A.S. Face 1395: Caitlin Robertson
Of all the things I was told to expect in my first year of marriage, being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease was not one. In 2012, my husband and I had been married for four months when I began experiencing joint pain and swelling. Less than three months later, at age 26, I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis.
My AS presented itself in a funny way: my big toe got so swollen and painful, it hurt to walk more than a block or so. Over the next two months, my symptoms progressed quickly and I began to feel more intense pain in other joints. A blood test confirmed the presence of HLA-B27, and an MRI confirmed inflammation in my SI joints.
After trying a series of NSAIDs, I have seen great personal success with Enbrel weekly to cut back on almost all pain and inflammation. I also worked with a personal trainer to create a series of videos with exercises specific to people with AS. Those videos can be found at the below links.
Stretching – https://vimeo.com/80133603
Core Strength – https://vimeo.com/80132205
It’s difficult to suffer from an invisible disease, especially when it comes out of nowhere. My experience with AS has taught me that I have so much to be thankful for, and that even in the face of a chronic illness I can be an example of hope, faith and humility. My husband and I are expecting our first child in December 2014, and although my pregnancy has been impacted by AS, I know I am blessed beyond measure by my friends, family and community who have rallied to support us.
Caitlin Robertson
November 11, 2014
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