Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion General Message Board for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Related Diseases Anna Banana

Anna
I have been reading different topics on the forum for about a month or so. You always have such awesome support, encouragement, and information for everyone. I just wanted to say thank you so much. Your link you added about the disablity was unbelievable. It had so much important useful information. I felt very lost before you sent it. I will keep it for anyone else who might need it. Anyway I just wanted you to know how wonderul you are and to say thank you.

your friend
Raquel

I agree Raquel, I love Anna too and I have told her before how much I appreciate all her help and knowledge and often great links to read. She is full of great info and she knows that I call her my back-up Rheumy, my "AS Sister from NY", and a walking AS encyclopedia! She is modest though, and always says, no...no...I'm not like that, but she IS and I am so glad that someone else here sees Anna for the great, helpful, supportive, loving, caring person that she is!!! Whenever I have a question about meds or AS, I know I can always, always ask Anna and she will tell me to the best of her ability what she knows about it and I can take her information as just and true.

See Anna!! I told you that you are awesome and great and Raquel sees it too!!!!!!!!!

Kris..your AS sis

Ahhh, blush, ahhh. Thank you so much. Raquel, I've been checking disability myself and so when I found that site, I thought it might help others. Isn't it amazing? I have not filled out the paperwork yet, but gathering the information like they suggest.

Kris, you sweetheart. Thanks.

Everything I know, I learned from someone else either here or a couple other sites I visit and I am happy to pass it on either that or like many here, I suffered it too. There are many wonderful people here, I am so lucky.

It was a nice day to see this, thanks. I picked up my handicapped parking permit this afternoon. When they called this morning, they asked if it was temporary or permanent and sob, I could barely say the word-permanent. I won't need it every day, but gosh, sometimes my ankles really hurt and are weak.

Thanks again, you ALL are my friends. Anna

Hi. I'm new here and I've seen a lot of female members (I assume forum members are also AS patients). I thought AS is predominantly affects male than female? Is there a poll here for the percentage of Female and male that has AS?

Yes, I agree - Anna you are very knowledgeable and so willing to help! You are truly a special person!

Iomi, you have no idea what a can of worms you just opened. LOL

Of course women get AS, but some doctors haven't read any medical books since they left medical school and still go by that very old and outdated notion that AS is a 'man's disease.'

The percentage of men to women ASers? Well, it varies depending on who you talk to and when you talk to them. It used to be 60-40 men to women, then 55-45, then 65-35. Check on the other part of this website for the figure that is being used today by the SAA. (Part of the problem with getting an accurate figure of course, is that AS, especially in women is under-diagnosed. Why? Because some doctors think women don't get AS ... (HEY WHEN DID WE START GOING IN CIRCLES??!! I'm getting dizzy!)

Anna Appreciation Society factoid: She's also a very talented artist: http://artplaces.com/west/


Spenser23

Anna Banana! I love your painting Midtown....oh how I miss NYC. You are a beautiful painter!

Spenser - the reason girls don't get AS is cuz Girls are better than Boys!


HA!

Jewelz

We love you Anna!

Just checked out your artwork -- really cool! There is a lot of warmth in your approach to landscape.

Anna....Ohhhhhhh myyyyyyy goshhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!! I just looked at your paintings too and they are absolutely beautiful!!!! Wow! You are so very talented girl!! Amazing...thanks for sending us that Spenser cause Anna never would have done it!

And Spenser...you know I love you too!! Anna Appreciation Society...good one ha..ha... You always make me laugh and put a smile on my face. Like your post here saying the above and then telling new member lomi they have no idea what a can of worms they opened up asking their question, and then writing hey when did we go in circles here, when you were explaining your answer! You are just so witty and funny, and I'm glad you're here too.

Really though, I agree with Anna that I too appreciate everyone here on the forum as a whole. We ALL add something valuable and have a different approach to living with AS and how to deal with it in our lives. We share what works for us and are able to share that information in a respectful way with each other (most of the time) and I think that makes this forum unique. We offer support, encouragment, advice, education, and tips, but are not offended if what works for us doesn't necessarily work for someone else. I love this place, and I plan to be here with all of you when we are old farts and barely typing and moving, well even more than we are now I mean! Love you all, my AS Fam!

Kris