Re: New Member - For Mandy

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group Mandy. Sorry Still's is your reason for coming here but you

have found a place for information & great support. Sometimes when people don't

understand a disease they feel like they don't know how to help or what to do so

staying away keeps them from having to do anything. We seem to find out who are

friends on when something like this happens. Anyway you now have a new group of

friends who do understand & are here to help.

Take Care,

Chris

Mandy wrote:

Hi,

My name is Mandy I am 22 years old and my birthday is October 22. I was

diagnosed with still in December of 2007 after about two months of being in and

out of the hospital. They ran every test they could think of on me and was

convinced I had a virus called Caocsoci (sp). But I was not getting better I was

only getting worse. The doctors where I lived finally gave up and I was flown to

Denver and after two days there I was diagnosed with Still's.

I left the hospital knowing nothing about this disease, and had convinced myself

that if I pretended that I didn't have it, it would go away. Little did I know

that was not the case. After I got home, I was to lower my prednisone and I

started feeling worse again. It took me a month of feeling bad, and a night of

ext ream pain before I even looked up the disease. When I did I was lost,

confused and scared, because I left the hospital thinking once I bet this flare

I would be normal again forever. I guess that's not always that case.

I am now in a better state of mind and more accepting that I am sick. In a way

it has helped me grow up and be more grateful of the things I have. I am still

having a lot more bad days then good. I was just recently put on Humira, and

diagnosed with Fybmyalga(sp) too, I am also still on 50 mg of prednisone,

methotrexate, gabapitin, folic acid, vitamin d, and morphine and ocycodone for

pain.

The hardest part besides, the pain for me was losing all my friends. When I got

sick all my friends vanished. I spent a month sitting at my house crying,

because I was scared and alone. I have a great family that was there for me

whenever I needed them. And are my biggest support group. But I went from always

being out with friends to not having any and for me that was very hard to

accept. I know turn to things I like to do, since I am not able to work or go

back to school yet. I read and am working on a new blanket for my soon to be

baby cousin. Anyways I guess that's my story. I am glad to be able to join the

group, hope you all have a good day.

Mandy

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