Anky-who-sing Spondy-what-is?

I’ll admit, when my rheumatologist first said the words “ankylosing spondylitis”, I had no idea what on earth she was talking about. I heard a bunch of syllables strung together, but since my knowledge of Ancient Greek is pretty much nil, I had no idea what any of them meant. Most people with A.S. who I meet tell me that, unless they already knew someone with the condition, the first time they ever heard of it was while they were being diagnosed…

Ankylosing spondylitis (pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss) is a systemic rheumatic disease — an auto-inflammatory condition that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints (the joints on either side of the spine where it meets the pelvis).

Continue reading…

The things no one tells you when you are diagnosed with a painful chronic illness…

Chronic illness leaves you feeling like you’re letting everyone down—especially yourself. It’s a constant game of adjusting expectations, rethinking assumptions, and regulating hopes. That deadline you’re trying to meet, that show you really wanted to go to, the pile of dishes in your sink, your friends who you want to see… all of these priorities… Continue reading The things no one tells you when you are diagnosed with a painful chronic illness…

I Hate the Spoon Theory

There. I said it. I hate the spoon theory. What is this “spoon theory”, you ask? It’s a metaphor developed by a woman named Christine Miserandino, who has Lupus. This was her attempt to describe what it means to be chronically ill. In the chronic illness community, it’s become shorthand for describing our conditions, our energy… Continue reading I Hate the Spoon Theory

About

I’m Tema Smith, and in January of 2017, at the age of 33, after years of “injuries”, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis with peripheral arthropathy (A.S.). A.S. is an auto-immune systemic inflammatory arthritis that attacks the spine and sacroiliac joints, as well as fingers, toes, and whichever other joints it feels like on any given… Continue reading About

A.S. Community

Anyone facing a chronic illness like Ankylosing Spondylitis feels way better when they have a community — virtual or real — of people, resources, and services. On this page, I highlight mine. Stories to Keep Yourself Going highlights other people out there writing about chronic illness. In the Twittersphere features a round-up of all of the health (and particularly A.S.)-related… Continue reading A.S. Community