When Do We Tell Our Kids About Our Illnesses?Recently I stumbled upon a conversation on Facebook in regards to sharing our illnesses with our children. The person asked what others thought was an appropriate age to explain what...reactionscomments
Changing My Tune: Learning How to Stay Out of an Emotional FunkLike it or not making errors in judgment or mistakes in regards to how we manage our chronic illnesses is something we all will do at one time or another...reactionscomments
Scheduling Outings: Needing Time to Prepare & RecoverRecognizing and accepting that everything I do comes with a risk has made it easier for me to make plans. Gone are my days of scheduling events/outings and just hoping...reactionscomments
My Joy Jar: Reminding Me of the GoodA few years ago I received a joy jar from a friend. You may have seen them called memory jars on Pinterest. I call it my joy jar because that...reactionscomments
Looking at the Past with Rose-Colored GlassesRaise your hand if you have ever uttered the words “I want my old life back” or “I wish my life was what it used to be”. My hand is...reactions2comments
5 Things I Avoid During a FlareFlare-ups from psoriatic arthritis and other painful chronic conditions do more than inflict pain and fatigue; they also alter my emotional state. Back in December, I shared different ways I...reactions14comments
Five ways to Entertain Your Little Ones When You Can’t Get Out of BedI am often asked how I managed to get through my daughters younger years while living with multiple chronic illnesses. My answer? A lot of creativity and bribery! I would...reactionscomments
A Newfound Appreciation For My EntourageMy family and I often make light of the roles my chronic conditions have required them to take on. Since I need my husband to drive me most days, we...reactionscomments
The Ghost of Past Fears: Stigma of Using Mobility Aids When TravelingLiving with multiple chronic illnesses and having limited mobility has forced me to face fears that I never expected to. The stigma that society has placed on who should use...reactionscomments
Pajama PartyIn the 17+ years of living with multiple chronic illnesses which includes psoriatic arthritis, my life has become one big pajama party. Adjusting to this wasn’t easy as I was...reactionscomments
Managing Fatigue: Sleeping Beauty and the Chronic BeastFatigue is a cruel beast that wreaks havoc in the lives of those of us who live with a chronic illness like psoriatic arthritis. It has no respect in regards...reactions28comments
Is Your Exercise Plan Doomed to Fail?The worst mistake I made while attempting to come up with an exercise program since being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis was trying to force my body to do what it...reactionscomments
My Productive Appointment ProcedureOnce upon a time going to the doctor meant that I just needed to list my symptoms and share how I have tried to treat them. That all changed after...reactionscomments
Recognizing that PsA Wasn’t Just My ProblemI used to think of my chronic conditions solely as my problem and not something that would also affect my family. While they slept, I was the one up all...reactionscomments
Driving Miss CovertPrior to being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, I loved driving. I had the freedom to go wherever I wanted when I wanted. In the beginning of my chronic life, the...reactionscomments
Five Things I Took For Granted Before My IllnessAfter being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, I expected to experience some level of physical pain on a daily basis. I also expected that I would have to make some changes...reactions15comments
Why You Shouldn’t Wait to File for DisabilityI didn’t file for disability after receiving my diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. I had left the workforce 4 years prior to being a stay-at-home mom and we were living well...reactions10comments
Explaining My Pain LevelPrior to being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, expressing my pain level to nurses and doctors was easy. The chart that rates pain on a scale from one to ten, with...reactions38comments
A New Body, A New Time TableBefore becoming chronically ill, every day was filled with some sort of activity. Some days were designated for cleaning or shopping, while others were filled with running the kids to...reactions4comments
What Are You Waiting For?When I was first diagnosed I felt like my life had been put on hold. Instead of moving forward in life, I waited for my doctors to prescribe a magic...reactionscomments
