think in cliches, and we still see in stereotypes. But we act … Continue reading →