Columns

July 3, 2019June 28, 2019

On Getting Defensive About Living with a Chronic Disease

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

Some people just don’t get it. Maybe others try, but the majority don’t. If you don’t live with a chronic or degenerative disease, it can be hard to wrap ... Read more

June 26, 2019June 21, 2019

3 Things I’ve Learned About Traveling with Ankylosing Spondylitis

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

Travel is particularly brutal when I’m in a flare-up. When I’m feeling OK, it’s still hard but more manageable. With a partner whose family lives in Brazil and the ... Read more

June 19, 2019June 17, 2019

When Pain Becomes Your Constant Friend

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

I realize that the title of this column is hyperbolic, but it contains an element of truth. I often think about how we get to know our daily pain ... Read more

June 12, 2019June 18, 2019

Mind Over Matter: Can Optimism Change Our Disease?

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

As a poet myself, it warms my heart to have learned that Simon Armitage, the U.K.’s new poet laureate, has ankylosing spondylitis (AS). I know of few writers who ... Read more

May 1, 2019April 29, 2019

Three Morning Rituals for Ankylosing Spondylitis Support

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

I am a big fan of ritualized living. I even wrote a book about it, “Light Magic for Dark Times,” which includes a chapter on body and identity, largely ... Read more

April 24, 2019April 23, 2019

On Learning to Find a Balance While Being Chronically Ill

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

I left a really challenging job situation last year. The job was making me physically sicker and sicker, like the blood in my veins was slowly draining. My ankylosing ... Read more

April 17, 2019April 16, 2019

Finding Balance on Social Media While Managing Chronic Illness

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

There are many great things about social media. It connects people who would never otherwise meet or talk, creates shared experiences, and can be used as a tool for ... Read more

March 27, 2019March 25, 2019

How Stress Impacted My Ankylosing Spondylitis

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

When I was officially diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) two years ago, I’d been having symptoms for the better part of a decade. The diagnosis came at a time ... Read more

March 13, 2019March 12, 2019

My Shingles Story: How It Happened and What I Did in Response

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

I was put on biologic medicine to treat ankylosing spondylitis a little over a year ago. I started the biweekly injections and slathered myself in hand sanitizer everywhere I ... Read more

February 27, 2019February 26, 2019

3 Ways to Get Out of an Ankylosing Spondylitis Slump

A Wellness Journey - a Column by Lisa Marie Basile, Columns

Life can be affirming and beautiful, but it also can be hard, random, and totally unfair. We all know this. And all of that is extra real when living ... Read more