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I have a rare illness called eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, or EGPA. It causes an increased number of white blood cells known as eosinophils, which can cause significant inflammation in my organs and my small and medium blood vessels. EGPA has affected my heart, lungs, sinuses, gastrointestinal system,…

A positive attitude has helped me get up each day and face the world. I know I feel stronger and ready to take on the planet this way. I can advocate for other patients and model that life is still worth living, despite having a chronic illness. A positive attitude…

I never expected that wearing masks while I traveled would be my trendsetting mark on the world. I never expected the world to join me in wearing masks during cold and flu season. In 2020, COVID-19 changed all that, and I became a trendsetter. For a decade now, I have…

Battling an autoimmune condition is difficult enough, but when my own brain decides to work against me, it can be even more challenging. Anxiety is one of my biggest foes, and while I have gotten better at handling it, I have yet to conquer it. I went to my…

This week, my eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) decided to remind me that it had not gone away and was ever-present. I could feel my symptoms becoming more problematic. I tried to ignore them. The peripheral neuropathy in my feet became more noticeable and interrupted my sleep. My asthma…

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” These words are on a plaque that hangs from my medicine shelf. I see them every day as I take my morning and evening medication. They serve as a reminder that I can continue to…

When someone we know is sick, we tend to tell them to “get well soon.” These words seem polite and social. We say them to anyone who is sick. It has always seemed like the correct phrase to use. But why do those three polite, socially acceptable words feel like…

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…