Hi Mark,
Good post. I've wondered about a lot of this myself.
As far as karma goes, I have to agree with other people here, that no one has "earned" AS. However, I do think we may be earning some good karma by putting up with it. It has made me a much more compassionate person, and that has expanded my life and I feel it's helped my career.
AS is a strange disease. Many people with a chronic illness suffer from childhood, or it appears as we reach the later years in life. For me AS really became an issue in my early 20's. I had the opportunity to live without chronic pain, and know what I had lost. Also, I was able to form empathy for others at a young age. I had always been considerate, but I had no idea what other people may be going through. AS has opened my eyes to know that I really know nothing about someone else's life. Here I am, I look healthy as can be, but I struggle with everyday activities.
Part of me wishes AS was gone, and I could just get on with my life. But a small part of me knows that without it, I wouldn't be who I am today.
Aly
