The Girl With Arthritis

 Do you ever feel like you live in a world not built for you? I do. Recently, I've felt this way about a hefty door on my commute. It takes a lot of force to open and immediately swings shut; I find it painful and tiring to handle. Others have complained and had a handyman look at it, but it's remained in this state for months... Click here to read the full article at Psoriatic-Arthritis.com.

 When you have PsA, it can take trial and error to make the office environment work for you. Here are my tips for staying comfortable and focused. I come from a family of tradespeople, nurses, and people in other professions that keep you on your feet. So, as you can imagine, I try to keep it to myself just how exhausted I am when I come home from my office job. Due to my juvenile-onset psoriatic arthritis (PsA), I initially picked an office-oriented career track. I also went to a vocational high school, where I tried hands-on careers and quickly found I had difficulty handling labor. Both of those factors sealed my fate. Read the full article at Bezzy PsA.

 Living with a hidden disability can be isolating and lonely. Here’s how I address the challenges while finding support and setting boundaries. Have you ever been in a room full of people yet felt alone? I have many times. I remember being at a birthday party during a horrible summer downpour. My psoriatic arthritis (PsA) was flaring at the time, but the humidity and low pressure system made things worse. I was trying to keep it together, but I knew I came off as rather anti-social. I felt separated from all the people in the room, my mind drifting from pain and only occasionally picking up on the conversation being had right in front of me. And the worst part? There wasn’t anyone there who I felt comfortable to ask for help. Read the full article at Bezzy PsA.

"Call if anything changes," my doctor will say at the end of my appointment. Hearing that is such a friendly reminder. Having a good relationship with your rheumatologist is vital for anyone with arthritis. It's so important to be able to reach out and get a response when you need help. But, when you live with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), that advice can be a little challenging... Click here to read the full article at Psoriatic-Arthritis.com.

Therapy is not only beneficial to my mental health, but it’s also helped boost my physical health.  Treating my psoriatic arthritis (PsA) hasn’t been a straightforward process. I wish it were as simple as seeing a rheumatologist, being prescribed medication, and being pain-free. Even though I’m on a medication that works for me, I still deal with chronic pain and fatigue. Taking care of my PsA has required a whole-body approach, balancing nourishment, exercise, rest, and mental wellness. I found therapy sessions have greatly helped me manage my PsA.  Read the full article at Bezzy PsA.

 Brain fog is common for people with autoimmune conditions. Here’s how it’s affected my life and the ways I manage it. I’ll always remember how badly one of my college projects turned out. I was in the midst of a horrible psoriatic arthritis (PsA) flare and felt out of it. My poster was fraught with spelling errors. While presenting, I couldn’t remember the words I needed and couldn’t quite get to the point I was making. Thank goodness it didn’t count for much toward my grade! My flare brought along a host of symptoms: pain, stiffness, and horrible fatigue. It was hard to concentrate on anything except the pain and how tired I felt. Even when I gave my best effort, my work wasn’t great, and I had trouble learning new concepts. Thanks to brain fog, this would be the first of many projects I would struggle through. Read the full article at Bezzy PsA.

The transition into adulthood can be challenging for most, but it’s even harder when coping with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). It’s not easy to balance new responsibilities with evolving symptoms. I was recently explaining to a loved one that I’m planning to use a wheelchair on my upcoming vacation. Even though I was able to handle all the walking on this trip when I was younger, now the rebound PsA flares I get from pushing myself hit a lot harder and stay longer. And I’d rather not return to work dealing with a post-trip flare. They nodded understandingly and said, “You’re not as young as you used to be, and you don’t bounce back as quickly.” I honestly never expected to hear someone say that to me, considering I’m only a 20-something-year-old. I’ve always heard things get harder when you get older, and they were right. My body doesn’t bounce back from flares the way it used to.  Read the full article at Bezzy PsA