Through about half of my relatively short life, I have been bombarded by upper and lower back pain, a plethora of kidney stones, a shoulder surgery gone wrong that turned into eleven (yes, eleven!) more surgeries on that same shoulder. Those of you who know me, know that medical issues have become the unfortunate norm. For ten years my doctors and I strived to find an explanation for the recurring stones and the increasing pain in my neck and back. Finally, about 4 years ago, I was given the diagnosis of an autoimmune disorder called ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
Now that there is a disease to treat, though, there are also exorbitant medical costs that I am incurring. I am asking that you find it in your heart to help me continue to get the medical care that is keeping these problems manageable enough to allow me to function from day to day. Every little bit helps. Thank you for reading my story.