Joint Journey — Jemma Newman

Lately, I’ve had an enormous grin plastered across my face, thanks to lots of exciting life events happening over the last three months. This week, I’m holding my very first art exhibition, which I’ve been feverishly preparing for. In…

I first started experiencing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) symptoms in 2018, shortly after my son was born. I couldn’t figure out why my spine and ribs were hurting in such a bone-achingly deep way. At the time of my…

The last trip I made to a hospital in Perth, Australia, to see a rheumatologist for my ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was before the world was disrupted by COVID-19. It’s been several years since I’ve sat in…

As our sedan sped along the highway to our destination in Margaret River, in Western Australia, I realized with delight that this was the first holiday in the last few years that hasn’t made me feel anxious. Holidays…

If you have an invisible disease like ankylosing spondylitis (AS), as my husband, Dave, and I do, perhaps you’ve noticed that people only realize something’s wrong if you say it out loud. Sometimes I find it hard to…

My husband, Dave, and I both have ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and when we’re struggling to live with the disease, even simple things can seem difficult. A normally easy activity, like commuting to work on the train, can…

Note: This column describes the author’s husband’s experiences with meloxicam. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Sleeping beside my husband, Dave, who has ankylosing spondylitis…

The drizzle swept down on us during a stormy night in Perth, Western Australia, last month as my husband, Dave, and I joined some friends outside a cozy downtown bar. The babysitter was paid for, our stomachs were full…

I’m excited to share an update on my ankylosing spondylitis (AS) journey, because I’m experiencing minimal pain and stiffness at the moment. I’ve slept peacefully through the night for the last week, without tossing and turning in…

It’s no wonder it can take such a long time to diagnose ankylosing spondylitis (AS), in a process that involves a lot of confusion along the way. Maybe your family is surprised when you explain that your…

Note: This column discusses depression. Resources for help are listed at the end of the column. Can I tell you a secret? I had a mini-panic attack when I started writing this column about my journey with ankylosing…

Last night, my husband, Dave, and I were sitting outside, drinks in hand, with a sliver of moon hanging above us in the deepening indigo sky. We both gasped and said, “Ooooh, wow,” as a shooting star flared briefly…