Why I Advocate

Note: This piece comes at the request of the Arthritis Foundation.  I was asked to write about my experience with its Ambassador Program, and my success with one of our recent tasks.  I am honored to have been asked, and hope the following does the program justice.  For more information, visit arthritis.org/advocate/ambassador-program.

**************************************************

Nearly 10 years ago, I began feeling a variety of symptoms that didn’t seem to make much sense: I was exhausted and sore without doing anything strenuous, frequently weak, dizzy, and nauseous, I couldn’t sleep.  I soon learned about a condition called Fibromyalgia, but it took 4 years and a dozen doctors before one believed me and diagnosed it.  Over that time, I developed new symptoms, including skin rashes and painful swollen joints.  It took another 4 years of rotating misdiagnoses before my doctors realized that this inflammatory arthritis was part of a disease called Sarcoidosis.  These illnesses have taken so much away from me: I’m no longer able to work, I have to walk with a cane for short distances and use a scooter for longer ones, and I have to cancel more plans than I can keep.  But the Arthritis Foundation has given back so much.

Not a Drag

Note: This piece was originally written in response to the following writing challenge, offered by The Mighty: 

We often read comments in our community about people worrying their condition will prevent them from being in a relationship or finding love, even if that’s not truly the case. What would you say to someone else with your or a loved one’s diagnosis who also feels this way?

**************************************************

Back in college, I dated the wrong boy for far too long.  He seemed to feed off of every insecurity I had, and even gave me some new ones.  While I’ve mostly overcome all that and rarely give him a second thought, there’s one thing he said that has stuck with me all this time.  One thing that has become my greatest fear, my greatest insecurity.