My name is Sherry. This is the first time i have written down all of the events that led me to where I am now.
When I was around 13 I started having severe bladder and kidney infections. I went through testing and the drs never really had a solid answer why. When I was 17 I was hospitalized for 10 days for what the drs called a bad virus..i had a bladder, kidney, upper respiratory and blood infection. I was septic and resistent to antibiotics. This is when I felt my body change and go haywire. Let me add here that I was a very active teenager and even got into weight lifting in my late teens.
Then when I was 22 my mom died in a car accident and I unfortunately was following behind her in my car. It was horrible. While in therapy I learned how much anxiety I had.
I was in dental school studying to be a dental hygienist when I got pregnant with my first daughter. That’s when the hives started. Just one here and there nothing too serious. When my daughter was a couple months old we got custody of my 7 year old niece (my sister was a drug addict and passed away in 2009 from her disease). I stayed in school and had my second daughter. I was always tired and stressed but like all the stories I have read, passed it off as just being overwhelmed.
5 years after my mom died I lost my step father who raised me. I graduated from hygiene school and started to work full time, 16 hour days right away. I ended up having a severe gall bladder attack and then removal.
5 years after my step father died my father died. All my parents were under the age of 60 and i was 33 and parentless. I was getting sicker and sicker but blamed it on stress.
In 2007 and for close to a whole year I suffered with the worst hive episode!! I was covered and miserable. I went through all of the allergy testing because of course that’s what the drs said was wrong. The only thing that would calm them down was steroids.
Fast forward to 2010 and I was involved in a bad car accident and that sent me spiraling out of control. Severe pain, numbness, headaches, herniated disks etc. Finally in 2013 my spine dr sent me to a rheumatologist to get tested for fibromyalgia. I proceeded to tell him about my crazy medical past and he was intrigued. He sent me for the testing and long story short diagnosed me with fibro, SLE (lupus) and RA.
Last spring I got extremely sick again and was hospitalized for 12 days. That started with the flu but i also had an enlarged spleen and liver and was resistant to antibiotics. I also have an essential tremor that started while in the hospital. They also found bronchiactisis in both lungs. I was also diagnosed last fall with Sjrogens by my opthamalogist.
So here we are now. I have not practiced for a year. I am sick, nauseous, blurred vision, shakey, headaches, painful joints etc. My life has changed DRAMATICALLY over the last year. The emotional and financial toll has been so hard but I am so incredibly blessed with the most amazing husband, daughters, grandbabies and friends!!
I am thankful for this devastatingly beautiful life!! Thank you all for listening to my long story and for all of your support through these crazy years!!! ❤
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