Joint Journey — Jemma Newman

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…

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…

It’s the beginning of the long and hot summer holidays here in Western Australia, and groups of parents are standing around chatting outside the classrooms while swatting away the pesky flies. “So what have you got planned for the holiday?” is the prevailing question. “Booked a nice trip anywhere?…

It’s the beginning of summer here in Australia, and I’m sitting peacefully at my dining table, basking in the blissful stillness of my normally noisy living room. Through the open doors, I can hear the heady drone of cicadas as they­ buzz in time with one another, like a huge…

The busy Christmas season can be overwhelming, even when you don’t have a chronic disease like ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Because both my husband and I have AS, sometimes we find it hard to enjoy socializing as we used to before our diagnosis. In the past few years,…

This morning I planned to go for a long walk beside the beach here in Perth, Australia. It’s a beautiful piece of coastline, with turquoise waters splashing crisply against the white sands. You can walk for hours along a beach-side path and enjoy watching the surfers, ocean swells, and jaw-droppingly…

After many months on the hospital waiting list, I was looking forward to my first rheumatologist appointment. I had high hopes that I’d be prescribed medication that could help with my horrible nighttime pain from ankylosing spondylitis (AS). I already wasn’t coping with the pain and insomnia, and because…

“Ooh, my back hurts!” my 3-year-old son groaned, clutching it dramatically as he crouched on the carpet amid a pile of Duplo blocks and miniature cars. He glanced at me cheekily from under his long eyelashes, checking to see if I was paying attention. “What’s going on, buddy? Are you…

“What’s one of the best things I can do to help?” I asked my husband, Dave, who has ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We were sitting together outside, relaxing after the whirlwind evening routine of getting our kids into bed. He pondered this question for a minute, as we watched the…

Don’t stand too close, because I’m a sniffling, coughing, bathrobe-wrapped lump of a human this week. It’s nothing too serious, just a run-of-the-mill sore throat and cold that’s making me speak like I have a clothes peg on my nose. Being sick is never fun, but I’ve noticed…

The sea breeze wafted in my open car window as I drove happily along a seaside highway, tapping my fingers in time to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Suddenly a large truck came roaring up from behind, weaving aggressively between the lanes of cars. It nearly caused an…