#PatientsHavePower: The Gift of Breakthrough Research and Clinical Trials
Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / arthritis blog / Autoimmune / Awareness / chronic illness / Disability / Fibromyalgia / invisible illness / Juvenile Arthritis / Lupus / pain / Personal Stories / RA awareness / rheum awareness / rheumatoid arthritis awareness / SLE / social media / sponsored / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

#PatientsHavePower: The Gift of Breakthrough Research and Clinical Trials

*Disclaimer: Before I begin, let’s get the requisite disclaimer out of the way: this piece has been entered in the Patients Have Power Writing Contest run by Clara Health. It is designed to raise awareness about clinical trials. That said, I’m nonetheless still passionate about this cause, and am personally interested in everything that this … Continue reading

How RA Impacts Relationships and Self-Love: A Pfizer Facebook Live Chat with Arthritis Ashley & Dr. Logan Levkoff
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How RA Impacts Relationships and Self-Love: A Pfizer Facebook Live Chat with Arthritis Ashley & Dr. Logan Levkoff

Thank you to Pfizer for having Dr. Logan Levkoff and me on to discuss Relationships & Rheumatoid Arthritis. Filmed live at Pfizer Studios in New York City, we discussed how RA can affect relationships with our partners, our families, and, even our relationship with our selves. Check out the video on the Pfizer Facebook page, … Continue reading

Pfizer & Arthritis Ashley Facebook Live: May 29
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Pfizer & Arthritis Ashley Facebook Live: May 29

Tomorrow (Tuesday, May 29th, 2018) at 11:45am EST, I will join Pfizer and nationally-recognized relationship expert Logan Levkoff, Ph.D, to discuss how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) impacts life, relationships, and self-esteem. We will also be introducing a fun “RA Fishbowl” exercise which can help you talk to your spouse, partner, family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues about living with … Continue reading

Cupping, Gua Sha, and Acupuncture: Can They Help with Arthritis and Chronic Pain?
Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / invisible illness / Juvenile Arthritis / Lupus / pain / Personal Stories / RA awareness / rheum awareness / rheumatoid arthritis awareness / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

Cupping, Gua Sha, and Acupuncture: Can They Help with Arthritis and Chronic Pain?

Most of you know that I am a big fan of integrative medicine: a mix of natural or alternative methodologies and traditional pharmaceutical treatments. In fact, one of the first “real” published articles I wrote was in a local magazine (called South Fayette & Neighbors, now known as IN South Fayette,) in 2006, and it … Continue reading

TheRAconnection.com — Join Today!
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TheRAconnection.com — Join Today!

I’ve recently began blogging with The RA Connection, as well as doing some admin and community management work with this wonderful site. I urge you all to join if you have RA, PsA, OA, Lupus, or AS. It is free, safe, secure, and easy to use — a great place for Community, Content, and Connection … Continue reading

Spryngs by Brevani: Elegant Arthritis-Friendly Rings for Swollen Fingers
Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / Body Image / chronic illness / Entertainment / instagram / pain / Personal Stories / Pop Culture / RA awareness / rheum awareness / rheumatoid arthritis awareness / selfies / social media / sponsored / Uncategorized / Wellness

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
Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / arthritis blog / Ashley's Health Diary / Autoimmune / Awareness / Body Image / chronic illness / Disability / Entertainment / invisible illness / Juvenile Arthritis / pain / Personal Stories / Pop Culture / RA awareness / rheum awareness / rheumatoid arthritis awareness / selfies / social media / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

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

Your Story Counts: Help Further Autoimmune Disease Research Today
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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

“What RA Looks Like” – by Healthline
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“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

X-Rays Don’t Lie
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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