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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…

Dealing with a medical condition of any kind is difficult. Often the focus is on the things we’re no longer able to do. I’d like to take a different perspective and look at how strong we are — mentally, physically, and for some, spiritually. First, let’s look at mental…

What is postoperative care like when treating Cushing’s disease? In my experience, this question isn’t always fully answered by our physicians, and as patients, sometimes we must navigate the solutions on our own. After I had transsphenoidal surgery to remove a pituitary tumor in 2015, I expected…

It’s hard when you lose friends. It’s even harder when you lose them because you can’t invest the same amount of energy in them as you did before Cushing’s disease. People have their reasons and seasons in your life, but losing them is a hard pill to swallow. They…

My wife and I have been exploring the huge city of Houston, where we recently moved. She came across the downtown Buffalo Bayou Park for us to check out. I thought this would just be a park we could walk around a few times to take in nature. I…

“Life threw me a curveball” is a saying people use to describe an unexpected situation that’s come up in their lives. In baseball, a curveball is a common part of a pitcher’s arsenal. It’s used to throw off the batter’s timing and keep him off balance, not knowing where the…

In the Cushing’s disease support groups I belong to, I often see questions about medications. People frequently respond by giving advice about these medications based on their personal experiences. I take medications to treat hypogonadism, a result of having a pituitary tumor. I’m often asked about testosterone…