Columns

My grandma always said there were two things that mattered in life: God, and finding a rich husband. While I don’t necessarily agree with the latter, religion certainly was a core element of my life — until I was diagnosed with Cushing’s disease. I grew up in a…

How do I lose weight? What is the best diet for Cushing’s disease? How long until I start to see weight loss? Why do I lose a little bit of weight, plateau, then put it back on? These questions are frequently asked in the Cushing’s community. The answer is…

As a child, I always envisioned myself helping people. This is reflected in some of my earliest memories of getting ready for Halloween: I always wanted to be a doctor or a ninja. As I grew older, my career aspirations changed, but they always centered around saving lives or helping…

Eight is the number of doctors who didn’t listen.  Five is the number of diagnoses that were wrong. Two is the number of doctors who referred me to a psychiatrist for “making up” too many symptoms. Four is the number of new doctors who finally listened to me and…

Since battling a pituitary tumor and Cushing’s disease, I have noticed that many other patients share similar concerns about types of support that are limited or unavailable. I believe there should be a program for Cushing’s patients that addresses these issues and provides us with assistance. Three key…

Our bodies hold memories — memories that are sometimes represented by visible scars. These memories can also be invisible, but they leave an everlasting imprint, too, through heavy emotions. Our bodies are keepsakes of the things we’ve experienced, and sometimes it’s hard for us to feel proud of these…

I used to think happiness was being skinny, in both sickness and in health. Beauty meant pain, and I was willing to suffer for it. Perhaps this superficial outlook on life was caused by my childhood experience of growing up as an ethnic minority and not having anyone that looked…

One of the most frustrating experiences is going to see a physician about symptoms you’re having and being told there’s nothing wrong. Even worse is when you go to another physician who relies on the previous physician’s notes to make a diagnosis. Unfortunately, this story is all too…

Hospitalizations can be difficult, especially if it’s your first time staying overnight. It’s uncomfortable not to be in your own bed, and the food usually isn’t the greatest, especially if your doctor has recommended a particular diet, such as low sodium or low carb. When I had transsphenoidal surgery…

Ellijahna Victoria. 27. Former journalist. Writer. Media adviser. Cushing’s survivor. Wait, what? Describing myself as a Cushing’s survivor still feels weird. This wasn’t how my story was supposed to go. But of course, that’s life — things don’t always go as planned. My storm began in late 2015. Back…