Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group What a euphoric high!!

This Sat. I had the incredible experience of going to a support group meeting in Phoenix,AZ at the Arthritis Foundation. I met the most incredible people there! I met Tim,(Dotyisle)/Trinka/Battygirl(Michelle)/Susan(noazsu-newbie)& husband/Steve/Mike & his mom, Mrs.Kinder/John Kornfeild. I have never been in a room with so many amazing & caring people that just shine with rays of hope,before! I really wasn't sure at first if this was something I wanted to attend to. I have been surrounded with too many people who think a hang nail is near death. I feared falling apart and making a spectacle of myself. I feared others would run in every direction.I don't really let others know the pain I suffer on a daily basis. Let's face it for some of us medications tone the pain down but not subdue it. So no one really knows how much it really hurts. I have learned new levels of pain. Years ago a bad tooth that would drive me to the point of wanting to pull it out myself! Now it is easy to deal with compared to the skeleton pains I suffer.Oops! loosing my point here-What I am getting at,perhaps you too have avoided attending a support group? Fearing it may be a downer? It is eliberating and comforting to the point a feeling renewed! It was a euphoric high! Here is the best example of what I mean: My body, like clockwork knows the time to medicate. The meeting started at 2:00 I arrived at 1:45. I was to take my next set of pain med. at 2:00. I had planned to get in there settle in and take meds. The greetings & meeting rolled along until 4:00. Then I noticed I missed my med. by two hours and I was okay. I could have gone longer I bieleve. I took it knowing I had a long ride ahead 2hours &10 min's it took me to get home with the Sat. evening traffic. I came home took a shower made dinner and still was feeling great! I met some wonderful friends. Offers to coming out to their home if I just wanted to get away.Normally I have to drive 2hrs. to go to the dr's & then 2 more back. The next 2 days I spend trying to recoup. The next day I rested quit a bit but, also managed to plant 7 tomato plants too! Make strawberry shortcakeand dinner. Don't sit back find a group and get renewed! Thank you dear friends for 2 wonderful days!

Definition of Calamity: an extraordinarily grave event marked by great loss and lasting distress and affliction. But! re-use some of the letters and I: Smite with calm!

Hi Kimberly

So gald that you had a few great days. I bet it was nice to meet some of the people from here that have some of the same problems that you have.
We have no support groups in this area.I am not even sure if the arthritis society have a branch here.

Take care
Valerie

Hi Kimberly,

So glad you enjoyed the meeting, I have enjoyed each of them thus far (that was the third meeting). John does a good job preparing info for the meeting.

There was a lot of energy at the meeting this time and I attribute that to yourself, Sue and Steve showing up. Group was half the size at the previous meeting.

Feels good to meet face to face with others that can appreciate what we live with and have questions asked and answered. Provides a good feeling of hope!

Glad you are looking forward to the next meeting and appears will will hit a restaurant afterwards.

Take care,

Tim



Hope is only a post away with KickAS.

Great to hear that you had such a wonderful face to face meeting with ASKickers and others with AS in your community.

THanks for telling us how much you appreciated it. It is a good reminder for folks like me who have been here a while and forget how much the support means sometimes.

 
stevec-they also serve who stand and wait

Hi Kimberly,

We all enjoyed meeting you too! I'm so glad that you came! I have found invaluable info at these meeting and at this site! I went to the first meeting in November, and without that I don't know if I would have known the symptoms that my son had were probably due to AS. Michelle was a invaluable resource for me! My son's case and hers were so similar it was incredible. We all learn so much from each other!

It was such a pleasure to meet you! See ya soon!

Trinka

Me TOO! I really enjoyed meetring people and sharing and listening on Saturday. I left feeling that I wasn't so alone and that there were explainations and help for a very baffling disability. I hope things are going OK out there yonder. I had a busy day and now I'm going to veg. Tomorrow I am treating myslef to the styling salon. Talk with you soon.

Always,
Susan

Susan

One day at a time.

You go girl! Have a great day!

Trinka

Hi Kimberly,

It was nice meeting you, and I am so happy you want to come back.
This was a good meeting, glad the three of you who were new to us
were comfortable talking with us. We seem to be growing and the first
one is always hard, because you don't know what to expect.
It is like we are all walking in the same shoes some just heavier than
others.

Watching Mike every day, when I am at these meetings, I get carried away
at times, knowing you have others that know what you are feeling and can
relate to what you are experiencing makes you look at things a little differently.

Looking forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

Best of luck,
Maxine

Kimberly,
I forgot to Congratulate you on getting those tomato plants
planted. At the meeting I was working right along with you
telling us about digging the trenches for the plants. You
accomplished a lot that day. I am so proud when I see Mike
now, just being able to empty the dishwasher since taking
Enbrel. Hang in there and hope all goes well.

Best To You,
Maxine

"Mike's Mom"