Joint Journey — Jemma Newman

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 discomfort, and I’m not constantly thinking about pain and how to…

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 symptoms have changed from yesterday. Or perhaps, like me, you’ve found…

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 spondylitis (AS). It was the middle of the night and I…

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 overhead, then turned back to each other to continue our chat.

Last month, my son turned 5, which also means I’ve had ankylosing spondylitis (AS) symptoms for five years. As he enthusiastically blew out the candles on his candy-covered birthday cake, I had flashbacks to the time shortly after his birth when I started experiencing symptoms. Those first few years of…

It helps when someone understands what it’s like to live with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). My only sister, Angie Lole, and I live on different sides of the world (she’s in the U.S., and I’m in Australia), but we have something that links us closely: We’ve both been diagnosed…

My first symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) weren’t the commonly discussed sacroiliac pain, which is at the base of the spine. Instead, I was waking up in the wee hours of the night with intense burning in the middle of my spine, ribs, and shoulder blades. After 2…

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…

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…