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Here it is, the end of 2020, and what a year it has been. After so many dark and worrisome days in this pandemic, it is quite a relief to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I am overjoyed that COVID-19 vaccinations have begun in the…

I have been dealing with vasculitis symptoms and fatigue for the past 14 holiday seasons. In the early years, I was so worried about disappointing my family and friends that I tried to be my old self and accomplish everything. This behavior always led to a series of disasters.

“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 battle every day. I battle to stay alive. I battle to live a fulfilling life. I battle to get out of…

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 admitted to the emergency room. Nineteen years later, here I am. Each of those years has been a bonus in…

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 biggest foes. I can handle many of the GPA symptoms and medication side effects without too much of an issue.

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 in journalism when I was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in 2001. I was the editor and designer of…

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. At first, I was extremely focused on finding out everything I could about GPA. Every detail, every bit of information, and…

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 a 19-year-old sophomore in college. I missed the last half of fall semester, and it was possible that I would…

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 friends, having fun, enjoying a massive amount of freedom, and even going to class. I didn’t expect to fight an illness…

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 said I had a hemoglobin level of 3.8 deciliters. My resting heart rate was 140 beats per minute, and when I…