The more I get to know and hear/see my fellow "Vascies" stories, the more hope I get. Vasculitis took away everything for me. I lost my independence, my jobs, my schooling, my ability to walk, dress myself, my ability to do things, to have fun, to be fit and happy. It took away my will to live. After diagnosis of MPA, I still did not have much of a fight left. My will to live had been crushed by losing everything. "What did I have to live for?" I thought.
Slowly, I reached out, and got to know others. I found out there is hope with my disease. While it is life threatening, it is forever, there is no cure, and it can force me to need transplanted organs in the future, these people who have been through it, who are going through it now, taught me survival. Taught me that someday, I too will be able to beat this monster. Now here I am. I am nearing remission. I have permanent scarring and damage to my lungs, but nothing that is too terrible. Mild to moderate only. My kidneys were spared thank God. I am back in school, and starting to try to get back into life. Remission is my mission, and education is my passion when it comes to these diseases.
Each and every one of my fellow Vascies are near and dear to my heart, from the little girl of one of my new friends, to the oldest of them, and everyone in between...you all are part of my life and heart now...because you taught me to be strong, to have hope. That living with a chronic disease doesn't have to take me down spiritually. You all taught me how to get up and fight when I wanted to lay down and give up. For that, I thank you all...you really do not know how much hope you give others!
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