The Girl With Arthritis

  The internet has changed the lives of millions with chronic pain and hidden disabilities: it helped others feel less isolated. Starting this blog when I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis changed my life for the better. But Healthline has made it even easier for those with psoriatic arthritis to be connected with their new PsA Healthline app . I was so happy when they asked me to partner with them for the app's launch, and now I'm excited to share with you why I think this app is a game-changer for anyone with PsA. 1. Groups- made just for you My absolute favorite part of this app is the organized groups where you can post in!  I have two reasons why I love this so much: the first is that when I am asking a question or starting a discussion on a certain topic, I know my post is in the right place. It doesn't get lost the way it does on Facebook groups- it's going to reach others who are looking for posts about that specific topic. My second reason is that the grou...

While I've always loved to write, the true reason I created The Girl with Arthritis was to meet others with arthritis, especially those dealing with psoriatic arthritis. Being diagnosed with PsA was such an isolating time, and I desperately wanted to reach out to others going through the same thing as me. So when Healthline reached out and asked if I would help them launch their new app devoted to those with psoriatic arthritis, I was so excited!  The PsA Healthline app is truly so much more than just an app- it's a supportive, diverse, and engaging community. I've already met so many wonderful people on this app, and I've only been using the app for two weeks. It's so much more than a support group. The PsA Healthline app offers: Multiple groups where you can post your personal updates, questions, advice, or whatever you like. Sometimes, my questions feel like they're lost in a sea of posts on my other support groups through social media. But here, I know that...

After slowly rolling out of bed, I hobble to the bathroom. I don’t want to move a muscle — they’re all aching and don’t want to cooperate. Sitting on the toilet is a joke, and so is trying to get back up. No, I’m not in the midst of a juvenile arthritis flare. Nor am I recovering from an injury or fall. Nope. I’m recovering from a new regimen of exercises I started to strengthen my hips. And I am feeling it. Read more about dealing with pain from physical therapy...

Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is so life-changing. For some, things change rapidly. Some of us suffer for years, feeling the change slowly but surely. But regardless of how it comes, we all mourn. We all deal with change and long for the life we had before. Sometimes, I think that reality is easier to deal with than the "what if's." While I completely accept the condition of my body and what might happen later, it's painful to think of what might've been if I never developed psoriatic arthritis as a child. If I had never developed an autoimmune disease, my bones would still be strong. I would never have to take medications with overpowering side effects. And my parents would never have gone through the heartbreak of having a child suffering in pain. My passion But of all the "what if's," there is one that haunts me daily; what if arthritis prevents me from meeting my full potential as an artist? All the other questions seem meaning...

I think this past academic year has been the oddest of all. By no means was it a bad year. But it certainly was taxing, and I did more growing up than anticipated. My mum had a heart attack in the beginning of October. We didn't see it coming, and it came in the typical fashion with women- quietly, and appearing to be a case of the flu. Even though it happened at noon, nobody called me until 7 pm, the time I finished class that day. My mum was very clear that I was not to be told until after class, and even as I talked to my dad on the phone that night, I could hear my mum saying "she's supposed to be hanging out with her friends tomorrow, tell her to go hang out with her friends." Rest assured, I did not go hang out with my friends the next day. Thankfully, my mum is recovering; it takes at least a year to recover from a heart attack. As soon as she could, she sent me from her hospital room back to college. My mum is so adamant that I never stop my life f...

The older I get, the more my feelings on dealing with a chronic illness change. When I was a young teenager trying to cope with my new diagnosis and the severe impact of treatments on my life, I dealt with hopelessness and despair on nearly a daily basis. As I got older I realized I needed to change my attitude about it because I knew it was something I was going to have to deal with for a very long time, if not forever. Though I naturally do still have moments of hopelessness, generally I try to stay positive about my situation. If anything, having arthritis is quite a joke between my friends and I. But ultimately, I'm honest about it with most people. At least, that's what I thought until recently. Though I think I'm very open and honest about living with a chronic condition, I realized there is a certain population I hide it from. And it's certainly the population I should not hide those things from. That group would be the people I've dated. I think the ...

This summer was a time for my body to recover. After having had a very difficult past few years with various arthritis treatments, I decided to detox (with permission from my doctor) and try to treat it through diet and strength training. But, while I was doing that, something else was brewing. Over the summer I developed a lot of abdominal pain and pressure that came with eating, and I've quickly become underweight. We don't quite know what is going on but thankfully I have the support of so many loved ones and a wonderful team of doctors. Recently after all my blood work was found to be clean, I found out I need to have an upper endoscopy (when the esophagus and stomach are examined with a scope). Regardless of that, I truly feel my body healing. Having cut out certain inflammatory foods, especially coffee and excessive white sugar, I feel such a drastic change. My tendons are no longer tender and the extra fluid on my joints have vanished. For the first time in a very lo...