Columns

December 10, 2020December 9, 2020

I Came, I Saw, I’m Conquering Vasculitis

Columns, Veni, Vidi, Vascie – a Column by Suzanne DePaolis

“Veni, vidi, vici” is translated from Latin as “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Julius Caesar first said this after a victorious battle. Having a rare illness is a ... Read more

December 1, 2020November 25, 2020

Battling GPA for Half My Life

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

I reached a milestone in November. Half my life ago, I was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). On Nov. 16, 2001, I was near death when I was ... Read more

November 10, 2020November 6, 2020

The War Against Fatigue

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

Everyone probably battles fatigue at some point, but for those with an autoimmune condition, it’s a war. I have granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and fatigue is one of my ... Read more

November 3, 2020October 30, 2020

I’ve Been Blessed With My Career Path

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

When I chose my career path in high school, I had no idea how perfect it would be for me. At 19, I was in college pursuing a career ... Read more

October 27, 2020October 23, 2020

Diving Into a Sea of Denial

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

Before I was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) at age 19, I was ready to conquer the world. After the diagnosis, I just wanted to conquer the condition. ... Read more

October 20, 2020October 16, 2020

Persevering in a New Reality

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

After being diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis, I felt like life as I knew it was over, and a new reality was emerging. When I was diagnosed, I was ... Read more

October 13, 2020October 9, 2020

Fighting Back After My Diagnosis

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

When I began college in the fall of 2000, I expected it to be similar to what my siblings had experienced or what I had seen on TV: making ... Read more

October 6, 2020October 2, 2020

The Long, Blurry Days Leading Up to My Diagnosis

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

I was in a hospital room, dazed and confused. A doctor had sent me there after a chaotic trip to the emergency room. The first nurse to treat me ... Read more

September 29, 2020September 25, 2020

The Beginning of My Invisible Journey

(In)visible Journey – a Column by Sandra Ross, Columns

My long journey began in Virginia in 2001 at 18. I was in college at the time, and two friends and I decided to go on a trip during ... Read more