Dearest AS Kickers,
I haven't been around much over the past few years. I do check in and see how everyone else is doing but don't post much anymore. I just wanted to share in my excitement about the newest changes in my life as so many of you went through my awful divorce and hospitalization with me.
After being single now for 7 years, I have met my true soul mate. Jimmy and I were married this past June 30th and I now have 2 more daughters, ages 4 and 7. My kids are now 19 and 20 yrs old. What a blessing! And of all things, Jimmy works for the company that makes Enbrel! So he is very schooled in AS and he understood what I was going through. When I first told him I had a rare form of arthritis, he asked me if I had ankylosing spondylitis! I nearly fell out of my chair!
Just the fact that he could pronounce the name, let alone know what it was!!!! Oh my GOSH!!!
As for my AS, I was getting really bad. I found this new doctor who took my off Celebrex, which was ruining my liver and guts, and put me on methotrexate and I am also getting infusions of Remicade, finally covered by my insurance because I have a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. I couldn't get Enbrel for the AS but they will give me Remicade for the Crohn's. Unbelievable. Anyway, my life has changed so much. The Remicade is working so well. I haven't felt like this since I was 13 or 14. I am 40 now. I have so much less pain and so much more energy. Life has never looked better.
I just wanted to share that with all my old friends on here and let you know I am alive and kicking! Kickin'AS!!!!
I do poke my head in here so even though I am terribly busy, I am never gone. I am so thankful for this place, as we all are. The support here since I first found Brian's board has been amazing. Thank you all for supporting me and helping me get to this place in my life where I am starting a new life over at the age of 40. And all those times I felt hopeless and didn't want to go on...thank you for listening and loving me. I am so glad I didn't end it all out of desperation and your words of encouragement to keep fighting are the main reason I am here today with a wonderful new life.
I thank you all.....
Cristina in California
