In this episode, I interview Ricky White, author and current President of Walk AS One. Ricky (www.rickywhite.net) was diagnosed in 2010 with Ankylosing Spondylitis and it would lead him on a whole new journey. He was a nurse at the time and AS left him at times unable to easily perform the physical side of nursing. Through the years, Ricky transformed to a stay-at-home dad while his wife went to work when they moved to the United States. He was doing a blog (www.endlesstrax.com) that was popular in the AS community. He no longer posts to it, but the works are still there to read.

If being a stay at home father and getting  back into karate wasn’t enough,  Ricky started helping to found the 501c3 charity  Walk AS One (www.walkasone.org). The group wants to see everyone with AS keep moving to fight the affects of AS that can happen with a lack of exercise/movement. In May of each year for AS Awareness Month, there is the event Walk Your AS Off (www.walkyourasoff.com).

Ricky has written both fiction and a non-fiction book. The non-fiction is a great book to help you be your own advocate for dealing with your doctors. The book is called Taking Charge: Making Your Healthcare Appointments Work for You (http://mybook.to/taking-charge) that is available from Amazon. As both a nurse and patient, Ricky’s book can help you structure your appointments so that you can work to get your questions answered and become your best advocate for treatment.

The Ankylosing Spondylitis Podcast shirts are now available for order. Follow this link lakeshoregraphics.net/fundraisers

I am collecting orders till end of February (2019) and then shirts will be created and mailed.

Also, the Patreon page is up, follow this link: www.patreon.com/aspodcast