Well, hell. This blows.
I can't thank you enough. Truly. I would have probably gone skipping along thinking I was fine, since the pain in the upper back & neck doesn't hold a candle to the pain in the lower back!
Louise - can I trouble you with one more thing? My primary goal, once my pain is minimized, is to first work on strengthening my spine -- regaining my posture. My rheumy agrees, but do you?
Is it possible to undo some of this? Or keep it from getting worse if I can just get my pain under control and work hard, very, very hard to get my strength & posture back?
Just this morning I was trying to convince myself (again) that I don't have AS. I do that at least 2 times a day you know. Even though I do have AS. Stupid spondy monster. Grrrr.
Oh, on a happy note, thanks for thinking I'm, uh, a cute babe! It really is me in the pic, I promise. I'm only 36, and I've only had active AS for 4 years. I might have wiry gray hair under all of these funky colors I put in it, who knows. Part of why it took me so long to get diagnosed (and I know many of us go through this) is that I look so normal. Like your average soccer mom.
So, guess I'm gimpy from neck to butt now. Who knew.
Thanks again for everything. I might have a solo-pity party over here for a little while, because I'm just so angry. Feel like I just got diagnosed with something incurable, like, I dunno... AS or something.
Wait a sec -- am I overreacting? Maybe I'm reading into what you said. I'll come back tomorrow and see if I interpret it differently.
