The big question…

I was interviewed recently, by a writer who is formulating my story about Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis, and they asked me a very difficult question at the end of the interview. The big question was ” What has psoriatic arthritis taken from you and taught you?”

At first I needed a moment to truly gather my thoughts and wrap my head around the first part of the question. What has PsA taken from me? I wanted to cry. Holding back a lot of emotion, I decided to answer the question as honestly as possible without completely breaking down…. I said “it’s taken everything”, “it has robbed me of a normal life” “it has taken a perfectly healthy person and has destroyed them from the inside-out” “it has taken so much from me, but I don’t let it stop me or define me” I proceeded to go on and the interviewer just kept writing tons of notes “I feel as though it’s taught me how strong I am, how determined I am, how persistent I am, to just keep going and fighting the good fight.” “You have to be strong, be your own advocate, do your research, have an incredible health team behind you and support system, and you have to show the world that you got this, it doesn’t have you” I wanted to keep on going, but I knew at the end of the hour and a half interview I felt exhausted. I felt like I had reopened so many wounds, and emotions I felt when I first got diagnosed.

I was spent. So I felt like that big question is a question that all of you can relate to. You can choose to let this disease take over you and consume you every day, or you can choose to fight like you’ve never fought before.

It’s a long journey that you’ll have to deal with for the rest of your life but we are all in it together. Keep fighting the good fight, keep your head up, and remember that YOU are a psoriatic arthritis warrior!!!!!!!

Instagram Instalove.

The visual montage of daily photographs draws me in, instantly! If you are a visual person, like myself, you will be sucked in by instagram’s ability to showcase interesting photographs by famous celebrities, everyday people, musicians, artists, writers, photographers, fashionistas, foodies, etc.

I love opening my Instagram app and allow my finger to gracefully slide up and down my iphone to view the endless amounts of photographs that grasp me or intrigue me to take a closer look.

Users of Instagram know how to frame shots and make a boring photograph look even better. Thanks to the endless filters to choose from and hastag capabilities…your photos will have a beautiful or grotesque look and can be categorized with other fellow instaphotos via hash-tagging.

Some photographs make me think, some photographs make me feel, some photographs make me hungry, some photographs make me want to travel more, some photographs make me want to vomit, and most of all some photographs inspire me…

Regardless of how each photograph makes me feel…it does hold power. What I particularly love about Instagram is the ability to capture life through the lens of your phone. We all carry our phones with us everywhere. Our phones have become our endless companion for life. Our phones are our babies so to speak…With Instagram; the boring day-to-day drabs of life become exciting.

The simple raindrops on my windshield look beautiful all of a sudden. The swirls left in my cappuccino look like clouds. The pealed paint and graffiti left on the wall beg for attention. The needles filled with inflammatory fluid left from my drained knee represent pain. The sidewalk chalk left on the pavement reminds me of childhood. The sunset looks like a painting. The beach sand reminds me of summer. The paw prints left in the snow make you wonder. The hair that fell in my food makes me sick. The scar on my hand represents a roadmap. The selfie I took today empowers me. The bad hair day I am having makes me laugh. The infectious smiles of my parents make me smile. The photographs of my family and friends make me feel whole. Every picture tells a story. Whether it is a one-word story or a story that never ends. What about your photograph will make someone smile or laugh today? What about your photograph will make someone cry? What about your photograph will make someone envious? What about your photograph will make someone feel something they have never felt before.

This is the power that photographs hold. Instagram is more powerful than you think. Use your images to tell a story. Use your images to document your life. Use your images to make us feel. Use your images to bring life into our lives….

You can scroll through Instagram for a few minutes to over an hour if you allow it to suck you in for that long! Before you know it…you’re all caught up in pretty much in a matter of moments. You can follow who you want to follow, and you can also accept who you want to follow you.  It’s that simple. It is also very simple to find users by searching their names, or by hashtags. I prefer to follow not only my family and friends, but also people who inspire me on a daily basis. You never know when a photograph can potentially change your day, mood, or even your life.

Another powerful component to Instagram, is its ability to allow you to see the world around you from various angles and perspectives. You can essentially travel the world without even leaving your couch. You can live vicariously through people, just by viewing their travel photographs. You can feel like you are on the adventure of a lifetime without even leaving home.

For many, many, many reasons and more…this is why I love Instagram and prefer it over Facebook any day.