Living with Psoriasis I was three when I first began to incessantly scratch at the skin on my lower legs. I cried, begged, and pleaded for my mom to take away the pain, but all she could do was tell me to stop scratching. That’s all anyone has ever been able to tell me to […]
Living with a disability is not the end of the world. It has its challenges, but with the right mindset, a disabled person can do just as much as anyone. My family and I had lived with disability since 2005 when my husband fell and broke his back. We came together to get him through […]
On November 4, 1993, my loving parents welcomed me into the world. While my birth was certainly a blessing for them, I suspect that the following days were less of a joyous occasion than they expected. I spent my infancy in the hospital as doctors tried to find a formula I could digest, but […]
Life comes with difficulties and struggles. No one lives a perfect life, and at some point everyone undergoes misfortune. For some it is at an early age, and for others it is later in life when they are grown and more matured. Unfortunately, in my case, the biggest struggle of my life came at a […]
If someone was to ask me the triumphs I have come to because of my Cerebral Palsy, two years ago, I would laugh in your face and complain about being “handicapped.” But two years later, my life has a whole new meaning. I no longer see myself as a handicapped individual but instead […]
The summer after my freshman year at UW-Madison, I was home for the summer, with about a week to go before a scheduled foot surgery, when I found myself sleeping up to 20 hours a day and being in extreme pain even when laying down. This prompted me to go to the doctor, to see […]
I had my first surgery when I was three years old. It was a small surgery, a minor bladder-repair, nothing to worry about. It was what happened after that surgery that would change my life forever. Post-operation I was given ancef, a commonly used cephalosporin antibiotic. However, I am highly allergic to this medication and was […]
I am a firm believer that every person has their own demons although they are presented to different people in different ways. My demons seemed to come to me all at once and with a force that knocked me off my feet. My name is Jessi Van Ryzin and I’m currently on my second year […]
If someone would have asked me what lupus was during my first semester of college, I would have looked at them with a confused expression and questioned if that was going to be on an exam. If someone would have asked me what lupus was during my second semester of college, I would […]
Boozhoo, aanii! Greetings, hello, I send my welcoming in the Ojibwe language as I am ¼ Native American and am a member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of Michigan. My medical story begins just as I was graduating from my undergraduate studies from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Throughout my teenage years I have […]