- Mötley Crüe guitarist, Mick Mars: AILING ROCKER MARS CAN'T MOVE HIS HEAD
- Ramses II
- Former England cricket captain, Mike Atherton;
- Former Australian cricketer, Michael Slater;
- Scottish poet, William Soutar was bed-ridden for the last 13 years of his life due to AS
- British comedian, Lee Hurst;
- Canadian radio personality, Mike Stafford;
- Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg;
- World Chess Champion, Vladimir Kramnik;
- Former author and "Saturday Review" editor, Norman Cousins;
- Scottish former snooker player, Chris Small;
- Ed Sullivan, the Ed Sullivan Show, US
- Leonard Trask, "The Wonderful Invalid"
- Canadian musician, actor, and writer, Chris Michaud
- The Phillies' first baseman, Rico Brogna had a successful nine-year career in American Major League baseball. Ankylosing Spondylitis forced his early retirement, at 31, in 2001.
March 10, 2007
Famous sufferers of AS
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Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the email. Yep, I have AS....I have no idea how you know that! I've been fighting this since I was 22 with low back pain and hearing junk from chiropractors until I was 32 and my family doctor (from Ireland) made me stand against a wall and noticed the obvious.
I have good days and not so good days. I'm fatigued a lot but I work in a business where I can't let it get me down.
I'm 46 now and most of the pain should be gone...but it's not. I've participated in a study at Western Hospital and I thought it went well. I applied for one of the t-drugs you're taking but I was told I wasn't covered by my health plan. Ontario's Trillium plan said I'd have to pay a $25,000 deductible. So I'm still taking Advil.
The only drug that ever seemed to work was indomethacin....at this point, it would tear my stomach apart.
Thanks for writing. It really means a lot.
Hi Cassandra!
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been to Dr. Inman's clinic a number of times...actually I volunteered for a research project on AS where they drew my blood and asked a bunch of questions. He was going to get me into a TNF drug therapy but we lost touch. Unfortunately, I'm a little too old for what I think he needs....as you know this disease usually presents in men in their early 20's. The Rheumatology clinic there is wonderful even if the hospital is very depressing.
It was a shame when I read that other TNF drugs had been approved for AS in the States and Britain but not in Canada...here it was all about RA. Hopefully Health Canada has given approval by now...I haven't seen Dr. Inman in two or three years. I make good money...but the price at the time was too much. I'd learned to live with the pain, I guess.
Agreed...the fatigue is the worst. I'm going through a month where I feel a flare-up...even though the disease is supposed to be self-limiting by my age (46). Do you ever feel mad when you read about people on "disability" from work because of a sore back or carpal tunnel syndrome? I don't think anybody can understand what it's like on a day-to-day basis with AS unless they have it. It's one of those conditions that could make you stay sitting all day if you wanted it to. I can't go away on vacation the way I used to and just walk. My spine and hips just won't let me. But I've adjusted.
I'll keep reading your blog. Keep your chin up (literally!) and keep being positive. And yes, laughter really is the best medicine!