The Younger Years
I have vague memories during childhood where the signs were there. Abdominal pain starting at 7 years old. Being covered in hives after running through a field at 8 years old. Party tricks with the extra bendy joints. Always feeling tired. Around 13 years old, I came down with mono (also known as Epstein Barr Virus). After that moment, the signs became more like a flashing billboard that screamed dysfunction. I developed allergies to foods that I had eaten my whole life. My outdoor allergies left me miserable. I tried sensitization shots, but those shots resulted in increasingly larger whelps each time. Running outside brought “asthma attacks” (later diagnosed as reactive airway).
At 16, I could no longer participate in band practice or volunteer with my youth group during the summer. I couldn’t remember my lines during performances – due to prolonged standing leading to fatigue and brain fog. I had to end my time as a camp counselor for girls camp. I felt like I was losing my ability to do the things I loved. I found other ways to volunteer that were less stressing on my body, but I mourned who I was.
Finally, around 20 years old, the pain started to kick in. Those flexible joints that had spent so much time trying to remain in place started to show signs of their burden. No evidence would show on X-rays, of course. No evidence of autoimmune disease, they said. That elevated ANA was borderline and not “uncommon”. I needed my sluggish gallbladder out, but that made my abdominal pain worse.
I was told nothing was wrong, but I knew what I was feeling was not normal. That’s when I decided I would find out myself. I attended medical assisting school. I learned medical terminology and anatomy/physiology. It was a big deal that I completed the program, as college had been very challenging for me. I didn’t know when I started college at 18 that the constant trekking around campus was using up all my spoons. However, I didn’t stop there. I somehow made it through nursing school and earned my ADN. I had two kids during that time, as well. I did experience something that seems to be a common occurrence for some during pregnancy – I had a remission in symptoms. I had more energy and focus than I had in years. Looking back with what I know now, it was immunosuppression, a naturally occurring part of pregnancy. I was then able to complete my BSN online while I started my nursing career. And because learning to research properly is an integral part of nursing school, I was finally able to properly research my seemingly unrelated symptoms.
This is where my journey towards answers really started.