Laurie Wheeler-Snyder
March 14th, 2008
I am writing regarding how you have inspired me to take action with my own health. You have given me hope that in the future, prescription drugs will remain available for the uninsured. Furthermore, it is with new technology and research that we’re finding more medicines to help people like me overcome disease.
I became a survivor of heart disease on January 5, 1965. I was born on February 10, 1963. Heart disease did not stop me from being an athlete, graduating from college in 3 1/2 years, with a degree in Marketing, and a minor in education. I am an open-heart surgery survivor from the 60’s and after having my children, I suffered from a TIA and a stroke. To look at me on the outside you would never know I have ever had a problem. When the TIA’s were first diagnosed in 1994 the doctors told me I probably had Multiple Sclerosis. The shock of this diagnosis was furthered by the stress and painful process of looking for answers as to what was going on with my body. This stress continued until I had a stroke in 1997. I am one of the first generations of women having children who had open-heart surgery. (more…)
Posted in Heart Disease & Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis | 9 Comments »
Amy Wall
March 10th, 2008
I remember very clearly, it was Thanksgiving 1999 at my grandparents’ house when I first noticed my toes were numb. Over the next month, that numbness took over my right leg and crept into my left leg too. Looking back, I should have also noticed that I was tired all the time, losing my balance and misspeaking or jumbling my words – at the time I thought I was just tired and stressed from working two jobs. I would never have predicted that these seemingly unrelated symptoms would lead to almost a year of tests and a final diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
When I was diagnosed, I knew almost nothing about MS. My neurologist at the time told me that I would in all likelihood wind up in a wheelchair like Annette Funicello, not something a 25-year old wants to hear! I had five-year plans, ten-year plans, places to go, things I wanted to see and do – I did not want to be limited by a chronic illness that is hardly understood in the medical community, much less by employers, family members and friends. (more…)
Posted in Multiple Sclerosis | No Comments »
Dan Pero
March 7th, 2008
I write this having just returned from my quarterly check up. My rheumatoid arthritis is in remission and has been for over two years. Like I said, a miracle.
Almost eight years ago, when my son was a year old and my daughter just a few months old, I was diagnosed with this hideous disease. It hit quick, in a matter of weeks. Like a freight train. And it was bad.
I couldn’t raise my arms over my head. I spent every evening with ice packs on my shoulders to reduce the swelling. My fingers were so swollen they had no definition. Nodules had started to form on my wrists and knuckles. My left knee ached so much I often had to sleep with it propped on a stool. At times I slept on the floor because it was impossible to get comfortable on a mattress. Walking was like stepping on needles. Special shoes didn’t help. I was miserable. (more…)
Posted in Arthritis Diseases | No Comments »
Angie Roberts
March 31st, 2008
I am 39 years old and am happily married with 2 children. My story begins last year when I found out I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My diagnosis and the series of events that I experienced were quite a whirlwind, which is finally becoming a comfortable reality.
It all began with an incredible eye ache. I suffered for about a week. Then I went to an evening engagement where I drank several glasses of wine. I recall that detail due to the fact that my head stopped pounding. I felt cured, until the next morning. Then I assumed that I was experiencing a hangover but the following day, the ache was still there. I called my doctor, who then referred me to an eye doctor. I went that day. After a “light” exam, I was asked if I new what MS was? Of course I knew due to the fact that my dad has been suffering that disease for years. (more…)
Posted in Multiple Sclerosis | No Comments »
Dwight Shelton
March 19th, 2008
I’m a 41 year old man who has been living with diabetes since I was 10 years old. Diabetes runs in my family. In fact, I used to help my grandmother fix her needle and to take her shot of insulin many times while growing up. She lived a long life; in fact, she lived to be 85 years old. I also have a sister and a younger brother that have Type 1 diabetes.
Two years ago I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Being that I’m a commercial driver I was scared that this disease could impact my career. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to do my job, or take care of my family. I was afraid that if I had to take insulin shots, I could lose my license to drive a commercial vehicle. (more…)
Posted in Diabetes | No Comments »
Bonnie Smith
March 31st, 2008
I am a Hodgkins Lymphoma survivor and here is my miracle. In 2002 I was laid off from my job due to downsizing, and at this point I decided to go back to college to get my degree. I graduated in May of 2004, and found a position. I had been having a health issue for over a span of 5 years that I had been complaining to my doctor about. My symptoms were chalked up to having my son naturally and just needed to do some exercises. Finally, I complained to my obgyn about my incontinent problem. I was only 37 years old (and too young to be having this problem) and a single mom to a 5 year old beautiful boy. We thought my bladder may be distended. After several tests I found out I had Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (I didn’t even know what this was). My outlook wasn’t very good. I had lymphnodes in my pelvic area that were loaded with cancer cells (one was the size of a small stone, the second a little bigger and the third was the size of a small boulder). The doctor said I needed to have chemo and radiation, and that I needed to start ASAP. In my mind I thought I’ll do whatever I have to because I have to be here to take care of my beautiful boy. (more…)
Posted in Cancer | 1 Comment »
Renee L. Cruea
March 24th, 2008
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when I was 14 years old. The most prominent memories I have of that time period include being told I would have to inject insulin every day for the rest of my life. As terrifying as that news may be for a teenager, it was not the most upsetting memory I have. I recall vividly being told I could no longer eat pasta, I should not risk a pregnancy and I was led to believe that my expectations of what I wanted out of life needed to be “tempered.” Try telling a 14 year old Italian girl from New York that she needs to temper her goals in life and do so without pasta, and you have one unhappy child determined to prove them all wrong. Attitude is an important and vital key to success in life. It can be more difficult initially to maintain a positive attitude but it can be done and I am proof of that. (more…)
Posted in Diabetes | 4 Comments »
Rosalie DeFilippis
March 14th, 2008
I was diagnosed with lupus in 1997, but I knew I had the disease since I was a child. When I was 13 years old, I was a cheerleader and always suffering pain in my joints. My doctor told me I was using my muscles incorrectly and that I should remain off my feet for a while to see if my condition improved, which it did. Years later, when my knees and ankles began to swell, I was suspected of having rheumatoid arthritis, although never officially diagnosed with the condition. Finally, in 1997, when my symptoms worsened to a point where it became difficult for me to walk, I visited a rheumatologist, who diagnosed me with lupus after some simple blood tests. (more…)
Posted in Rare Diseases | No Comments »
Katherine Thomas
March 7th, 2008
As I was growing up, I was always very active and extremely passionate about sports. At the beginning of high school, however, I developed increasingly severe spasticity and completely lost the ability walk by my senior year. After several surgeries, Botox injections, and countless foggy days due to muscle-relaxing and pain-relieving drugs, I had my first intrathecal Baclofen pump implanted in 2000. The pump is really a unique medication delivery device, because it enables my body to receive the necessary medication without interrupting my daily activities due to debilitating side effects. (more…)
Posted in Neurological Disorders | No Comments »
Shakti Shukla
March 24th, 2008
For three decades I was the skinny girl with nonstop energy. I stayed thin effortlessly, wore sample-sized clothes and balanced a full-time job with a busy social life. Everything changed in winter 2006.
I started gaining weight, losing energy and developing painful and unsightly hives all over my body. This lasted for six months. I knew it was serious when I couldn’t stay awake to see my Georgetown Hoyas through a Big East tournament game! (more…)
Posted in Rare Diseases | No Comments »
Jeff Stanton
March 10th, 2008
I knew from the start I didn’t want to spend my days hooked up to a machine, watching my blood being filtered in and out of my body. But in 2005 when I found out that my kidneys were no longer functioning adequately, I was afraid the dialysis machine would be my only option. (more…)
Posted in Kidney Disease | No Comments »
Ben Stanton
March 10th, 2008
In the movies, Tourette Syndrome (TS) is often portrayed for an easy punch line – showing an uncommon form of the disorder through characters yelling inappropriate words at inappropriate times. But in reality, TS is no laughing matter for those impacted by this neurological disorder.
I was entering the second grade when my parents began to grow concerned about my multiple motor and vocal tics – chewing on my shirt collars and sleeves, clearing my throat, twitching my neck and exaggerated blinking. As a seven year old, I wanted nothing more than to fit in with my peers. But the near-constant tics were drawing attention to myself, making it difficult to fit in and concentrate in the classroom. (more…)
Posted in Neurological Disorders | No Comments »
Donna Ganier
March 7th, 2008
There was a time when I refused to take medications even when I needed them. I was into only holistic options. Things have certainly changed in the past few years.
In August, 2005 Hurricane Katrina came into my life and brought with it Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which required my taking antidepressant medications. I continued even through this to move forward and re-build my life from scratch. I began my life over in Baton Rouge, LA loving the nature, cleanliness and adventure of a new city. I did though miss my family and friends which none were living in Baton Rouge with me. (more…)
Posted in Mental Illness | No Comments »
Robert Shimmons
March 10th, 2008
Labor Day weekend 2004, my father was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer that had metastasized to his liver. He underwent surgery and they removed most of the cancer in his colon, but could not remove the tumors in his liver because there were too many. When we asked his surgeon for a prognosis, he said, “Well, I’m not going to say he won’t be here at Christmas.” He went on to say that 25% of patients with this type of cancer are still alive after 5 years.
To me, 25% didn’t sound like good odds. I only knew I wasn’t ready to lose my Dad, so we better be part of the 25%. My father was only 63 years old when he was diagnosed and I was getting married the next month. He needed to be with us. (more…)
Posted in Cancer | 1 Comment »
Colleen “Candy” Phillips
March 7th, 2008
My story doesn’t involve devastating illnesses or deadly diseases, but it does involve how I cope on a daily basis and take control of my life filled with a chronic illness and pain.
In 1990, I was sitting at my desk and could not put together a coherent statement. I went home that night and was so dizzy I couldn’t stand or sit. I began to have a loud ringing in my ears and could not hear very well. I also starting seeing a gray band across my line of sight and I experienced shooting pains down my arms and legs. Because of the dizziness and the impaired vision, I was at the point where I paid someone to drive me to work and from work everyday. One day it was so bad I just laid my head on my desk and started to cry. At that point, my supervisor called my parents to pick me up and I found myself off of work for six months. (more…)
Posted in Neurological Disorders | No Comments »
