I really wanted to do a follow up to my first blog post because it is the one that has told the beginning of my story. I am now in the middle of the journey and a lot has transpired since my first post. My first post was the summer before my junior year of college. I was in such a horrible place physically it was almost unbearable. I was bed bound and unable to do the simplest tasks without being in pain or with my fatigue. I had zero social life and never left the house. It was probably some of my toughest days yet.
I am so glad that I began to make slow improvements over that summer and that they’re still happening to this day. I have made a HUGE improvement since that time. Currently, I am headache free and have been for a little over a year! It’s been such an amazing experience to not be in pain every day in your life. I can think more clearly and start living a different lifestyle. I am now in my last semester of my senior year. I graduate in May and I couldn’t be more excited. I’ve had to grow up so fast in such a small amount of time that I am truly over my college years. I could never really relate to them in the first place so I am ready to move on. I switched to Communications so I am graduating with a B.S. in Communications with a concentration in Communication Studies. I am moving back home with my parents, and I haven’t decided what I am actually going to do but I might head to grad school and get a part time job. Yes, I said it. A. Part. Time. Job. I think I might actually be able to handle it. I have not been able to work since I was in high school so it would be amazing to start again. I truly am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I am taking 6 classes this semester, when last semester I barely survived 3! This one thing you should know about me, no matter what state I am I refuse to get bad grades in school. I missed 7 weeks of last semester and I came out with two A’s and a B. I pride myself on my work ethic because I am so serious about what I do, and want to live as normal of life as I can.
My energy level has improved but is still a major struggle. I struggle to do daily activities but I still get a majority of them done. I tend to be more productive in the mornings so I get up have my coffee and get ready for the day. If I don’t have class, you can find me studying at Starbucks for 4-5 hours as I am drowning in work this semester. I still struggle with having a social life but it comes in spurts. I can’t juggle work and a social life—it’s a lot for me to do just one. I keep in contact with my friends daily, I just don’t always get a chance to see them because they live different lives then I do.
Something that has been amazing for me has been my G.I. support group. I’ve made two really amazing friends through it and it has helped me in every way. I talk to Nikki and Hannah daily and I really truly don’t know what I’d do without them, they are truly my lifelines. It’s really great to have people that first hand understand what you are going through at such a young age.
Another struggle I’ve had was with my weight. I found myself just gaining and gaining and gaining. I would look in the mirror and take myself down as I was the heaviest I have ever been about three months ago. Since joining Weight Watchers in December, I have lost almost 25 lbs. I feel amazing. My mood has turned around and I feel like everything is finally turning around for me. I continuing to grow a positive mindset more and more each day–that I will conquer this and move on with my life. I will not let this define who I am in the end.
Don’t get me wrong, I feel great but recently I just had a test and part of my disease has progressed. I am feeling very optimistic though because I will be starting a new treatment within the next couple of weeks and hopefully it will help. I do somewhat have a diagnosis that I have shared with my family and my close friends but I am not so sure that I will be sharing it with the world because it is rather complicated to explain and there are still a lot of unknowns. BUT I will tell you that I do have an autoimmune disease and we know what it’s doing and somewhat of why it’s doing it so I do have some answers.
I truly couldn’t ask for better doctors. I currently have a team of three doctors that have been working harder then I could ever to get me into remission. They are truly miracle workers and I don’t know what I’d do without them. I am so lucky that one happens to be my family friend that’s known me since I was younger. He has been so hardworking and truly will go out of his way to make sure I am improving and doing better. I am so glad to have him, and I truly never think that I would’ve ever figured out what was wrong with me in the first place had I not have known him. He is a doctor who has truly never given up on me and always has spread his positivity along with hope and courage to me.
My point is I am in a better place then I was when I first started this blog, and I will continue to work harder each day to get where I want to go in life. Remission keeps creeping up on me and I can’t wait for the day I can finally say I am in it! This blog has been such an amazing thing to have as I have met such amazing people through it and I will continue it. My dream would to make this my career, as I am being mentored by Leticia Barr from Tech Savvy Mama she is truly inspiring. I am so glad I get the opportunity to get her advice and keep on growing!
I will make a Part 3 in the future! Thanks for reading and for your support!