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I was diagnosed with chronic juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) when I was 8 years old. JDM is a disease in children that causes skin rash and muscle inflammation. The weakness was the first symptom we noticed. It came on with a vengeance and was tough to get under control. I had to give up soccer (which was my passion) and all sports.
I couldn’t bend over to pick up objects, raise a brush to my head, or sit cross-legged on the floor. People actually had difficulty understanding what I was saying because the muscles involved in speech production in my throat were so inflamed and weak. My mom had to help me wash my hair for a period of time because it hurt too much to do certain activities.
I also developed a reddish rash around my eyes, cheeks, knees, and elbows, and the cuticles on my fingers were inflamed. For me, the rash was the one symptom that always impacted me most. It didn’t really start to get better until I was in college.
Throughout the years, the symptoms would get better and the doctors would wean me off of the many medications I was taking and then another flare-up would happen. In 7th grade, things were looking great, and I had gotten back into playing soccer after a few years. I also lost weight from the high dose steroids I was taking. But sadly, I had another flare-up and had to give up soccer again.
After that, I was afraid and reluctant to do any exercise, thinking that I was just going to become weak again. For many years, I dealt with the side effects of not only JDM, but the medications I was taking. My appearance was very different with the red rash and “moon face” from the steroid, prednisone. So I concentrated more on doing well in school because it was something that was always within my control.   I was diagnosed with chronic juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) when I was 8 years old. JDM is a disease in children that causes skin rash and muscle inflammation. The weakness was the first symptom we noticed. It came on with a vengeance and was tough to get under control. I had to give up soccer (which was my passion) and all sports.
I couldn’t bend over to pick up objects, raise a brush to my head, or sit cross-legged on the floor. People actually had difficulty understanding what I was saying because the muscles involved in speech production in my throat were so inflamed and weak. My mom had to help me wash my hair for a period of time because it hurt too much to do certain activities.
I also developed a reddish rash around my eyes, cheeks, knees, and elbows, and the cuticles on my fingers were inflamed. For me, the rash was the one symptom that always impacted me most. It didn’t really start to get better until I was in college.
Throughout the years, the symptoms would get better and the doctors would wean me off of the many medications I was taking and then another flare-up would happen. In 7th grade, things were looking great, and I had gotten back into playing soccer after a few years. I also lost weight from the high dose steroids I was taking. But sadly, I had another flare-up and had to give up soccer again.
After that, I was afraid and reluctant to do any exercise, thinking that I was just going to become weak again. For many years, I dealt with the side effects of not only JDM, but the medications I was taking. My appearance was very different with the red rash and “moon face” from the steroid, prednisone. So I concentrated more on doing well in school because it was something that was always within my control. Get those fast-twitch muscle fibers firing in no time. Culinary masterpieces, coming right up! These unilateral moves build the strength and stability you need for better running. How he went from being a “hopeless” high school runner with the help of goal-setting and taking big chances in his training. Sayonara, bruised spines and dented floors. The Latest from the Runner's World Collection | |
