A.S. Face 0010 : LeeAnn Fine
I can tell you when and where I was born – May 12, 1980 in Florida. I can tell you how I grew up – with a single mom that struggled. I can even tell you about how my life is now – married, 3 children, at-home-mom, online college student. But, what I cannot tell you is what my future holds. You see, after a nasty respiratory infection, about 2 years ago, I started having chronic pain, muscle spasms, fatigue, and a myriad of other syptoms. After months of trying to wait it out, I went to the doctor and she told me that I had fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia? Hmmmm…this is not just a “feeling” of pain; this is real pain that debilitates me. “Oh well”, I said, “no big deal”. “I’ll be fine”.
Gradually, it got worse. I started feeling weak and wasn’t able to do much anymore. I got pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) and it became chronic. I had to have my gallbladder removed and developed kidney stones. My husband began questioning why I acted like an old woman and didn’t want to do anything. I finally told him that I was in pain, had been for several years, and that it was getting dramatically worse. He got upset with me and asked why I hadn’t gone to the doctor. My only answer was “I don’t know”. Really, it’s because I don’t take the time to worry about my health unless it’s an emergency. I’m more focused on taking care of my family and at-home-mom/wife duties.
One morning, I woke up and couldn’t get out of bed. My body was so stiff. Brian, my husband, came in to help me up and he had to pull me to a sitting position, while my arms shook. He got a little emotional and demanded that I go see a doctor. Off I went. I explained my last two years worth of history to the doctor and my current symptoms. I broke down crying because I was ashamed of admitting my weaknesses. I had always been so strong and now my image was blown. I pleaded with him to find out what was wrong with me because I knew this wasn’t just fibromyalgia. He sent me to a rheumatologist.
Once again, I went over my history and current symptoms. Right away, he told me that this wasn’t fibro and started taking x-rays and blood tests. Two weeks later, I went back in. On August 11th, 2011, I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. What?!?! What is that? He sat down and started to tell me exactly what it was – an inflammatory, autoimmune disease triggered by a gene called HLA B27. Immediately, he prescribed an NSAID that would help and gave me a list of stretches and dos/don’ts to help manage. In a fog, I left his office and went home.
I started researching AS and found out what it was and what can happen. Apparently, a lot of the things that had already happened / started to happen were considered “complications”. Complications? Already? Why had I let myself be in pain for so long? I broke down and realized that my life is going to be completely different than I had imagined.
Even now, when I know what’s wrong, I still can’t bring myself to admit my weaknesses. It’s easy for me to say that my back is hurting or I’m sick, but I still don’t want to admit that I have a disease that will never go away and will get worse in time. I guess you could say that I’m still in denial.
I don’t like to be seen as weak, even when I can’t feed myself because my arms are locking up, feel like noodles, or they’re shaking so bad that food falls off the utensil. I force myself to stand straight but there’s still a small hump in my back. I can’t do much of anything for long periods of time. I cry from pain when I make myself do things with my family. I can’t let them down. I get sick at the drop of a dime becasue I love on my kids so much. I can barely clean the house but I do it anyway. I’m supposed to rest but there’s too much to be done. We are a single-imcome family with very little to spare and I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to work. I’m only 31….
I haven’t found a treatment that works so I’m living through my pain. Hopefully one day, they’ll find a cure. Until then, I must keep pushing on. I will continue to hide my pain because I don’t want to upset my children. They are so loving that when they know I’m hurting, they are sad. I can’t let them be sad.
This is my story. Don’t feel bad or sad for me. Feel happy for yourself and enjoy what you have. Please remember, just because I don’t “look sick”, doesn’t mean I’m not and even when I’m smiling, I’m still in pain.
Rowlett, Texas United States Of America
Gradually, it got worse. I started feeling weak and wasn’t able to do much anymore. I got pericarditis (inflammation of the lining around the heart) and it became chronic. I had to have my gallbladder removed and developed kidney stones. My husband began questioning why I acted like an old woman and didn’t want to do anything. I finally told him that I was in pain, had been for several years, and that it was getting dramatically worse. He got upset with me and asked why I hadn’t gone to the doctor. My only answer was “I don’t know”. Really, it’s because I don’t take the time to worry about my health unless it’s an emergency. I’m more focused on taking care of my family and at-home-mom/wife duties.
One morning, I woke up and couldn’t get out of bed. My body was so stiff. Brian, my husband, came in to help me up and he had to pull me to a sitting position, while my arms shook. He got a little emotional and demanded that I go see a doctor. Off I went. I explained my last two years worth of history to the doctor and my current symptoms. I broke down crying because I was ashamed of admitting my weaknesses. I had always been so strong and now my image was blown. I pleaded with him to find out what was wrong with me because I knew this wasn’t just fibromyalgia. He sent me to a rheumatologist.
Once again, I went over my history and current symptoms. Right away, he told me that this wasn’t fibro and started taking x-rays and blood tests. Two weeks later, I went back in. On August 11th, 2011, I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis. What?!?! What is that? He sat down and started to tell me exactly what it was – an inflammatory, autoimmune disease triggered by a gene called HLA B27. Immediately, he prescribed an NSAID that would help and gave me a list of stretches and dos/don’ts to help manage. In a fog, I left his office and went home.
I started researching AS and found out what it was and what can happen. Apparently, a lot of the things that had already happened / started to happen were considered “complications”. Complications? Already? Why had I let myself be in pain for so long? I broke down and realized that my life is going to be completely different than I had imagined.
Even now, when I know what’s wrong, I still can’t bring myself to admit my weaknesses. It’s easy for me to say that my back is hurting or I’m sick, but I still don’t want to admit that I have a disease that will never go away and will get worse in time. I guess you could say that I’m still in denial.
I don’t like to be seen as weak, even when I can’t feed myself because my arms are locking up, feel like noodles, or they’re shaking so bad that food falls off the utensil. I force myself to stand straight but there’s still a small hump in my back. I can’t do much of anything for long periods of time. I cry from pain when I make myself do things with my family. I can’t let them down. I get sick at the drop of a dime becasue I love on my kids so much. I can barely clean the house but I do it anyway. I’m supposed to rest but there’s too much to be done. We are a single-imcome family with very little to spare and I don’t know if I’ll be able to go to work. I’m only 31….
I haven’t found a treatment that works so I’m living through my pain. Hopefully one day, they’ll find a cure. Until then, I must keep pushing on. I will continue to hide my pain because I don’t want to upset my children. They are so loving that when they know I’m hurting, they are sad. I can’t let them be sad.
This is my story. Don’t feel bad or sad for me. Feel happy for yourself and enjoy what you have. Please remember, just because I don’t “look sick”, doesn’t mean I’m not and even when I’m smiling, I’m still in pain.
Rowlett, Texas United States Of America
“Life is too short to wake up with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right.
Love the ones who don’t just because you can.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
Believe everything happens for a reason.
If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.
If it changes your life, let it. Kiss slowly. Forgive quickly.
God never said life would be easy.
He just promised it would be worth it.”
-Unknown
-Unknown
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