A.S. Face 1837: Annisa Swanson

A.S. Face 1837: Annisa Swanson



I was diagnosed with AS,  August 10, 2016. I’ll never forget the date, as it was my granddaughter’s birthday. I wrote this on my diagnosis day…
Today I know I have Ankylosing Spondylitis

Today I will grieve the life I had planned
I will be sad,
For me
I will cry
And cry out
Why me?
But just for today
Today,
My body is broken
And waging war upon itself
Today,
I will be miserable and shout obscenities
I will be angry at no one in particular
Just because, today

Today my precious granddaughter turns three
Today,
Her smile will warm me
For a moment
Today,
I will cry
For her
She won’t know the fun loving
Sit on the floor
Putting puzzles together, Grandma
For very long
But today,
She has me
The grandma no different
From yesterday

Tomorrow,
Is not promised
In life or
In death
In joy or
In pain
Tomorrow is,
Unseen and unpredictable
The plans we make,
Can change in a heartbeat
We cannot escape tomorrow,
Wishing for yesterday

Yesterday,
Is gone
It wasn’t
Bad or
Great.
But yesterday,
I didn’t have AS
Yes,
Logical brain,
I did.
But I didn’t know,
Yesterday

Yesterday,
Sometimes,
Looks better in the rear view mirror
“Objects may not be as
shitty as you remember”
Yes,
Yesterday might have
really sucked, too
Everyone has a yesterday,
Not everyone,
Has a tomorrow
So today…

Today,
I will grieve
If I feel like eating
It will be
Ridiculously unhealthy
I just might,
Wash it down
With some wine
Today,
I will roll around
In self pity
For me
For everyone around me
But just for
Today

Only today…

Annisa Swanson
www.annisaswanson.com