Florida sisters with AS

An article in -- so help me -- the Florida Baptist Witness looks at how two sisters, aged 12 and 16, cope with ankylosing spondylitis. The article focuses more on their family's faith than on the sisters' treatment -- other than Tiger Balm, ice and prayer, there's no mention of it -- but despite the fact that they're people of faith and I'm not, the article rings true for me when it deals with the older sister's frustrations:

"So many people just can't understand how I could look fine and be sick, because I don't look sick," the teen said. "You know, so many people think if they were in my position, they could live my life better than I can. And that's one thing that really gets me."

Sometimes overwhelmed by well-meaning friends who want the girls to look at alternative medicine or the latest diet related to the illness, Stephanie said people get offended if the family doesn't choose to respond.

Stephanie apparently has a MySpace blog, but I haven't been able to find it.