Tonight is Fashion’s Night Out all over the country, and, will mark the start of the famed New York Fashion Week. For some of us, though, “fashion” isn’t as easy as supermodels, celebrities, and even our friends and loved ones may make it seem. Once a girl with a Carrie Bradshaw-sized shoe fetish; I can … Continue reading »
Filed under Personal Stories …
Digital Speaker Series Coming Soon!
Check out this video announcement from the AF’s Lisa!
The Inconvenient Truths About Life with Arthritis and Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
I’ll admit it. I, like many of you, have, at times, grown weary of hearing, “You need to exercise. You need to eat well. You need to think positive thoughts. Sleep is important. You can’t give up,” and so on. But, I recently had a lot of health crises that led me to have a … Continue reading »
2012 Arthritis Advocacy Summit: Not Attending? Be a Part of the Virtual Summit!
If you were unable to attend the 2012 Arthritis Foundation Advocacy Summit, going on now April 16th-18th, you can still let your voice be heard by joining in the Virtual Summit! Join the AF during the Advocacy Summit by telling your Members of Congress that MORE needs to be done for people living with arthritis! … Continue reading »
Social Media for Support: E-Patients Using the Internet to Cope with Arthritis & Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Support groups are a great way to cope with illness or disability. In today’s world, online support groups and social networks are a great way to belong to a health community where you can interact with others who “get” what you are going through. Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and even Pinterest offer patients the chance to … Continue reading »
Can Love Conquer All – Even Arthritis Pain? – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Just in time for the steadfastly approaching Valentine’s Day, a recent Arthritis Today article claimed that love maybe can conquer all….even arthritis pain! But, how true is it? According to the article, “a study of 15 people (8 women and 7 men) in the first stages of romance found that love activates the same reward … Continue reading »
Advocate for Arthritis! Learn About the 2012 Advocacy Summit & E-Advocate Opportunities – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
Ignoring arthritis is unacceptable. Right? Right! So, it’s time to let Congress know where you stand on arthritis and arthritis-related health issues. So take a stand, raise your voice, make a difference, and let the United States know that arthritis is unacceptable! The annual Advocacy Summit brings together advocates, young and old, from across the … Continue reading »
An “Ashley’s Health Diary” Update – Entry #30 – Wrapping Up 2011 and Looking Ahead to 2012 – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
January 3rd, 2012 – I have not done one of my more personal Ashley’s Health Diary posts in a while, because I realized that it was more important for me to educate about rheumatic conditions than to talk about my own story. However, I do realize that as a patient advocate, that sharing my story … Continue reading »
Outward Appearances: Looking Good with Chronic Illness – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
I am not ugly. But, sometimes being sick makes me feel like I am. Believe it or not, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions can certainly age you; all the while “stealing your pretty.” I used to get mad about it, and now I just learn to adapt. There are so many ways to still … Continue reading »
Arthritis and Chronic Illness: Stripping Away Labels and Stigma – by Ashley Boynes-Shuck
When I was in graduate school, I took one psychology course that was oriented towards special education. One important thing that I took away from it was that we should always use, “people-first” language. At the time, I only thought of it in the realm of dealing with children with special needs, but, now, I … Continue reading »
