09/04/2026
September is Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month & National Su***de Prevention Month 💜
These two causes are incredibly meaningful to me, so I wanted to share a little of my story.
A few years ago, I became extremely sick without answers while living far from friends and family. At one point, I was bedridden, barely able to walk, and unable to move without incredible pain.
I couldn’t work out or do the things that made me feel like myself, and I started struggling to see much of a future.
I was even told by a doctor that having a baby might no longer be possible.
Because I was young, I was told, “Just quit your job, lower your stress, and it will go away. It will be fine.”
It wasn’t fine.
Years without the treatment I needed left me with irreversible damage.
Eventually, I found a doctor who listened, believed me, and helped me start treatment. After moving home, I had to fight to be heard again when I knew pregnancy had triggered something else.
Thankfully, I recently found another doctor who listened, believed me, and recognized that my medication was no longer working. I’ll soon be starting a new treatment 🙏
Today, I’m incredibly grateful. 💜
I got to have baby John. I’m working out again. I’m playing volleyball again. I’m finding pieces of myself again.
My new doctor asked where I was hurting, and I said, “Everywhere, but it’s not that bad.”
I’ve lived with pain for so long that I’ve learned to minimize it. When he examined me and found that every joint was extremely active, he was shocked.
It reminded me how easy it is to normalize suffering when you’ve lived with it for so long.
Rheumatic diseases can be invisible. Mental health struggles can be invisible.
You may not see someone’s pain, exhaustion, fear, or what they’re carrying but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
That’s why awareness matters.
Listen. Believe people. Check in. Remind someone they aren’t alone💜
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of su***de, call or text 988.
You are not alone. There is hope❤️
***depreventionmonth