There are many things that those of us who live with chronic illness have to contend with, and one of those things is the thoughts and opinions of others. While we should pay no mind to what others think of us, I, for one, would be lying if I said I didn’t worry about what … Continue reading
Tag Archives: JA
The 2013 Juvenile Arthritis Conference – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
#KidsGetArthritisToo – It’s Juvenile Arthritis Conference time! There is currently a live Instagram feed on the JA conference page on arthritis.org up now. Any photo uploaded to Instagram with the hash tag #kidsgetarthritistoo will be shown on this feed. Sessions on Friday and Saturday will be live streamed onwww.arthritis.org/jaconf. The sessions that will be … Continue reading
Getting the Support you Need Online – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
There are many ways to use the Internet to find information about different types of arthritis. However, another added benefit to surfing the web is that you can find all kinds of helpful support groups and communities of people just like yourself who are dealing with arthritis, chronic pain, and/or rheumatic diseases. Facebook has a … Continue reading
What Story Does Your Face Tell? – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Arthritis Month has come to an end, but just because June is here, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep on spreading arthritis awareness. During the month of May, I saw and heard a lot from the Arthritis Foundation’s “Faces of Arthritis” campaign — a wonderful, and sometimes eye-opening, initiative. I thought long and hard about the Face of Arthritis, and … Continue reading
Autoimmune Illness and Circulation: How Do Conditions Like Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Our Cardiovascular System? – By Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Most people think of aches and pains when they hear about arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, and similar ailments. The truth is, these conditions are complex, and there are still so many unknowns that surround each of them. Yes, pain and inflammation are often a huge part of various forms of arthritis and other chronic autoimmune illnesses, … Continue reading
Education and JA: Get the Facts on 504 Plans and Juvenile Arthritis – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Every child has unique and specific needs when it comes to their education — but children with conditions such as juvenile arthritis may have an even more difficult time at school. Whether it is carrying loaded backpacks or heavy books, having trouble participating in gym class, missing school altogether, or sitting for extended periods of … Continue reading
The Pediatric Rheumatology Shortage: What’s a Juvenile Arthritis Patient to Do? – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Approximately 300,000 American children and teens live with juvenile arthritis – that’s about 1 in 250. Yes – you read that correctly: 1 in 250 kids suffers from arthritis. If that number isn’t eye-opening enough, check out this staggering statistic: there are only 250 active and board certified pediatric rheumatologists in the United States. Unfortunately, … Continue reading
Two Sides of the Same Coin: Traditional vs. Alternative Treatments for Arthritis – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
There has been a lot of bickering – and worse yet, a lot of what comes across as hatred – on social networks lately, regarding the use of alternative treatments for arthritis. The way that I look at it, though, is that those who use alternative treatments and those who use traditional medical treatments for … Continue reading
An Open Letter to Lady Gaga: Synovitis Stinks! – from Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Dear Lady Gaga, a.k.a. Stefani: Synovitis stinks. I, too, am a twentysomething who knows what it is like to have put on hold the things I love because of pain, and I interact with thousands of others every day who have felt the same exact way. I read on your Twitter page that your doctor … Continue reading
Arthritis and The Flu: How to Handle Influenza and Rheumatic Disease – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
This has been one of the most dangerous and widespread flu seasons in years, and it is important for everyone to take proper precautions in preventing the flu. One option is gettinga flu vaccine. While the flu shot is controversial to some, it has been shown to reduce the occurence of certain strains of … Continue reading