About This Site
About Me
Hi, I’m Kevin Shubert. I was born July 20, 1968 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Susan and I were married in July, 1993, and we have two kids, Chandler, and Cheyenne. We’ve both worked (or in Susan’s case, is working) in the IT field, and have had the fortunate experience of living in Costa Rica for almost 3 years, from 2000 to 2003.
We live on an acreage outside of Spruce Grove, with my father-in-law, who is 80 this summer, and have a Shiba Inu name Kameko, a cat (or at least that’s what we were told it is) named Havoc, and 3 other dogs that my father-in-law keeps. Two of those are German Shepards (Shadow and Shyla), and the other is a a Pomeranian named Pom-Pom, who is very enthusiastic in her role as alarm system.
I’m currently disabled, a “Survivor” of Ankylosing Spondylitis. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say, in brief, about what A.S. is:
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS; also known as Bechterew’s disease; Bechterew syndrome; Marie Strümpell disease / Marie Struempell disease / Spondyloarthritis) is a chronic, painful, degenerative inflammatory arthritis primarily affecting spine and sacroiliac joints, causing eventual fusion of the spine; it is a member of the group of the autoimmune spondyloarthropathies with a probable genetic predisposition. Complete fusion results in a complete rigidity of the spine, a condition known as bamboo spine.
WebMD has this to say:
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Ankylosing spondylitis symptoms include pain and stiffness from the neck down to the lower back. The spine’s bones (vertebrae) may grow or fuse together, resulting in a rigid spine. These changes may be mild or severe, and may lead to a stooped-over posture. Early diagnosis and treatment helps control pain and stiffness and may reduce or prevent significant deformity.
(Follow the Wikipedia and WebMD links for more information - these are just summaries, and much more information is available regarding symptoms, prognosis, and treatments.)
In my case, I’m unable to work, disabled, with chronic pain, sleep problems, and general quality-of-life issues. This disease, in turn, has also had an immense affect on both my wife and children, and the rest of my family - my mother and father, brother and sister, spouses, nephews - to varying degrees.
About This Website
So, those are the facts. The reality is that I’m unable to work, but I still have an active mind, and I have always had a fondness for writing. It’s also been suggested to me that I document or journal my experiences with my Ankylosing Spondylitis, as a way to communicate my experiences, but primarily, as a sort of personal therapy in dealing with the adjustment to being unable to work, and quite frankly, unable to do quite a few things that most people take for granted.
The site will also serve as a place for me to post current news about myself and my family, so that those in our family and circle of friends who wish to keep up, can do so in a central place.
Aside from the Ankylosing Spondylitis, and desire to write, I’m going to be writing opinion posts. These represent my own opinion only. If you don’t agree with me, feel free to email me or comment to an article, but argue your point with the same respect you wish from me. I have an open mind, and am able to change my mind on many issues.
Thanks for stopping by!
Kevin
Email: kevin.shubert@gmail.com
Kevin Shubert is married with 2 children, enjoyed an IT Management Career spanning over 3 decades, lived in Costa Rica for almost 3 years, and is an Ankylosing Spondylitis "Survivor". For more about Kevin, his family, and his philosophy, visit the About This Site section.
