Arthritis Digest Magazine 2019 Issue 4 Back Issue

How we feel about and react to situations seems key to the
way they play out for us. Plenty of research, for example,
points to positivity as being important to recovery from and
management of illness.
Professional golfer, Andrew Murray, had to deal with ankylosing
spondylitis whilst climbing the golf leaderboard. Medication
extended his career but ultimately his condition led to early
retirement. Without ankylosing spondylitis, Andrew could have
achieved even more on the international circuit.
Instead of negativity, Andrew’s upbeat mental attitude meant
he moved quickly into new career opportunities and now has a
flourishing stream of business interests. And he sees golf as the
reason why his ankylosing didn’t progress further – the rotary
nature of the game meant his spine wasn’t given the opportunity
to fuse.
Maybe being positive in the face of adversity is something that
some have and others learn. Either way, it’s worth thinking about.