I wrote this segment about some of my journey. I feel very fortunate that I became ill in my (late) 30's....whereas some of us have been ill for much longer. I felt moved to write this little bit today. I feel very hesitant in some ways to post this because it's an indulgence to me. Even so, I will try this...after all... it's a blogosphere. Because this is an experiment to me, I may or may not tell more (next segment, etc.). In any event. This is what I came up with just about an hour ago.
"If you're reading this message you know that we are all in this together. A baffling illness. So many unanswered questions. Perhaps even thoughtless and insenstive remarks and behavior from family, friends, and doctors. If you're like me, you've had to work your way through an array of bizarre symptoms and get used to a body which no longer obeys old commands.
I believe marked deterioration of my health began in 1999 after a number of vaccines in too-close of a time-frame. I was actually told to space them out, and I did not. It was after the Hep B series that I knew something had changed. Even so, in 2001 I was still able to work 12+ hour shifts on the trauma/burn/surgical unit as a nurse's aid. Prior to that I had trained as an EMT with the hopes of eventually becoming a Physician's Assistant. Even though I'm artistic, I worked in the medical field, and as stated, hoped to further my medical education. I was so proud to get into Columbia University's Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program in my 30's. It was my hope to do the pre-med coursework to prepare me for the PA route. Yet, this path was never to be.
This is only part of my own story. Thanks for reading."
"If you're reading this message you know that we are all in this together. A baffling illness. So many unanswered questions. Perhaps even thoughtless and insenstive remarks and behavior from family, friends, and doctors. If you're like me, you've had to work your way through an array of bizarre symptoms and get used to a body which no longer obeys old commands.
I believe marked deterioration of my health began in 1999 after a number of vaccines in too-close of a time-frame. I was actually told to space them out, and I did not. It was after the Hep B series that I knew something had changed. Even so, in 2001 I was still able to work 12+ hour shifts on the trauma/burn/surgical unit as a nurse's aid. Prior to that I had trained as an EMT with the hopes of eventually becoming a Physician's Assistant. Even though I'm artistic, I worked in the medical field, and as stated, hoped to further my medical education. I was so proud to get into Columbia University's Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program in my 30's. It was my hope to do the pre-med coursework to prepare me for the PA route. Yet, this path was never to be.
This is only part of my own story. Thanks for reading."
