#PatientsHavePower: The Gift of Breakthrough Research and Clinical Trials

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

*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 →

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

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

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 →

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

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Arthritis Ashley • 1 Comment

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 →

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Feeling Adult-ish After My Total Knee Replacement

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

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 →

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When Stars Get Sick: Glamorizing Illness or Bringing Awareness?

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • 2 Comments

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 →

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“What RA Looks Like” – by Healthline

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Arthritis Ashley • Leave a comment

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 →

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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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#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 →