And It's About Time There Was Some Support For Cushing's!
I was diagnosed at the age of 18 with Cushing's Syndrom and received treatment between the ages of 19-23.
The first set of symptoms I experienced was chronic fatigue, weight gain, hair loss/thinning, and an inability to deal with stress. I was a very active cheerleader and beauty queen at the onset of Cushing's and it really broke me...I thought. Having Cushing's striped me of the superficial trappings of beauty and made me dig deep to discover my authentic self. It was a long and painful journey because there is a big differnce in the way people treat you when you are fit and pretty.
Life's lessons were hard but I came to know myself and understood that beauty is really skin deep. To survive this life changing ordeal, I bought a wig, and began the task of redefining myself. I went to college, graduated then went to work for NBC as a writer at a station in California. I then prayed and asked God for a healthy eating and excersie plan (diets don't work for us) and lost over 30 pds. By the time I was 27 I felt that I had won over Cushing's and regined my beauty and my health and strength and My Hair!
I am now 39 and I can say that I do have some physical challanges remaining from having Cushing's (rediation and surgery) such as the fatigue and the low libido but for the most part, I look better than I have ever look, I got married (last year) and I live with the expectation that this evil, evasive disease will not hinder or block success,health and happiness from coming to me!
This was a long battle for me (from 18yrs - 27 yrs) and still fighting because there is not a cure, just treatments. But I live with faith knowing that with God all things are possible! Be encouraged and stay up!
