Author Archives: Karen Fitch

You Are Reading This Because You Have Ankylosing Spondylitis

AS is a thief, a trickster and a really crappie life-partner. AS has no moral compass and absolutely no compassion. Its lack of empathy is only matched with its intense perseverance. It takes hold and never lets go…even if you have episodes of remission, this disease is lying in wait. Although it is true that […]

What's Your New Normal?

Guest Post by Karen Fitch, Team Captain of Fitch Feet What’s your new normal? Do you have one of those quadruple pill sorters like I do? Maybe you have your infusion appointments logged into you smartphone’s calendar? Possibly you are spending the next few hours wrapped up in bed with a heating pad? Perhaps you […]

It's Time To Walk!

Photo by Hamed Saber TODAY IS THE DAY! IT’S TIME TO START STEPPIN’! It’s that time of year again…it is WALK YOUR AS OFF! W is for Waiting. It’s so hard to wait for the event to begin on April 1, 2016. A is for Awareness. That’s why we count our steps and promote this […]

Just Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

Karen Swank-Fitch, Team Captain Team Fitch Feet, has some very wise and inspirational words for all of us. The Walk Your AS Off countdown has begun. Get ready to walk on April 1st, and please stop by and leave Karen a comment.  There is this certain song that has stuck with me since I was, […]

Coping with Grief and AS

I was planning on writing about how people with chronically painful illnesses are dimensional and should not only be viewed through the lens of their disease…and it would have been a mighty post and it would have inspired many, but in fact, that’s not my mindset right now. Right now I am in grieving. I […]

May The Fourth Be With You…

May 4, 2015 I birthed a Star Wars Geek. He is almost 9 years old and Stars Wars is his SPARK. He is a sponge when it comes to anything Star Wars, so that means that his mama (me) has by default come to know more about Star Wars that she ever though possible. A […]

Where Does Strength Come From?

I’m not sure if you noticed, but last week, no blog from me. I was in the hospital. Semi-not AS related, but come on, everything is AS-related in our bodies. I was MIA or as I like to say in-Kaiser-ated because my immune system allowed an insignificant insurgent bacteria to grow and duplicate and multiply […]

I’m Your Puppet

In 1966, two years before giving birth, James and  Bobby Purify (and R&B Duo) released the song I’m Your Puppet. The opening lyrics go like this, Pull the string and I’ll wink at you. I’m your puppet. I’ll do funny things if you want me to, I’m your puppet. Enduring a radical autoimmune disease and […]

Why I Walk; Why You Walk

Why I Walk for Walk Your A.S. Off Why do I walk? I walk because I have to. I walk because walking is a fundamental action that on certain days seems impossible to me. I walk because spending a few weeks counting my steps, managing a team and encouraging others is what I do. Why […]