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As I slowly loaded packets of minced beef and frozen salmon onto the supermarket checkout conveyor belt, I heard a loud and impatient sigh from behind me. Another customer was standing close by, brows furrowed, with a partly full basket dangling from one manicured hand. I was at the tail…

When I was pregnant before I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I was pretty tired. Particularly at the end of my pregnancy, when I could hardly take a breath, my organs were all squished, and my body was expending its resources on growing another human being, I needed…

Confession time: I wasn’t always a big advocate for gut health. I’m a skeptical person, so I mentally categorized it with unproven alternative therapies and fad diets. I’ve always eaten pretty healthily, but I didn’t make the connection that what I ingest — even if generally considered healthy — could…

“Would you mind doing a survey?” the doctor asked me. “We are doing some research into how and at what speed ankylosing spondylitis progresses in the average patient.” As someone diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I understand the importance of increasing knowledge about this relatively rare disease. I…

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, I was picturing swimming underwater with my diving tank on my back. Imagine sinking down through cool, shimmering water while kicking your fins to propel yourself slowly toward the white, sandy bottom of the ocean. Incredible coral formations are close by,…

Lately, one of my favorite shows has been “The Mandalorian,” a Disney+ original spinoff series from the epic “Star Wars” chronicles. Every time I watch an episode, it makes me think about the importance of friends when you are facing challenges, such as a chronic disease. The hero…

A few weeks ago, I experienced what I’d call one of my most painful ankylosing spondylitis (AS) flares. I want to share this experience not to complain, but to talk freely about the difficulties of this chronic disease. The Spondylitis Association of America article “Examining Flares…

Last in a series. Read part one. Welcome back to my ultimate roundup of tools that help my husband, Dave, and I manage our ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Come on in to my virtual home, and let’s continue the tour!  Some of these tools might seem basic…

If you asked me which complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies I’ve found most helpful for managing my ankylosing spondylitis (AS), I’d tell you diet and chiropractic care, hands down. Desperate for relief before receiving an AS diagnosis, I dabbled with various forms of complementary care. Finding pain…

First in a series. The pain and stiffness of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) ebb and flow like the tide. Some days are calm and relatively pain-free, while others are awash in a crashing wave of joint and muscle pain. My husband, Dave, and I both have AS, and we’ve…