Featured Advocate: Tania from Silent Warriors 1/27

 

Tania: At age 31,  I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Luckily I had already had my children . After a hysterectomy, I was lucky enough to escape this disease with out further usual cancer treatment apart from follow up appointments and check ups.

About 6 months later, I found myself in chronic pain right through my body , after months of xrays, blood tests , pain and thinking it was all in my head my doctor finally referred me to a Rheumatologist where I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

I was Like “What the heck is that?” I had never heard of this. After researching this I found I was not alone, in pain but not alone. I was given medication but it made me quite ill and started breaking down my teeth. It seemed I couldn’t win. Through diet and some exercise I find some relief from time to time.

About a year later I woke to the side of my face completely paralyzed. It was Bells Palsy (facial stroke ) apparently from stress. Luckily after a few weeks it subsided and left little damage.

A few years had passed and I found myself in a different kind of pain, ankles, fingers , knees , completely swollen and throbbing , I knew this wasn’t my fibromyalgia as that is more like a burning, stabbing pain through my muscles.Surprise Surprise..more doctors, more tests and more xrays to find out I had Rhumartory Arthritis. Again medication did not work , it broke half my teeth, gave me nausea and stomach cramping. So then it was 12 months of dental care to have teeth removed and denture plates fitted.

I really felt like I was a woman in an 80yr old body. Controlling my own illnesses was hard enough especially when its hard to explain something that can’t be seen, I was spiralling into depression and constant anxiety everytime I went to the doctor. Being a mum is hard enough but having to deal with all these health issues was just too much.

On anti- depressants I did feel better mentally and then I had family come to us with terminal cancer, suddenly my health was second and caring for them became first. Sadly we lost a member of our family after 18 months of Chemo and Radiation therapy. His fight was a brave one and I am so glad I had this journey with him. It gave me such a better understanding of what cancer patients go through on a daily basis.

Now back concentrating on my health , my children’s health ( 2 boys with asthma and a daughter with wheat and lactose intolerance) I felt its time to help others, by sharing my story, experiences and allowing people to understand Silent/Invisible Illness. I want to educate others and raise awareness that all illnesses can’t be seen. I know I am much luckier than others , My illnesses can be quite tame compared to others. I am still alive to tell my story. You are Not Alone, You Are Silent Warriors

Silent Warriors This page is For all Warriors, Family and Friends who suffer the silent illnesses such as Cancer, Depression, Anxiety, Arthritis of all types, Fibromyalgia, Epilepsy, etc. I offer health Tips and advice . It is a personal Blog placing awareness through personal experiences. It is a page where Sufferers of Silent Illness and their family and friends can come to vent, seek advice from others. I personally have beaten cancer but suffer with Fibromyalgia, Rhumatory Arthritis and Depression. I am a mum of 6, and 40 yrs old . We are not alone and this page is here for you.

Featured Advocate: Michelle from John Obie Independent Academy 9/24

Michelle: I have been homeschooling my son for three years. He has severe autism, non-verbal, Epilepsy, OCD and SPD. I advocate for my son and his needs on a daily basis. I completed the Partners in Policy Making class in the year 2010 that helped me with my advocacy skills. I was a co-partner in a Autism support group for 3 years. My son JP is in the process of hopefully getting a diagnosis for his rare form of Epilepsy.

JP’s page (JOIA) gives short snip its of his daily life and what he goes through daily. I also show short videos of his school life and his daily life skills etc. so others may learn from our experiences. My other page is my business page. I opened this page just this past February with the gentle push of our son’s nutritionist at his neurologists office. She found JP’s appetite wonderfully progressive compared to others on the sensory processing disorder/ autism level and wanted to know how I did this for JP. I proceeded to tell our story and she was truly speechless.

It was her gentle persistence of telling me I would help so many other parents going through their child’s limited appetites if I were to open this business. I did and as to date I am happy to say that I have helped quite a few families and professionals with their child’s / clients limited appetites. 

John Obie Independent Academy

John Obie Independent Academy is my son JP’s homeschool, named after his late paw paw John Obie B.

JP is 13 years old. He has severe autism, Epilepsy, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), tics and he is non-verbal. He will be in the 5th grade this year. I decided to do a blog on JP’s journey that will include his school days, seizures, advocacy, medications, medical equipment etc. Mostly if it has to do with JP in anyway I’ll post it.

I am married, have two children, homeschool JP
I am a Food Consultant helping children with limited appetites over at Appetite Solutions

Featured Advocate: Amber from Cheering for Caleb 6/4

Amber: I am an advocate because my sweet boy who was born premature should have died by all medical stance and didn’t. He has major health issues and had his first brain surgery, he suffers from epilepsy and severely austistic. The support we get is from few family members but mostly on our page and our fans who love us. Caleb has sensory processing, dysphagia, and limited verbally. He tells me he is bad but I tell him he is brilliant. I quit my job to care for him and help him understand the world and for the world to understand him. It has not been easy having a child like this but he shows me strength and admiration for him I cannot express in words. Every time something would happen or something bad medically would go wrong he would fight through it so much so we thought he had a super hero cape on at birth. We call him super Caleb he is so happy and snuggly to us the world does not understand him because he truly believes that he is superman but to us he is.

Cheering for Caleb

My name is Caleb I am almost 4 . I am a twin,I have Autism, Epilepsy, SPD and I am a Chiari Malformation Brain surgery warrior!

Caleb was Diagnosed with SPD(Sensory Processing Disorder), hearing issues from Chiari type 1 Malformation he is near non-verbal, has Autism and Epilepsy . Thank you for all your support and being a fan of his page to show awareness and follow him on his journey of Autism and life after brain surgery for his ACM. His family and close relatives and friends need your support as they walk with his parents and him together. Share his page so that others might benefit and know that they have support if they too walk this similar journey. Help raise Awareness to Autism and Chiari Malformation and epilepsy. Thank you for being there for Caleb and his family.