Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Awareness / Juvenile Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

What’s In a Name? Distinguishing Rheumatoid Arthritis from Osteoarthritis

 What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, right? But, sometimes, what certain things, situations, or ailments are called can lead to confusion. I recently heard of someone naming their pet cat, “Dog.” Funny, but confusing. So is the term, “rheumatoid arthritis.” The word arthritis (literally meaning, “joint inflammation) … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Ashley's Health Diary / Awareness / Juvenile Arthritis / Personal Stories / Uncategorized / Wellness

“What I Know For Sure” – Chronic Illness Edition … by Ashley Boynes – inspired by Oprah Winfrey

Oprah has taught me a lot of things. She’s one of my idols, and, to me, a prime example of “overcoming” in the face of adversity to truly live your life to its fullest potential. After writing in since high school (I graduated in 2002) and being on a ticket waiting list for over 2 … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Awareness / Juvenile Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

Just Say YES … Live Your Life Despite Arthritis – by Ashley Boynes

I recently bought a book entitled, “A Place of Yes” and, though I’ve yet to start reading it, I realized last week before even purchasing it that I am in a place of “yes” myself. I’ve learned to “just say yes” despite arthritis and other chronic ailments. After all, we only live once….so why not … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Awareness / Juvenile Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

Rheumatic Conditions, Autoimmune Diseases, and the Skin: How does our skin relate to arthritis? – by Ashley Boynes

The skin is the largest organ of our bodies….but we so often forget about it. Don’t neglect your skin, and don’t ignore skin-related symptoms! There are many rheumatic autoimmune disorders that affect the skin. I personally have high autoimmunity, a few different conditions, and have had a slew of dermatologic issues ranging from vitiligo, to … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Ashley's Health Diary / Awareness / Journey to Wellness / Personal Stories / Uncategorized

Some Anecdotes & Some Silver Lining: Stories of arthritic hands, Lady Gaga, and advocating for yourself and your health! ~ Ashley’s Health Diary, Entry #26

Entry #26 – December 3rd, 2010 I’ve got a few interesting antecdotes to share in this entry, and so I’ll split it up into a few separate stories, if you all don’t mind! First let me tell you about my hands. (Bear with me here!)  In a previous post, I bemoaned my “ugly hands” and … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Awareness / Uncategorized / Wellness

Pay It Forward: Can Being “Nice” Be HEALTHY Too? The Science Behind Selflessness

Today is National “Pay It Forward” Day. This initiative encourages all of us to do one good deed for 1 to 3 other people, expecting nothing in return. You could pay for a stranger’s food or coffee at a drive-thru, buy an extra Christmas gift for a child in need, leave an anonymous gift in … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Awareness / Personal Stories / Uncategorized

Arthritis and Chronic Illness – We Have It, It Doesn’t Have Us! – Ashley Boynes

Life with chronic illness is tough. But we have arthritis, it doesn’t have us. The same goes for any condition or disability that you might be fighting …. from fibromyalgia, to diabetes, celiac disease, to multiple sclerosis, to lupus, scleroderma, ankylosing spondylitis, myositis, felty’s syndrome, sjogren’s, thyroid disease, bipolar disorder, cancer, and more. There are … Continue reading