Update to 's story

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

has ended her happy story and I've put the update on our website

at rheumatic.org. is happy to help anyone with ankylosing

spondylitis via her email at the end of her story.

Chris.

Begin forwarded message:

> Epilogue: 03-11--08

> Dear readers and seekers of treatment options and opinions: Hi again

> from me, Pritchard.

> You know a funny thing happened on the way to remission. It has been a

> few years since I wrote my bio, and it is with humor that I look it

> over and see how stubborn I could be over things like diet and it’s

> effects on my body. Somehow I envision Ethel laughing at me with an I

> told you so look on her face. I became very ill last October, and my

> Doctors were thinking that I had fallen out of remission and were at

> the ready to give me steroids and Enbrel ( Cancer drugs ) They did an

> x ray of my back, and said it was normal. I said can’t be. I have bone

> fusion and that can’t disappear. Well I guess I was wrong about that.

> The x-ray showed normal bones, no inflammation, and no fusion. I even

> grew my appendix back. Wow. Wonder if I could grow me a uterus again?

> Being poor and still on some of the government programs for health

> insurance I wondered if this were perhaps a healing of care rather

> than a healing of this disease. The doctor’s feelings were hurt when I

> asked him that so I have come to accept the fact that I have been

> cured of AS. So, the good news is, I no longer have Ankylosing

> Spondylitis. My Rheumy, my general Doctor, and my specialists all

> agree it is gone. Even showed me the x-rays. I do have one problem,

> which is my spine is bent forward along the bra line, but the docs say

> that is mechanical, what ever that means and is unrelated to the AS.

> The doctors and specialists found my spine and all other bones are

> O.K. My rheumy, Dr. Speigal said perhaps the antibiotics did cure me

> after all. I did notice I was the only patient so I don’t know how the

> rest were doing. I was hopeful he would be happy to have a patient who

> has survived this horrible disease by following a treatment he

> recommended.

> Other health issues for me are thus. When I got so sick about 6 months

> ago, I lost over 40 pounds in 2 months, and over all now, I have lost

> over 70 pounds. I take an injection twice daily of Byetta, a lizard

> spit product which makes diabetics lose weight and stabilize our blood

> sugars. When the doctors did all the tests, they found out that I am

> allergic to wheat and gluten. My entire stomach was covered in sores

> from consuming wheat, and I was unable to absorb food. So I was

> starving to death, seemed like and my tummy was in screaming pain. The

> doctors told me to lay off of the wheat and most of my remaining

> symptoms will most likely go away as well. I have a good doctor. He

> gave me 2 shots of vitamin B-12 over a month, so that sure helped the

> energy As far as I feel, my energy is coming back so I can keep the

> housework up a lot easier. I have my Bachelors of Arts in Liberal

> Studies and I am in Grad School while studying to be a teacher for

> grades K=8. I have two jobs besides school. I am a substitute teacher

> for the local school districts, and I am also sit on the board of

> directors for the Rec and Park district here in my home town. I have a

> Boston Terrier Dog who keeps me active, and I love PE at school

> because it has been a really long time since I have enjoyed sports.

> Regarding this healing, Did it come from prayer, or a miracle, or

> faith healers or living right or what, I don’t know. I believe it came

> from the antibiotics. It was totally unexpected but I like being

> healthy again.

> I do not understand it, but I think I accept it for what it is, and

> having mulled it over in my head for a few months, and contacting

> about this turn of events, it also brought the pain of learning

> her daughter had lost her life after fighting the good fight. She is

> one of my heroes and I cannot think about this disease and treatment

> without remembering her before and after photos, one of her in the

> hospital so sick before the antibiotics and her all dressed up for the

> prom or some such Australian rite of passage gathering of young men

> and women in her age group. I can’t explain it, but those photos gave

> me hope that my own energy could come back and I could be all right.

> and her daughter are two of my guiding lights. She did not die

> in vain; she died for us who are also fighting for survival and for

> good health. She helped us to not be afraid, and since I can almost

> feel her presence at peace now that the pain and stiffness is gone.

> Another thing to think upon, to leave you with a happy hopeful

> thought. I had dinner recently with the doctor who is the head of the

> Direct Relief International, whose warehouse is right down the street

> by the train station. He told me he has been treating his African

> patients with Doxycycline at the same dose, 100 mgs MWF, as a

> profolatic to keep the people from catching malaria from the skeeters.

> He says it is working and the people who are bit and who are on the

> doxy are not developing and dying from the malaria any more now that

> they are no longer using quinine for treatment.

> I wish you all well. Feel free to email and let me know how you are

> doing. If you have tried to email me in the last year or so, you may

> have missed me as my email changed when AOL went public. Too many adds

> for me so I just use my school email address. I lost touch with a lot

> of you whom I have grown to love and wonder about.

> kellyapritchard@...

>