#PatientsHavePower: The Gift of Breakthrough Research and Clinical Trials
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#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

Spryngs by Brevani: Elegant Arthritis-Friendly Rings for Swollen Fingers
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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
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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

When Stars Get Sick: Glamorizing Illness or Bringing Awareness?
Advocacy / Arthritis Ashley / Autoimmune / Awareness / Body Image / chronic illness / Entertainment / invisible illness / Lady Gaga / Lupus / Personal Stories / Pop Culture / rheum awareness / Selena Gomez / social media / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

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
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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

#RealTalkRA Summit: Pharma, Fun, and Friends
Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / Autoimmune / Awareness / Body Image / chronic illness / Juvenile Arthritis / Personal Stories / RA awareness / rheum awareness / social media / Uncategorized / Wellness

#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

No, Lady Gaga Did NOT Confirm That She Has Rheumatoid Arthritis
Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Ashley / arthritis awareness / arthritis blog / Arthritis Foundation / Autoimmune / Awareness / Body Image / chronic illness / Disability / Entertainment / healthline / invisible illness / Juvenile Arthritis / Lady Gaga / Lupus / pain / Personal Stories / Pop Culture / RA awareness / rheum awareness / rheumatoid arthritis awareness / Selena Gomez / SLE / social media / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

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

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

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

“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