MacKenzie is a Health Stories Project member from Kentucky who is most passionate about changing the way people see folks with multiple sclerosis, “They tend to focus on all the things we can’t do instead of all the things we can.” She recently responded…
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When Health Stories Project invited readers to share their experiences with lupus, we received a lot of responses, which ranged from humorous to heartbreaking. Lupus, a long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system goes haywire and attacks healthy tissue, affects everybody differently…
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Lisa is a high school special education teacher living and working in Holmen, WI. While a job in education can be challenging in it’s own right, Lisa also lives with a painful and debilitating autoimmune condition called ankylosing spondylitis (that’s pronounced ank-kih-low-sing spon-dill-eye-tiss)….
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Meet Amy Amy Gietzen from Buffalo New York has been living with Systemic Scleroderma for 18 years. Her insights and wisdom come from living with this chronic condition for half of her life. Like other autoimmune disorders, systemic scleroderma occurs when the immune…
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“I used to be super busy and I’ve discovered a depth of experience in this enforced slowing down.”
As a kid, Daniel Malito could only watch from the sidelines as his classmates played sports and roughhoused. When he was eight years old, Malito started getting chronic low-grade fevers and joint aches. Over the next couple of years, his family saw a…
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When some people smile, it’s downright infectious. Such is the case for Nitika Chopra, a wellness blogger and social media influencer who radiates positive energy across multiple platforms, including Instagram, where she has amassed more than 35,000 followers. Chopra directs her good vibes…
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Osteoporosis is often thought of a condition that afflicts the elderly — and in fact, a large percentage of Americans over the age of 80 are afflicted with it to some degree, particularly women. But the disease, which causes a loss of bone…
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Alisha Bridges wasn’t always the confident young woman she is today. After being diagnosed with psoriasis as a child, she spent most of her life covering up her skin from neck to toes and hiding her condition from just about everybody. Now she’s…
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Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) may not be a household name, but it affects millions of people. Also known as acne inversa, HS usually begins as pimple-like bumps on the skin. If the chronic condition worsens, the bumps can grow deep into the skin, becoming…
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About 7.5 million Americans suffer from psoriasis (the “p” is silent). A chronic inflammatory disease of the immune system, it primarily affects the skin and joints, but can also affect the fingernails, toenails, and even soft tissues like inside of the mouth. Inflammation…
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We first met Jim and learned his story when he signed up to participate in a virtual patient panel. If you’re interested in sharing your story and hearing about opportunities like the one Jim had, sign up to share your story. “This is…
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It’s easier to talk about physical scars than emotional ones, but life with a chronic illness like Hidradenitis supporativa (HS) isn’t just about physical pain. Hidradenitis supporativa can leave unseen wounds that are just as serious and bothersome as their physical counterparts. In fact,…
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Being diagnosed with a new disease can be incredibly scary. Dozens of questions run through your head, but you might not be ready to ask them because you are still processing how your life could be very different from now on. Talking to…
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Matthew Holland is the picture of health. He’s tall, handsome, and in great physical shape. He’s the type of guy who seeks out physical challenges with gusto, spending his summer vacations on a mountain bike or wakeboard and eagerly trying new snowboarding challenges…
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It’s easy to romanticize the cold. There is something about the purity of snow, snuggling by a warm fire, or staying indoors to listen to the rain that can elevate the spirit even during the darkest of days. However, for some of those…
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Fibromyalgia is a very common, chronic condition that causes widespread muscle and joint pain, tenderness, fatigue, depression, as well as many other symptoms. It’s often accompanied by a condition that sufferers refer to as “fibro fog,” a constant state of fatigue that results…
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You know how you feel right after a really long flight? Aching stiffness, pain, and exhaustion from being crammed into a tiny seat where you can’t sleep comfortably. But worse, much worse. Now imagine that’s how you feel just about every day and…
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Kirsten Schultz can tell you the exact day she first started experiencing symptoms of Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (or SJIA for short). “It was November 14th, 1993,” she says matter-of-factly, “that’s when it became very apparent to my family. I remember being exhausted,”…
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“So, I have this weird thing…” That’s how Jaime starts explaining her rare health condition to new people. She then goes on to tell them, “It starts with bumps in the armpit that hurt immensely and swell up like cysts. Then they burst…
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Health Stories Project was created to give people opportunities to share their personal health experiences and to learn from the experiences of others.