Kesha
My name is Kesha. I am 35 years old and was diagnosed with AS in August 2013. I have suffered with extreme back pain for well over 5 years. It finally got to the point two years ago that I was in so much pain that I knew something was wrong. I saw doctor after doctor, just searching for an answer. I went to a local chiropractor that told me that I had a herniated disc and that I needed spinal decompression therapy. This was without any x-rays or MRI being done. I went through the 12 course treatment over a month period and wasn’t any better. Actually I felt even worse! He wanted me to do another 12 course treatment but I declined. Since the treatment was not covered by my insurance and considered to be kind of “quacky,” all of the treatment costs came out of pocket. So now I was in so much pain, broke, and didn’t know what to do. Finally after several doctor visits I was referred to a Rheumatologist. He listened to me and did some mobility testing and sent me off for a ton of bloodwork. A couple of weeks later I went back for a follow up and amazingly I had an answer! I was HLA-B27 positive and he confirmed my AS diagnosis. When he told me what was wrong I had such a sense of relief. I wasn’t crazy! I truly was hurting….this wasn’t just in my head. All the missed work, sickness, fatigue, unable to walk upright or even walk with a limp some days because my lower back and hips were in such pain finally made sense! I’ve come to the realization that this pain is something that I will have for the rest of my life. Some days, with the help of Humira, Celebrex, Prednisone, Methotrexate, Flexiril, and Neurontin, I can wake up and feel like, ok, I can do this. The pain is tolerable on those “good days.” Then other days I feel as though I wish I had never woken up. These are the days that I have to rely on my amazing hubby of 16 years and our 13 year old daughter that was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes two weeks before my AS diagnosis. My little family’s support is unmeasurable. I pray for a cure for AS so I can be the wife and mother that I need to be.
Thank you so much, Cookie, for this site. You are truly using your gifts to make a difference in this world!
~Kesha
Texas, United States of America
The Faces Of Ankylosing Spondylitis 
Dear Kesha,
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
Sincerely Cookie