Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Newbie...Happy to find KickAS

..BrooksMommy..Good info...Love...

Hi BrookesMommy and WELCOME to our KickAS Family.

It really is a family at this site as we all have so much in common. The others have pretty well told you what we have on this site and I would like to add one more thing. While you, as a woman, will be allowed into the Womens Forum, husbands of female members and male members, are not. But, you may want to give your hubby a look at what others have to deal with in coping with their AS and that is easy to do. Just let your hubby click on KickAS.org and let him cruise the site without signing in. Then he won't be able to get in to the restricted areas.

I suggested this to members of my family long ago and they now have a pretty good understanding of what we ASKickers go through in dealing with AS. I have never had to convince my dear wife that I am in pain some days as she usually already knows.

Stay around, you can't imagine how many friemds that you will make.

OldGeorge

Welcome Brooke's mom,
I haven't been as faithful lately about being here, but I pop in from time to time. I do not have AS, the hubby does, but we have both found everyone here supportive and understanding, hope you find that here too, I know you will. Hope to see more posts from you soon,
Sheila (Aubrey,Shanoah,Seth & Jacob's mom LOL)

I know exactly where you are coming from. My little lad is 8 months old, and on my painful days I sometimes wonder if I am a good mum- but as long as I show him love, well that`s the main thing. My little girl has grown up with me and my off days (little- she`s nearly as tall as her Gran!) and we are the best of friends.
It`s a topsy turvey life for us, that`s for sure.
Welcome.
kaz

this is my very favorite tip... it might work especially well for the undiagnosed...

before you go see your doc, take a sharpie pen and place a dot on EVERY spot that hurts (i prefer the ocean blue color)! it gives him a great picture of what's going on & my doc doesn't feel the need to torture me by pressing really hard. i'm really glad you're here!

gentle hugs,
teddi

I know just how you feel! I felt so much relief when I found these guys! Welcome welcome welcome!

Blessings,

Mike

Hi Lisa,
Aren't girls fun?? However, I'm sure when I have a teenager on my hands... "fun" won't be the word I use most often!! We hope to have another little one... and once the Dr. has a handle on what is truly going on with me... we hope to proceed with that. LOL We'll see... I really do want to have one more baby before going on any drug regiment. You should have seen the doctor's face when I asked him if I could still have a baby with AS. I told him it would be worth the [drug-free] pain to have another one. We'll be praying that is true! I don't thinkt he doctor knows quite what to think of me just yet! I plan on keeping him on his toes with all the info I've found here at KickAS!
Nice to meet you & I look forward to chatting more about "the Brookes"!
Kelly

Thanks for the tip, Teddi! I've got the print out of the pain map with all my "pain dots" marked in DARK ink. I plan to give it to my Dr on Weds. Thanks to this website I have a few more questions to ask him too! The suggestions and warm welcomes I've gotten here have been wonderful!

Welcome! Like yourself and Lisa I have a Brooke as well. My Brooke is 7 and boy does she keep me on my toes...maybe it is the name?!?

I know you will find a lot of helpful info and wonderful persons, as I have.
Michelle

Hi Kelly and welcome to KA!

I'm so glad you found us, for the reasons that you yourself have noticed. As to the exercise, are you trying to keep up to the pre-pain exercise levels? Just take it easy, OK. If you can only exercise for five minutes at a time on any given day, then only do five minutes. Do five minutes a few times a day instead of trying to do 15 to 30 minutes all at once. You'll find it's just as beneficial and alot easier on you physically.

Keep walking all you can. It's so good for us. Again, even if you can only do five or ten minutes at a time several times a day, then that's what you do. Slowly build it up again until you can walk a 'normal' (whatever normal means) amount again.

It sounds to me like your symptoms have gone out of control. Concentrate on getting them under control - meds, relaxation exercises, meditation, small amounts of exercise, change your diet. Try to eliminate any stressors in your life, or at least try to minimize their effect on you. Pain = stress = depression = fatigue = more pain and the cycle just keeps on going. Again, relaxation, distraction and meditation techniques are great for this.

Also, get in touch with your local chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. They have a program called the Arthritis Self=Management Program that has been extremely beneficial to thousands of people the world over. Hubby can even take it with you, which will help him to understand what you are living with better.

I don't have kids, but I sure hear you and your concerns for Brooke. I don't know that I can speak to those concerns in a truly helpful way, but one thing I do want you to know is that by being honest with her (without making her feel responsible for you) she will learn so much. She will see what it is to fight for what you want. She will see what true strength is, that it is not found in physical combat but in the spirit. And she will learn true compassion for her fellow humans. All through living your life with you. So, yes it's heartbreaking to hear her concern for her mommy, but that concern can be nurtured and turned into a positive thing, rather than turning her into the care-worn child I think you fear her becoming.

In my humble opinion, anyway.

Hugs,