For years I had different symptoms, illnesses etc. I was told I was ‘it was just in my mind’. Although I knew it wasn’t and I had legitimate illnesses, I started to wonder myself ‘maybe I’m going crazy?’

In Aug. 2000, my than husband was stationed at Fort Bragg N.C.

My daughter(13) at the time and myself were living there by ourselves, far from any family. My husband was in Missouri, and I had no one to turn to but myself and God.

I will never forget the day… I had been having so much pain in my entire body,radiating in my back. I couldn’t state awake, yet I couldn’t state asleep either. I would be driving my daughter and I, and have blackouts. Would wake up driving, not no how I got there. My daughter Chelsea had no ideal would call my mother who lives in Floryida several times a day. Acting each time like all was well.

Than came the day, I had so many tests run, blood taken, MRI’s, cat scans etc. I got the call telling me I have systemic Lupus and Fibromyalgia. What in the world ate those? I said. I was Tod to clear in and we would discuss my options.

I immediately called my mom in Florida and went and picked my daughter up from school. I thought,’maybe I will just leave and go back home,and everything would be ok’.

My wonderful mother made the decision to come to Bragg for few weeks. I again, put on that I was OK.
I was pretty much bed ridden for 2 months, was on a lot of steroids, pain meds etc. Felt defeated. Went through bouts of depression.

Second guessed my doctors diagnosis, but couldn’t figure out why I was feeling so aweful.I finally stopped fighting my emotions of the stigma of having a chronic condition.

As the years have passed, I have had my ups and Downs. I have been mostly good.However when I do have flair ups,there bad. I have to physically and emotionally come to grips with letting it run its coarse. ‘This to shall pass’. Its been my experience that the emotional is at times, much worse than the physical.

In June 2011, I fell on a boat, jury my knee and ankle. After months of MRI’s, etc. I ended up with yet another chronic condition RSD!!

I have decided that life could be worse, I could have terminal cancer, brain tumor, heart attack, stroke… My attitude is a direct reflection of how I feel and I have to always remember, it could be worse 🙂