The life Maggie Cassady built in New York moved fast.
After moving from the Midwest in 2019 following graduate school, the 32-year-old designer quickly rose into a leadership role at a tech startup. Outside of work, she filled her days with yoga, Pilates, boxing, painting and travel. At one point, she was even training for the New York City Marathon.
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Then, her body forced her to slow down.
Cassady’s symptoms did not arrive in a neat, recognizable pattern. First, there was the wrist pain, which was originally misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel and other joint pain to injuries from an accident years earlier. Even her family history did not provide an obvious answer: Her father has psoriatic arthritis, but his symptoms looked very different from hers.
After a long stretch of appointments, physical therapy, braces and uncertainty, Cassady was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in April 2025. The diagnosis brought validation, but it also marked the beginning of a different kind of adjustment. She had to step back from the career pace, active routines and spontaneity that had shaped her identity, all while navigating pain that was not always visible to the people around her.
What stands out about Cassady’s story is not a tidy resolution. She is still learning what her body needs and working with her doctor to find a path forward. Instead, it is her candor — and her growing willingness to meet herself with compassion.
Though she never considered herself a social media person, Cassady turned to TikTok and Reddit to find others living with psoriatic arthritis, particularly people closer to her age. Their support helped her feel less alone.
In the video, Cassady shares her story as it is now: still unfolding, still uncertain and still filled with hope.