Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Here's the lousy part of AS

I don't think it's the golf, Steve, I think it's the night in the "not-your-own-bed". I'll tell you why...

Last weekend my five year old granddaughter stayed for four days (and four nights). Her mom was away for work again. During the third night a mosquito bit her eyelid and she woke with a swollen eye. She came in to our room and said, "I'm sorry Grammy but there's something wrong with my eye."

It got worse all day until both upper and lower lids were so swollen that her eyelashes disappeared. So that night (night four) with typical five year old logic she was afraid to sleep on her own in case the mosquito came and bit her other eye. So I had to sleep with her.

She thrashes around all night so I'm constantly aware of her and have to occasionally push her back onto her side of the bed or I would end up on the floor. I don't sleep well and in the morning my shoulders and hips are SO bad I can barely get out of bed. I had my own pillow but everything else is different and I think my body has just learned how to sleep adequately in my own bed.

Anyway, that's my rationale - I suspect you suffered the same!

Good morning.

I am sorry that you are hurting, and yeah....it sucks.

I am thinking maybe not just one thing, but a combination of golf, shoes and pillow. Just enough of each to mess you up.

Here is to hoping that you are feeling better soon. Give the girls a hug for me (even though they have no clue who I am) and tell the lovely Diane that I said hello.

Love to you all.

Hi Steve..

I can totally relate to your position. I hate it when people automatically jump to an activity like golf as being our trigger for pain, whether it is or not. I get that all summer long. If I have a flare it has to be from all that bending and twisting I did playing golf. No way that it could be a different pair of shoes than the ones we are accustomed to, or a different bed, heaven forbid. No it has to be that dreaded golf. While my current game is a bit painful, it hasn't been the cause of any AS flares. In fact aside from making my already numb legs feeling worse with all the walking, I actually feel pretty good after a round.

My biggest problem usually comes if I ride with my friend who drives a Trans-Am. Winding my 6'5" 300# frame down into that is much tougher than it was in my younger days and quite an awful site.. And getting out usually involves just rolling out onto the ground and climbing up from there. And heaven forbid we take it if we are playing someplace of any distance. Sitting crunched up after a nice round of golf, is sure to lock the ol bones tighter than..well you understand... Oh how I love my Silverado even more after a ride in a T/A.

Steve, you really are such a blessing to us.
I vote for the Cold Beer insted of the Dry Wine.
You did however hit the nail there as far as the "lousy part of AS" It is the randomness and lack of explaination that I believe most of us deal with. I Think that was one of my conversation threads a few months ago. I'll have to look back.
Cindy

That kind of pain that makes your joint (or whatever it is) just give up and collapse is really sickening. I knew exactly what you meant when I read your words. It's usually my left leg that just let's go. I know from a sad story of Jeanna's that her hip once gave up the ghost half way when walking across a busy road. Nasty.

Golf is a positive action - it's good exercise - and we all know exercise if the best treatment there is.

Is placing blame a positive action? I'm not sure. I wonder if it's better not to look to place blame. I have that same tendency to look for a culprit when the pains gnarl, I always look for a potential source of ingested gluten (that being what sets me off most often) but lets not forget these flares happen to ASers randomly sometimes.

My sympathies for your renewed pain and the battle you face getting out on the golf course again.

Cheers,