Dear Mom and Dad, I never quite knew how much weight and fear you carried as the parents of a rare disease child. Looking back on it now and having honest conversations with you about it, I now see how much you had to push through to put on a brave face for me and … Continue reading A letter to my parents from your rare daughter
Tag: life
What it means to be rare
What does it mean to be rare? Being rare isn't easy. And it's different for everyone. For me, it means a childhood of searching the ends of the earth for a correct diagnosis, undergoing experimental surgeries and procedures, and wondering what the future holds... It also means waking up sometimes with random backaches where I … Continue reading What it means to be rare
Why I raise awareness
Roughly eleven years ago, I was diagnosed with CLOVES Syndrome. I was fourteen. I spent the first fourteen years of my life feeling incredibly alone, singled out, and wondering when I would ever know or understand what was wrong with me. That may be a common feeling for others out there in similar situations prior … Continue reading Why I raise awareness
A change in perspective
All my life growing up, one of the worst parts of living with CLOVES that always gave me anxiety was when strangers would ask me what happened to my foot. The stares, points, and questions about my syndrome really brought me down, and having to awkwardly respond to people when they asked that question was … Continue reading A change in perspective
Top 5 lessons I’ve learned living with my natural imperfections
We all know living with an anomaly can suck, no matter what it is. Throughout my life experiences so far, I’ve learned several lessons that over time have helped me rebuild the parts of my character that so often got torn down from the tough times. Though this may not apply to all since everyone … Continue reading Top 5 lessons I’ve learned living with my natural imperfections