LOVE MY SHOES
One of our members invites you to walk a mile in her shoes:
Q: Current Age?
A: 34
Q: Age of Onset or start of symptoms?
A: 29
Q: Age of Diagnosis?
A: 33
Q: Where are you located?
A: Algonac, Michigan
Q: What is your profession?
A: Full time mommy, full time IT undergrad student, part time tattoo artist
Q: What are your Medical Conditions or diagnoses?
A: Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Video games (until I took an arrow in the knee… [Skyrim joke haha]), drawing, watching movies with my husband and kiddos, darts, graphic arts
Q: What is one thing your doctor didn’t tell you about your Autoimmune Arthritis that you wish they had?
A: That my life would me so completely changed. I think the thing that affected me the most is that I can’t get down on the floor and play cars with my boys. How do I explain to a 2 and 3 year old that mommy hurts too much to play with them? It brings tears to my eyes.
Q: If you could tell your past self something before diagnosis, what would it be?
A: Go to college sooner, don’t wait so long. Going to college with RA sucks.
Q: What would you like to tell others newly diagnosed with Autoimmune Arthritis?
A: Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to speak out and educate people about your disease.
Q: How would you describe your personal style?
A: I am covered in tattoos. I have over 50 tattoos, and my left arm is sleeved out.I am a jeans and T shirt girl. I love old school gaming T shirts and concert Tees.
Q: What part of dealing with your Autoimmune Arthritis has made the biggest impact on you?
A: Discrimination. It was very hard for me to actually get a doctor to believe I had something wrong with me because I have tattoos. Doctors can be very discriminatory. It took 4 years for me to get a diagnosis because the doctors I saw thought I was a pill seeker. This makes me so sad and angry that people, DOCTORS even, are still this way.
Q: Favorite quote?
A: “Reaching out to embrace the random, reaching out to embrace whatever may come”- Maynard James Keenan
Q: What are three random things about yourself that others may not know?
A: My husband and I had a “best woman” and a “man of honor” at our wedding, I can draw a portrait that looks just like it was taken with a camera, and I hate mayo unless it is on a Whopper.
Thank you for taking a walk in my shoes!
Check here to see all the blogs in this series.
If you would like to be a featured blog entry for Walk A Mile In Our Shoes, please fill out the submission form below. I will need a picture attachment of the footwear you are wearing and your answers to the items listed above in story. They will be anonymous, no names given, just your information and responses.
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