*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
Tag Archives: Health
My Joints Are 90 Years Old, But That’s OK
✨✨ Long post, but I promise it has a point. Please read to the end! (And please excuse typos.) ✨✨ In the past year, I have been told by orthopedic surgeons that my right knee looks like an 80-year-old’s. I was told that my right foot and ankle look like a 90-year-old. And yesterday, that my … Continue reading
Healthcare Should Be A Basic Human Right
Today I was told that health insurance is unnecessary, that the doctor should just charge us for what we use. It should only be for catastrophes, not ongoing or recurring treatments. If someone is too sick to work, or elderly, or born into a poor family, “oh well,” they said — we are all born … Continue reading
Body Shaming + When Illness or Disability Affect Body Image, Fashion, and Beauty
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
#Longread: The Emotions of Thinking and Talking About Illness
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
All About the Autoimmune Registry
Guys, I’m really excited to be working with a great new 501c3 nonprofit called The Autoimmune Registry. We are in the process of creating a hub for research, statistics, and patient data on all autoimmune illnesses. We also aim to establish prevalence of these disease, as right now the estimates for autoimmune disease prevalence are all … Continue reading
Karma and Illness: That’s a Nope
I don’t go so far as to reject many ideas. Truly. I’m like a sponge: I soak up as much information as I can and try to equally and fairly weigh all points of view and perspectives. I like to try to learn about things without judging them. Even if I disagree with something, I … Continue reading
#HAWMC – Day 10: An RA Q&A
Questions and answers about life with rheumatoid arthritis and invisible illness. Continue reading
When RA Tries to Get in the Way (But I Won’t Let It)
I set off for this summer to be my “summer of hobbies.” My summer even has its own Instagram hashtag, #AshSummerOfHobbies2016! But, I didn’t anticipate RA to get in the way. (This is something I discussed in a recent Arthritis Ashley Facebook Live Chat.) I’m very proud of myself for pushing through, though. RA and … Continue reading
The Problem with Negativity: And Why Being Positive Doesn’t Hurt
Let’s be honest: no one can be positive all the time. To do so simply wouldn’t be human. I highly doubt that there is one person on this earth who has never been unhappy or felt pessimistic, who is always happy and positive at all times, and without fail. If so, I would like to … Continue reading