I have been diagnosed for 2 years now and just found out some family are still questioning my honesty.
I am talking about close family that see me at least one a week.

I was telling my mother how I sold a plant to a lady and got talking and found out her adult son has AS. My mother then replied that I should tell my aunt because she doesn't really believe in that others have this disease. My aunt had actually asked my mum if she had seen my x-rays to prove what I have is real.

What the??? No I just enjoy the attention, the never ending specialist appointments, the endless medications and reactions to those medications the days spent not being able to move. I once read my x-ray, ct and MRI results to another aunt and her responce was "how are you even able to walk"
Then when my daughter was diagnosed I was questioned as if I was one of those parents that wants their child to be sick.
Don't worry about that FACT her x-rays showed grade 3 SI damage.

I know we shouldn't have to justify ourselves to anyone but it just makes it that much harder to cope when you have to face this sort of thing every week. I mean does she think the government just dishes out $20 000/year drugs to just anyone?

Sorry about the rant. I am used to this from people that don't know me so well but not from family that have seen me at my worst.

I think my problem is that I refuse to let AS own me. When I am feeling not too bad I push myself. Yes I pay for it later but they don't see that. All they see is me pushing myself and they can't see the pain I am going through when I do this.

Again sorry for the rant I just cuts deep sometimes.