Welcome to my journey of living with chronic illness.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve known that something wasn’t quite right with my body. I could feel it deep within me—something was off, something was wrong. Yet, time after time, I was met with the same responses: "Your tests look good," "Maybe try losing some weight," or "It’s just anxiety." The frustration that comes with knowing your body is not functioning as it should, yet having no concrete answers is something that many people with chronic illnesses know all too well.
Despite the overwhelming frustration and the emotional toll it takes, I’ve had to develop a level of understanding for the medical community. Now that I have a diagnosis, I see just how challenging it can be to identify more rare and complex diseases. It’s not as simple as running a few tests—especially when those tests come back "normal." The reality is that the human body is incredibly complex, and not every ailment fits neatly into a predefined box.
In the holistic world, we approach the body as a whole, understanding that every system is interconnected. You can’t truly separate the heart from the mind, the digestive system from the immune system, or the emotional from the physical. It’s this belief that led me to finally receive my diagnosis: Mast Cell Activation Disease (MCAD).
MCAD is a condition where the body’s mast cells, which are part of the immune system, become overly active and release too many chemical mediators, leading to a host of symptoms. But as with many chronic illnesses, it doesn’t come alone. For me, it brought along a string of co-morbidities: Stage 2 Lipedema, Stage 1 Lymphatic and Vascular Disease, and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), which I believe was triggered by COVID-19. I’m also currently undergoing testing for Hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS).
As grateful as I am to finally have answers, this isn’t the outcome I was expecting. In my mind, I hoped for something with a clear cure, a treatment plan that would set everything right. Instead, I was met with the reality that this is something I’ll have to manage for the rest of my life. The emotional toll of learning that you have a chronic illness and that the best we can do is manage symptoms with medications and supplements is overwhelming. It’s not what anyone wants to hear.
I’m currently navigating the steps of acceptance, which isn’t a linear process by any means. Some days, I feel hopeful; other days, the weight of it all feels too heavy to bear. One thing that helps me cope is the idea of sharing my journey. By opening up about my experiences, I hope to find support and, in turn, offer support to others who are going through something similar.
This blog will be a space where I continue to share updates on my journey, my struggles, my small victories, and everything in between. My hope is to create a community of support around living with chronic illness—a space where we can uplift each other, share resources, and simply be there for one another.
Thank you for being here and for your support. We’re in this together.
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