Jenny Parker partnered with us to talk about her personal journey and about Healthlines new app for those living with psoriatic arthritis.<\/p>\n
PsA Healthline is a free app for people living with psoriatic arthritis. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play. Download here.<\/p>\n
A gymnast and avid runner for most of her life, Jenny Parker was training 6 days a week with the goal of clocking in a 5-minute, 30-second mile.<\/p>\n
She was close coming in at 5 minutes and 42 seconds when her body stopped moving at its usual speed in July 2019.<\/p>\n
My hips just wouldnt move the way I wanted them to. It almost felt like I was rusted, and it was painful, says Parker.<\/p>\n
Still, her inner athlete didnt let down. <\/p>\n
Parker kept training for a few more months, then took some time off to give her body a break. When the symptoms didnt subside, she saw her primary care doctor.<\/p>\n
Ive had psoriasis on my scalp, elbows, and knees since I was 12, and I had been warned that if something felt funny with my joints, I should see a doctor right away, so I finally did, she says.<\/p>\n
After conducting a few tests that analyzed inflammation and arthritis, nothing came back positive, and the doctor recommended that Parker see a physical therapist.<\/p>\n
That didnt help either, and at that point, my symptoms started looking like classic arthritis. I was stiff in the morning and it took a while to get moving, she says.<\/p>\n
Her condition started affecting her at her nursing job, too.<\/p>\n
I work 12-hour shifts, and the first 4 hours of my morning I was limping at work. I was afraid I wouldnt be able to run to another part of the hospital if there was an emergency. Thats when I knew I needed to see a specialist, Parker says.<\/p>\n
In November 2019, she was referred to a rheumatologist, who diagnosed her with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).<\/p>\n
She was 26 years old.<\/p>\n
At first, Parker was an endurance athlete without an outlet. Even exercises like jumping jacks hurt.<\/p>\n
However, she recognized the need to get her heart rate up, as both psoriasis and PsA come with an increased risk for heart disease.<\/p>\n
She tried riding a stationary bike for a while but missed running. <\/p>\n
Once she found a combination of medications that worked for her, her condition improved. That meant it was time to lace up her trusty running shoes again.<\/p>\n
On medications, I cant run every day, but I can jog, she says. The fastest I can do on a really good day is a 9-minute, 30-second mile, and I can run as much as 4 miles.<\/p>\n
To go from being afraid to run across the street in time before a car came, to this, makes me so happy, she says.<\/p>\n
Wanting to connect with others her age who are also living with psoriatic arthritis, Parker created an Instagram account, @_cute_n_chronic, that was separate from her more filtered personal account.<\/p>\n
On my personal account, I was posting to the void, where people didnt really understand me or engage with me, she says.<\/p>\n
While she found many accounts of people with other forms of arthritis, she wasnt finding much that was specific to PsA.<\/p>\n
I wanted to be able to put my experience out there so others who were in the place I was could have a less bumpy road with going on medication and not being able to work out, she says.<\/p>\n
I wanted to show people it doesnt have to be as scary as our brains make it sometimes.<\/p>\n
She began holding weekly morning coffee chats on Instagram Live to share her struggles and successes, and quickly gained nearly 2,000 followers.<\/p>\n
Theres great engagement and I get messages from people saying they were in the same spot I was and I made them feel better, says Parker.<\/p>\n
Parkers latest way to connect with those living with psoriatic arthritis is in her role as community guide for the free PsA Healthline app.<\/p>\n
The app connects those diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis based on their lifestyle interests. By browsing member profiles, users can request to talk with other members within the community.<\/p>\n
Members can also share whats on their mind and learn from others in a number of groups, including:<\/p>\n
Theres also a live discussions group, where users can chat in real time with Parker or another PsA advocate on a daily topic.<\/p>\n
This feature is Parkers favorite part of the app.<\/p>\n
I love that there are different groups for different topics because I think it helps keep things organized and easy for people to figure out, she says.<\/p>\n
As a community guide, she is especially happy to help users feel more connected with people going through the same thing.<\/p>\n
I had such a rocky start with my diagnosis, not only navigating medication, but also feeling alone, and the mental health component of grieving what I had to give up and couldnt do anymore, says Parker. <\/p>\n
Id like to help people know they have someone here who cares and who is here to listen.<\/p>\n
As a nurse, being a compassionate listener comes naturally to her.<\/p>\n
Im the empathizer, and that bleeds into the rest of my life, she says.<\/p>\n
For those considering partaking in the apps features, Parker points out that it is a welcoming space filled with other people who really get it.<\/p>\n
Its meant to be fun. Most importantly, its meant to add a positive thing to your life when PsA can sometimes add a lot of negative, says Parker.<\/p>\n
Members can come exactly as they are with whatever struggles and triumphs theyre facing, she adds. This community is proof that youre never alone.<\/p>\n
Cathy Cassata is a freelance writer who specializes in stories around health, mental health, medical news, and inspirational people. She writes with empathy and accuracy and has a knack for connecting with readers in an insightful and engaging way. Read more of her work here.<\/p>\n
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See the article here: Jenny Parker partnered with us to talk about her personal journey and about Healthlines new app for those living with psoriatic arthritis. PsA Healthline is a free app for people living with psoriatic arthritis. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play. Continue reading
\nHow a New App Is Helping Connect People with Psoriatic Arthritis - Healthline<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"