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

Managing Stress While Living with Chronic Pain or Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

As many as 90% of doctor visits, and thus coinciding conditions, have stress as a causative or effective component. Stress is a part of life for everyone, and how stress is handled varies from person to person. Unfortunately, for people living with a disability, chronic illness, or any other medical problem, life tends to come with a … Continue reading

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Spanish Speakers – Check out ReumatoIDEAS from the Arthritis Foundation, Mid Atlantic Region – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Hola, buenos amigos! If you speak Spanish and have arthritis or know someone who does, ReumatoIDEAS is for you! Some of your favorite “Wellness with a Side of Life, Please” blog posts are translated into Spanish and shared on this new blog, so that we can reach even more readers who live with arthritis or … Continue reading

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A Balancing Act: Talking About Arthritis and Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

I have found that it is sometimes difficult to describe my conditions, honestly, and with full-disclosure, without people “feeling bad” for me. I also hate to play the “victim” role, and I certainly try not to, but when I really delve into the complexities of the conditions I have lived with, it kind of sounds … Continue reading

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

The Inconvenient Truths About Life with Arthritis and Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

I’ll admit it. I, like many of you, have, at times, grown weary of hearing, “You need to exercise. You need to eat well. You need to think positive thoughts. Sleep is important. You can’t give up,” and so on. But, I recently had a lot of health crises that led me to have a … Continue reading

Advocacy / Arthritis / Arthritis Foundation / Awareness / Fibromyalgia / Juvenile Arthritis / Personal Stories / Types of Arthritis / Uncategorized / Wellness

Social Media for Support: E-Patients Using the Internet to Cope with Arthritis & Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Support groups are a great way to cope with illness or disability. In today’s world, online support groups and social networks are a great way to belong to a health community where you can interact with others who “get” what you are going through. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and even Pinterest offer patients the chance to … Continue reading

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

Parenthood, Arthritis, and Chronic Pain – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

 Parenting is a difficult task for anyone, but particularly of those with chronic illness or a disability. How can you care for your children when there are days that you can barely care for yourself? I don’t have kids of my own but I posed the question to the arthritis community on Facebook and Twitter, … Continue reading

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Health & Hollywood: Stars Get Sick, Too! A Look at Celebrities with Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck

Sure, their “people” usually try to either: a.) hide the fact that their celebrity client is sick or b.) exploit the fact that their celebrity client is sick….but the truth is, stars are human, and even the most beautiful, rich, and famous people in the world get sick, too. I was  saddened to hear about … Continue reading