Rheumatoid Arthritis In Early Childhood School

You have to grow up so much faster than what you like. You have to learn from a young age how to care for yourself. You will miss out on opportunities from time to time, but in the end, the greatest pleasure is looking back on to how you have grown. You look back and see a scared teenager not knowing how the future will turn out, but now you are truly blessed for the impact that Crohn's Disease has had on your life. I look forward to sharing what I have learned through some of my darkest hours with future generations. I am aiming to show people that it is okay to be afraid, it is okay to feel lost and broken, but eventually you will look back on that day and see first-hand as to how you overcame some of the hardest

In 2013 I lost my job due to an accident incurred at work. I was diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome. When I finally returned to work it made me realize how vital it is to be prepared for the unexpected in life. This was an experience humbling me financially and personally. This taught me not to lay victim in my circumstances. Had I become comfortable with life’s problems, it would have be the ongoing setback for my future successes in life.

My new illness completely flipped my world upside down. I went from being a three season athlete to not being able to play any sports at all due to my inflamed and sore joints. The pain often made it hard for me to go to school, which resulted in me falling behind in many classes. I struggled with the fact that this disease had completely changed everything and that I would carry it with me for the rest of my life. After letting this illness get the best of me for a few months, I finally realized that I needed to accept my diagnosis and start

When I was a sophomore my mother was diagnosed with cancer and as a result, I have spent most of my college career dealing emotional with the result. She is free of disease as of right now but it was a long and tumultuous journey to get there. I practically spent 2 years without a mother because she was so sick and I had to take her role. I organized family events, cooked them meals when I could, did their shopping all while going to school three hours away and having constant fear that my mother and the love of my life was going to die. That is only my personal struggle with it, not even taking into account her trauma or my fathers or brothers. It almost seems selfish to reflect on this because it was nothing compared to what she was going through. I went through stages where I was horrified and so scared and then I was angry and selfish. I wanted my mother back, I wanted her to make me dinner when I came home from college and send me care packages again. I wanted her to go shopping every weekend like she used to and spend money on things that weren’t hospital bills. I wanted to call her and hear something other than how she couldn’t get chemotherapy that week because she was so weak and was rushed to the hospital for a blood transfusion. I was tired of talking to people about it and people asking if I was okay. I felt like a broken record, “Yes, I’m okay. Yes, school is

Growing up, I was a competitive cheerleader but was forced to quit three and a half years ago when I was struck with chronic back pain for the second time in my life. I was pain free for just over a year and a half, and during that time I was involved in cheerleading again. After the pain relapsed, I endured countless needles and numerous procedures. I was home bound and on bed rest for seven months during my junior year of high school, which is considered the most important and determinant year. I wasn’t able to go to school and sit at a desk all day, because the pain was too excruciating. Because of this, my teachers were reluctant to help and didn’t think I deserved to continue their classes with passing grades since I was not in class,

From ages 6 to 12, I suffered from epilepsy, contributing to my phobia of public places and anxiety. At 14, I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and needed corrective surgery, which still affects my back to this day. From age 13 to now, I have experienced (in order) gastritis, gallstones, pancreatitis, gallbladder removal and have been diagnosed with a genetic mutation in my liver that causes stones to form. Needless to say, this has affected my diet and requires me to take medication. I have been hospitalized many times for treatment of my illnesses, the longest and most excruciating being three weeks for pancreatitis. Everyday, I wonder what it would’ve been like to have grown up healthy and lived without the constant stresses my conditions put on my body, my mind, and my family. As I got older, I only developed more problems as my personal life took a bad turn. The transition from one school to another in the eighth grade was incredibly difficult and my memories of the isolation and pain I felt are still deeply upsetting. It took me years to get accustomed to my new school and finally find myself in a place where I have made many good friends and feel comfortable with who and where I

My mother was diagnosed with a tumor in her abdomen. This took a tremendous toll on me over the course of the next year. I was regularly traveling from Dallas to San Antonio to be by her side and take her to appointments. Being an only child and my father working in Italy, I was her main support system. Family is everything to me. My mother is my everything. This sudden shift of my focus was reflected in my poor grades. I matured quickly during this time and learned to be successful with a rigorous academic course load. Most importantly, I learned to never give up when all hope seems

There are different types of arthritis such as gouty arthritis which causes a swelling usually in the big toe, psoriatic arthritis that often occurs along with psoriasis and reactive arthritis which usually involves the eyes, urethra and joints. Juvenile arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe any form of childhood arthritis or arthritis-related conditions which affects people under 16 years old. The most common form of childhood arthritis is juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) which is also referred to as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Individuals who suffer from JRA experience stiffness and joint inflammation that result into swelling, warmth, soreness and redness of the joints. JRA, also

“I will keep fighting,” is what I remind myself as soon as the sun peaks up. Many people are not aware of Crohn’s, nor did I when I was diagnosed at age 8. I have learned Crohn’s is not just a simple disease; it changes lives. My experiences with Crohn’s built me into a stronger person, both physically and mentally. Crohn’s caused me to grow up rapidly, faster than my fellow classmates. Entering high school with Crohn’s had been a remarkably frightening experience, yet at the end of each day, I decided I was not going to allow my disease to define who I am. So when you walk through those high school doors, remember: be who you are, not what Crohn’s makes you. Participate in activities you loved to do before you got Crohns- just modify them.

In 2011, my brother was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis which affected my entire family including myself. He went through many surgeries, many of which made it quite impossible for me to see him given that I was only 11 years old, and everything on that level in that hospital was contagious. Throughout, this period in my life my mother was always busy and I learned to slowly do my things on my own. Although it sounds crucial, I didn’t expect much from my mother given that she basically lived in the hospital. I fell into depression because my brother was my best friend and I couldn’t accept that he was in so much pain. I learned to overcome depression and slowly learned that life shouldn’t be taken for granted and I should believe in myself.

Having so many medical issues can make life harder than usual. These things among many other experiences in my life, have been difficult to overcome. Inevitably, you have to find a way to claim what you have and the way you were born to be able to push through it. Your struggles in life should never be treated like limits but much rather seen as goals and

In fifth grade I found out my mom had breast cancer. I didn’t fully understand what it meant at the time, but as I got older I understood the severity of the situation my mother had to face. Eight surgeries and seven years later she is cancer free but still faces severe nerve damage and lots of doctors appointments and physical therapy. This put strains on me to take care of her and to do everything in my power to make her day easier by having one less thing to worry about: me. This was, and continues to be my driving force and motivation in school, my extra curriculars, and every day life choices.

I all started in fifth grade when I was hospitalized on to find out I have Sickle Cell Anemia. The worst part of it all was then the doctors prevented me from doing what I loved to do most, playing basketball. Being told that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my favorite past time was like telling a fish not to swim. The season had just started but luckily for me my doctor decided to let me finish.

I experienced illness when my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. The most devastating aspect of this experience was when we had to make a choice as a family on how we were going

A few days after being diagnosed with T1D I had received the news that my grandpa had passed away. This was really hard for me to deal with and to understand why it happened so soon. My sophomore year of high school was really difficult for me. I had lost both of my grandmas that year. I tried my best to cope with the fact that I would not get to see them at holidays anymore, that they would never see me graduate high school, or that I would not be able to hear their wonderful and happy voices anymore. It reached the point that I had mostly given up on God. I was not ready to say goodbye to some of the people that