Raewyn
Hi my name is Raewyn I’m 52 years old and I live in Melbourne, Australia .
I wasn’t diagnosed with “AS” until about five years ago, though I have had alot of pain from my earliest twenties and continuous “Anterior Uveitis” I spent many visits, hours at doctors, telling me it was sciatica, when I have struggled to take a step, try to walk, I even at one stage, had a doctor tell me, stop trying to get workers compensation ! even though I hadn”t even mentioned this lol ! Unfortunately “AS” is a hidden disease ! and in between flare ups, no one in my case would ever know I had this.
Fortunately, five years ago, I found a great doctor, who said to me, he thought it was some form of arthritis, but he wasn’t sure. So after visiting a Rheumatologist, having MRI, Xrays and a genetic test, which confirmed I have the HLA-B27 marker, I got the diagnose of “AS”
I try not to let “AS” Stop me from enjoying my life, defining who I am ! and while I can still walk, for “AS. ” is now progressed to my ribs and neck. I am going to keep working , I just recently got back from Thailand and Indonesia and Malaysia with my hubby and youngest daughter, I have two girls and my oldest daughter is getting married next month and I’m looking froward in the future hopefully to enjoy having grandchildren.
Australia
The Faces Of Ankylosing Spondylitis 
Dear Raewyn,
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.
Sincerely Cookie