I was once a very active secondary school and sixth grade teacher here in the UK, but that was all before I was hit by Adult Onset Still’s Disease (AOSD) – a very rare autoimmune disease affecting only 1 in a million adults!
Now, I’m living a very different life. I’m a full-time wheelchair user with a trainee assistance dog named Rolo. The usual and unusual meds I tried have failed. I’m now awaiting the hope of being accepted onto medical drug trials to try to ease this. Failing means that my only option is a stem cell transplant to try to bring about remission (not an option I really like at all with the fatality odds!)
But I haven’t given up! I recently started a non-profit organization called Still’s R Us, which is uniting fellow adult and juvenile Still’s disease fighters and raising awareness about this little known disease. Our motto is – Together we are Stronger! And we truly are.
So me, I’m Sue, and I Fight Like a Girl!
Sue
United Kingdom
Submitted 5-13-2012
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.