Re: /IA and AS

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

IA is Inflammatory Arthritis. My rheumatologist explained it as

inflammation of the bones and muscles. AS is Ankylosing Spondylitis. It's

genetic; my Dad had it. It's inflammation of the spine and neck. At its worst,

the bones in the spine fuse together, and the disks disintegrate or just shrink

away. My Dad was completely fused from his tailbone to his neck. As you fuse,

your body shortens, which scrunches all the internal organs. You also become

stooped over.

It always starts at the bottom of the spine, with the exception of the neck,

which can be separate. So far, I'm fused from the tailbone to somewhere in the

upper lumbar spine. My neck is bad, and sometimes I think the only reason it

isn't fused is because I do physical therapy exercises to prevent it every day.

Even so, I have to try to remember to keep my head looking straight forward; on

its own, it will look towards the left.

Hope this answers your question.

Dix

[ ] Re: New to group

Hi Dixie, I just wanted to welcome you into the group. My name is

and I live in southern CA. I am 50 yrs.old and I have two grown boys, one

is in the Army and in Iraq. I also have a daughter who still lives with me, she

is going to college and she happens to be my best friend, and she helps me take

care of the house and two of my 7 grandkids, that have lived with us for the

past 9 yrs.

I had to lol when I read your illnesses, what is IA and AS? My

illnesses are RA, OA and Degerative Arthritis.

I hope that you keep posting. I am fairly new to the group, but I have

noticed that its a great group of people, and that they are

loving and caring.

Talk to you later: ROSA