My story begins, not with me, but with my son, Andy. At age 4 he was diagnosed with psoriasis, and a year later with juvenile psoriatic arthritis. Fast forward many years, and you'll find a quirky, funny, easy-going kid. Yes, he still has psoriasis. Yes, he still has psoriatic arthritis. But he's hanging in there pretty well and living life like most his age.

 

In the beginning, Andy's dermatologist asked, "Who in your family has it?" I was finally able to provide an answer three years later. It was me. At age 28, I broke out with spots on my arms, and six months later, I had pain in my back and knees. While pretty mild for many years, the stress of life finally caught up, and I had a huge flare of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in 2012.

 

Both Andy and I are managing our diseases. They've never gone into remission, but we're hopeful that one day they will. And we're still holding out for a cure.

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I remain very engaged in the psoriasis and autoimmune arthritis communities. My activities include:

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• National Psoriasis Foundation: Youth Services Chairperson, Outreach Committee, Psocial media volunteer, Community Ambassador and fundraiser, and advocacy work, including Capitol Hill Days

• PlaquePsoriasis.com: Contributor for this Health Union site

• Psoriatic-Arthritis.com: Contributor for this Health Union site

 

You can read the rest of our story in my posts. I hope you find them informative, relatable, and perhaps even humorous.

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Connect with me on social media!

 

This blog is not intended to be medical advice. What works for me may not work for you. Please discuss any and all treatments with your doctor.