One of the ways doctors chose to tackle autoimmune diseases is to suppress your immune system. Even though this may help the disease symptoms, it can come at a cost. One of my medications I take four times a day does just that.

While it helps lessen my symptoms and keeps my body moving, my medication makes me more susceptible to other illnesses. I find myself getting sick more often than other people. When I am sick it is so much worse than others and lasts longer. 

This, of course, affects my social life and work life. When it’s winter time and everyone is coming down with illness I am having to keep my distance. I “avoid” my friends with even the smallest coughs. When I am sick I miss way more school than others, causing me to get very behind in my work. 

Another thing that comes along with sickness, is worsening symptoms of my disease. Your body is weaker and more vulnerable when we are sick, and weakness is like fuel to my disease. One time when I fell ill from a little cold, I ended up having to go to the hospital because my disease symptoms became so bad.

Although sickness season is a pain for me, it has forced me to learn to adapt. I never know how my body will be feeling the next day, and especially not with illness or the Winter season. I have had to learn to advocate for myself when I do have to miss so much school for illness, while also learning it’s okay if things don’t go how they are planned. 

Next week I will touch on how my friends have helped me through all of this. I can’t wait to continue to share my story with you! Remember our struggles don’t define us.