Chronicles of Living With An Autoimmune Disease
I define myself by many things; a mother, a wife, a friend, and an author. I do not define myself by my illness, but my illness does define a lot of what I am capable of. There are days where I can feel somewhat normal. Those are rare. Most days, I am in a constant battle with my own body. My symptoms started mildly in 2016. From there, getting an initial diagnosis took over four years. The initial diagnosis was Sjogren’s syndrome and benign Waldenstroms. Within a year, the issues progressed quickly. I was hospitalized with acute Congestive Heart Failure at 40 years old with no history of heart problems. As with many chronic illnesses, the issues continued to be progressive to the point where I had to leave my job and take a hiatus from my passion – writing. As of now, I am battling autoimmune hepatitis, Congestive Heart Failure, heart palpitations, anxiety, anemia, and thyroid issues. There are days I can barely walk, days spent vomiting, and days of unbearable pain. My hope with this page is to reach out to others and help support those who are experiencing chronic illnesses.
