Joint Journey - a Column by Jemma Newman

When I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in December 2019, I frequently felt anxious, miserable, and utterly exhausted about my future. But if I could go back and tap myself (gently) on the shoulder at that difficult time, I’d have some encouraging thoughts to share. If anyone reading…

“I can barely remember these events happening. I was just so tired all the time,” my husband, Dave, sadly remarked as we scrolled through family photos from a few years ago. The fatigue caused by ankylosing spondylitis (AS) isn’t the same as feeling that you could use a…

I start most days with a delicious berry smoothie for breakfast. Even after five years of eating a daily smoothie since being diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I’m still not sick of it. One reason I choose a smoothie is because I can easily add collagen powder…

My social media feed is bloated with posts by friends and acquaintances bursting to share their big, audacious goals with the world — and it’s making me feel queasy. Every time I’ve picked up my phone lately to seek a little inspiration or entertainment during a few minutes of downtime,…

I recently had to get a full spine MRI to check the progression of my ankylosing spondylitis (AS). It didn’t hurt in the slightest, but I found it to be an intense sensory experience. Many AS patients get an MRI as part…

If I type “ankylosing spondylitis” (AS) into Google, one of the first prompts that pops up on my screen is “Can ankylosing spondylitis be cured?” Though I know AS can’t be cured entirely because it’s a chronic autoimmune disease, I believe I’m getting close to achieving remission.

At my latest rheumatology appointment to monitor my ankylosing spondylitis (AS) progression, a wave of goosebumps broke out on my arms as I stepped through the automatic glass door from a hot, sunny day into the chilled, antiseptic-scented air of the hospital clinic I realized with annoyance that…

Scrolling through the camera roll on my phone, I stumbled across a photo of myself with a wide smile. My makeup looked flawless and my body slender and strong, but I could see that the smile didn’t reach my eyes. Instantly, my mind flashed back to 2020, when the image…

Christmas feels different as an adult than it did as a child, doesn’t it? Especially when you’re coping with a chronic disease like ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the holiday joy is tempered with a daunting list of physically and mentally challenging “should-dos.” As I sit here typing on my…

“Sleep anxiety is a real thing,” my husband, Dave, announced as we were putting on our pajamas last night. We were both exhausted after back-to-back nights of troubled sleep, with lots of tossing and turning because of the discomfort that ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can cause at night.