The Recalibrated Compass — Alexandra Fendrich

“Wow, I haven’t kicked a soccer ball in about three years,” I said to my friends Monica and Stephanie before wiping a puddle of sweat from my forehead. “That felt amazing.” It was a Saturday morning in early June, and we’d spent the last half-hour playing a game of 2…

Since I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) at the age of 26, one of the main issues I’ve faced is loneliness. Missing out on social engagements when I’m in a flare, giving up hobbies that I love, and being isolated while in the throes of chronic pain have…

One evening in December, I scrolled through photos on my phone, looking back at each moment in time. As I swiped through the pictures, however, I found myself grimacing at a number of them and the experiences I was going through at the time: my selfie at the cafe downstairs;…

It’s been a while since my last column, and I apologize for that. I’ll try to unpack several of the challenges that have come up for me in recent months. While they’re not all directly linked to ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I believe that many of you will relate to…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with ciprofloxacin and other antibiotics. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Last month I traveled to Europe for vacation with my partner. We spent three days with our friends in…

In November 2022, after a tearful Minion-themed goodbye party, I did what I thought was the best model for my seventh graders: I told them I needed to put my health first. I resigned from my position as a full-time special education teacher in a middle school and switched to…

It’s summer, which means I want to spend more time outside, preferably near water with an ice cream in hand. Living with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has required me to have a different form of “hot girl summer,” though, as I manage the ups and downs of…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with an il-17 inhibitor. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. When my rheumatologist first told me we were going to try a biologic medication to treat my…

Ever since I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) three years ago, I’ve had many nights when I convinced myself I was better off staying at home in front of the TV with a heating pad on my back, watching “Love Is Blind.” When you are…

For the first year after my diagnosis, I dreamed almost nightly of my healthier self. In the depths of rapid eye movement sleep, I was sprinting across the soccer field, jogging down the paved roads of Central Park in New York, even shuffling my seventh-grade students through the subway…