Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group A peculiar question I even know the answer........

I asked Mig today, 'If someone visited you today and said, I have a magic wand and can remove your AS, its memories, and all that it has been in your life' would you allow it


I wont give her answer but she may well


I said No, which is odd but I have had it so long that I feel that I am my AS ans AS has made me what I am, so a peculiar answer I know.


WHat about all of you ? Would you, and why?

I think I would say the same as you Alan.Then some days I would jump at the chance of it working, but I would likely regret it after.

Dan

I would say no. If it weren't for my AS, I would not have been through the emotional trials I have experienced. If it weren't for those emotional trials, I would have never come to be the more understanding, compassionate person I am today.

If it weren't for my AS, I wouldn't be as empathetic. I wouldn't know how to give people the benefit of the doubt. To be honest, though I hate my limitations, I love the person I've finally become because of it...

Oh, h*ll yes, I'd go for it in a heartbeat. A life without pain and weird health issues for no good reason... are you kidding??? I'd fly to the moon.

If someone offered to remove my AS and the memories, I would say YES. I already had enough on my plate.

Just let me explain.... I'm sure people are rolling their eyes at me...
Prior to the spondy monster rearing it's ugly head, I had enough other medical problems. It was the experience and recovery from those years of problems that made me want to go indo medicine, and I was well on my way to the whole med school idea when AS hit, and laid me flat in bed with the worst and longest flare I have ever had. My other medical problems already had humbled me enough to realize how lucky I was to have good days. If I had had perfect health before AS hit, then I likely would say NO to removing AS/memories. Does that make any sense? lol I'm rambling now. I guess I just mean that one medical disaster was already enough. Good question though. Curious about Mig's answer!!

I would take that offer get rid of A.S. and all the memories of horrible pain. As soon as it was gone I would put on my Nike's and go run 5 miles .
yoly

I would say yes because then my sons would not have this disease.

For myself I have not had a severe case and have had only brief periods of pain over the years. AS has had only modest impact on my life and most of those only the last 3 years so It really doesn't matter for me.

YES
absolutely
without a doubt
in a second
without a second thought
no looking back

why?

i have good days and bad so i see the difference,
i so much more like the person i am when i am not in pain.
i am happier, nicer, kinder, more productive, more at peace, etc etc

i haven't learned anything from being in pain.
maybe like others said, i've already learned these lessons by other adversity in my life and/or by good role models along the way.

not being able to travel has really caused hard feelings with my family.
they think i am selfish and i don't love them.
that breaks my heart. but i really can't travel without really messing up my body, and i know that even though i really love them, i love myself too,
and i have to take care of me. but this situation does bother me.
its not as bad as some families, they do talk to me, and i with them,
but i know when i tell them over and over again that i just can't come visit,
i know it hurts their feelings, and i wish that weren't so.

in my mind i am perfectly healthy. i have great plans to accomplish great things. i just haven't figured out why my body can't keep up with my mind.
i get so frustrated some times with how much longer it takes me to do things and how much less i can do when i am in pain.

when i was younger, i did some traveling, and i miss it greatly.

i miss some of the "sports" i used to do.

i think that's a long enough list.

sue

My initial response would be NO for the very same reasons you mentioned above. I also believe that our experiences form us into the people we are at this moment - without our past, we would lose our identity...and I like being me.

Now, I also know that no one is going to come up to me with a magic wand and offer me a life without pain. If it were to actually happen, I'm not sure what I would say. On the one hand I truly believe what I wrote in the first paragraph and yet, on the other hand, I feel it might be irresponsible of me not to take the offer. I am a father and a husband and not being able to work as hard as I wish I could is something that deeply troubles me. I am afraid of the example I am setting when I hear my daughter say her back hurts or that she is tired.

I suppose I don't know the answer to your question after all?

I also have to say no. I have had it most of my life. Undignosed, but it was there. It made me work harder, play harder, and try harder throughout my life. It made me mentally strong to handle adversity in my life.
Yes the pain and the rest of it is miserable, but it is me.