Living

We’ve been lucky in my house over the past 2 years – none of us have caught COVID-19. That said, we are still subject to its effects. My daughter, my husband...

When someone we love dies, we go through a grieving process. Losing the life I once had before psoriatic arthritis took over has been a similar journey. The process can...

Beeping machines, long lines, people in scrub suits and white coats. Thermometers, needles, blood work, and medical charts. All of this, and many more, might not be new to you...

I recently ran across a phrase that I was unfamiliar with, at least in its relation to health care. Maybe I’ve had my head in the sand, and everyone else...

There are over 300 joints in our body, so I think it is probably safe to say that when I say all my joints are hurting, it is possible that...

I have lived with psoriatic disease for 59 years and have learned a few things along the way. As with any journey, I was faced with difficult and debilitating challenges...

I have been living with psoriatic disease for several decades. You would think by now that I had experienced it all. There is always something new to be learned in...

I never know what to say when people ask what having psoriatic arthritis (PsA) feels like. Some of my first thoughts that come to mind are experiencing the never-ending flu...

I try to be realistic in my journey of managing life with psoriatic arthritis. I have come to terms with my limitations. They are simply my reality now. A reality...

Our patient records, access to our healthcare and test results, and even managing our groceries are often all completed in front of a screen. When our bodies are already prone...

The average amount of paid sick days available to workers in the United States is eight per year. For a healthy person, this may seem like a lot. To the...

Before my psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, I used to be so many admirable things. Healthy, dependable, and even hard-working. And, believe it or not, I leaned towards perfectionist tendencies. Meaning that...

Growing up with juvenile-onset psoriatic arthritis (JPsA) was a unique experience. I learned to cope with my chronic illness from a young age. And I learned never to judge a...

Throughout the entire painful process of searching for an official diagnosis, a reason for pain, I was questioned by so many people. Questions as if my pain and my symptoms...

Pitting your nails is often seen as one of the earliest signs of psoriatic arthritis. Let us start at the beginning, though, because many people do not know what pitting...

When I buy groceries, I do it with such a sense of optimism. This week, I’m going to cook all of our meals at home and we’re not going to...

If I could use one word to describe my time taking methotrexate (MTX), it would be: sluggish. Frankly, I felt like a zombie sometimes. I had no energy and was...

As if the physical symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) weren't enough, the emotional toll of this chronic condition can weigh heavily. A painful flare can lead a person to have...

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a unique chronic condition to manage. A big part of that is managing triggers, whether you already knew about them or are surprised by them. To...

I had no idea whether or not I would be a full-time wheelchair user before I hit 50. At the time of my original psoriatic disease diagnosis, doctors couldn’t predict...