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Interview with Mick's daughter from a Crue website:

CC: Stormy, we also learnt about Mick’s disease in The Dirt, Ankylosing Spondylitis, or A.S. as they call it. I understand that you also suffer from this disease as well.

SD: Right.

CC: Can you tell us a bit about what it’s like day to day to have such a disease? [You can also learn more about this disease here]

SD: Day to day for me; I get up and I’m very stiff. I’m like hunched over a bit. I get up and immediately take my meds to un-stiffen. There are certain tasks that I can’t do by myself, like mopping the floor. It’s really strenuous and hard on me. I can fold the laundry. Greg basically does it but he brings out the baskets to me, and me and Shandi fold clothes together. For the most part I can do everything else.

CC: Excellent. How is your Dad’s condition at the moment? Just how sick is he?

SD: I had to fight back every single tear at Christmas time because he looked like death. [crying] I’m sorry…

CC: That’s OK. Just take a moment…

SD: He was just… He looked grey, you know. He couldn’t even wear his black wristband ‘cause it would look like it would just fall right off him.

CC: Right. OK.

SD: He was so thin.

CC: Was that the last time you saw him?

SD: That was the last I saw him. You know, I’ve got a hold of him every once in a while on the phone but he just… He hides you see? From what Robbie [Mantooth, his fiancée] tells me is he kind of feels guilty about me having it and... but you know, it’s not his fault! He didn’t know!

CC: Yeh exactly. Well it is a hereditary thing isn’t it?

SD: Yes it is and it’s usually a male dominant disease and that’s why it’s so rare [for me].

CC: So is he able to play guitar?

SD: No. You’ve gotta know that sucks if he can’t pick up. I mean, I had to bring my youngest Chandler around in front of him ‘cause he couldn’t turn his neck. He couldn’t turn his head. I mean he couldn’t even turn his head over to give me a kiss on the cheek or anything... and to hug him, you feel… I can’t explain it.

CC: [pauses] Well you mentioned Robbie. Robbie Mantooth. Is she Mick’s fiancée right? Are they engaged?

SD: Fiancée yeh. That’s what I would call it. I consider her my step-mother. As far as I know they have not gotten married.

CC: I hear that she’s a real help to Mick right?

SD: Oh yeh. She is.

CC: In what kind of ways does she support him?

SD: Oh she gets him to his doctors’ appointments. She gives him like a steroid shot to break down the inflammation in his body, and maintains his medicines so he doesn’t take more of one than the other, you know what I mean?

CC: Yeh.

SD: Yeh she helps him with that.

CC: Is she still working on her documentaries a fair bit, or..?

SD: As far as I know she is. As far as I know. I know she’s not diving. She can’t dive until she gets her ear fixed.

Thanks for posting this. My wife has Ankylosing Spondylitis. She was having hip problems for years. Sometimes she would "lock up" and not be able to move anymore. This was okay at home where I could carry her to bed, but out in public was a different story. She then developed terrible pain in one eye (another AS symptom). Her eye doctor did a number of tests and sent her to a rheumatologist who disgnosed her with AS. After all the time of pain & stiffness, we were just glad to have a name.

She now gives herself 2 shots a week and they have helped tremendously. She can function normally and can play with the kids. It is hereditary and is more prevelant in American Indians , so we will see about our kid's chances. Everything we have discovered has pointed to remarkable progress in treating AS and I hope it continues. Sorry to hear about Mars & his daughter....sounds like he's got some bad symptoms...:o(.