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

The Imperfection of Appropriate Language: Discussing Disability is Difficult
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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
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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

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

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