Spoonie Spotlight: Brittany

Happy Sunday and welcome to this week’s Spoonie Spotlight. Today I’m featuring Brittany! Spoonie Spotlight is my way to use my platform to share the stories of others living with arthritis or an arthritis-related condition. The point is to share the realities of living with arthritis and to make others’ voices heard. (New posts every 2 weeks.) If you would like to participate, fill out the form!

What’s your diagnosis?

Ehlers Danlos/Myasthenia Gravis/POTS/Celiac Disease

When were you diagnosed?

2012-2014

How long have you had symptoms?

Since I was born!

Have you been limited in any way from your illness? If so, how?

Yes! I can’t drive, work, or go to college right now. I have trouble walking or standing for too long.

What’s your story?

I dealt with symptoms since childhood, and kept getting diagnosed, undiagnosed, and re diagnosed. Everything came to a head during my freshman year of college, when I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Ehlers Danlos, POTS, and MG diagnoses followed. Now I work from home as a VA and blog about chronic illness. I hope to go back to college for PoliSci one day.

How has your illness changed your life?

I had to leave college, stop working, and I lost a lot of friends.

What are your goals for the future? (Not related to your health)

I want to grow my blog, travel more, and get my bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

What are your goals for the future? (Health related)

In the future, I would like to find a way to control my symptoms better. I would also like to focus more on “wellness” and how I feel all around instead of basing my life on blood test results.

Do you consider yourself handicapped or disabled? Why or why not?

I am disabled. I can’t drive, do things I love, and I often need assistance with every day tasks, and I need accommodations for some things.

What would you like readers to take from your experience?

Never stop looking for answers. I spent my whole life sick before finding out what was wrong with me and how to control it. Also, spend time with people who uplift you. Chronically ill people have enough on their plate without pessimistic people bringing told down.

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