I Can’t Control Other People’s Comments, Only How I Respond
When I tell people I had Cushing’s disease, I usually receive a broad range of responses. They aren’t always the replies I want to hear, but they are genuine reactions from people who want…
Perpetually Cushie – a Column by Kat Rees
Kat attended the University of Nevada, Reno, and graduated in 2015 with a bachelors in speech pathology. She suffered from Cushing’s syndrome throughout college and became free of it in 2015. Her ambition is to raise awareness of this illness and help others gain confidence in taking charge of their health.
The Importance of Having Friends Who Understand Your Disease
In the midst of my disease, I felt very alone. Invisible diseases like Cushing’s tend to make life harder, because one shows no outward signs of an illness. Those who haven’t been through something similar may have a hard time relating to the hardships. Therefore, I believe being friends with…
Seeing Beyond the Stereotypes
There’s more to people than meets the eye, although the first thing we often notice about someone is how large or small they are. When I was younger, I was always thin and in shape. I never had to try to maintain my weight, and well into college, I still…
A Letter to My Newly Diagnosed Self
Thinking back over the last few years following my recovery from Cushing’s disease, I still deal with some painful thoughts. To help process those thoughts, I wrote a letter to the person I was before my recovery, from the perspective of the person I currently am. In it,…
This Is What Trauma Looks Like to Me
When I hear the word “trauma,” I think about car accidents, fires, military deployments, and abuse. I think of movies with sad music and loud explosions, not the quiet hours at night trying to fall asleep despite the pain. Trauma has affected my mental health in a major way, but…
My Emotional Struggles with Cushing’s Brought Dark Days
During the years I dealt with Cushing’s disease symptoms, I increasingly became unlike myself. Before that, although I had always been shy, I usually felt comfortable around my closest friends and family. While I generally had been a quiet person, I also was bubbly at times, and I was…
How Cushing’s Syndrome Changed My Social Life
I started developing Cushing’s syndrome at a very young age, though I wasn’t diagnosed until age 22. My doctor believes the tumor in my adrenal gland began growing when I was a child. I had common Cushing’s symptoms when I was 10, but no weight gain. I’ve…
Becoming a ‘Cushie’ and Taking the First Step in My Healing Journey
I’ve always been an anxious girl. I had friends growing up, but I tended to stick close to my parents and spend time with adults rather than meeting kids my age. Over the years, my anxiety worsened, and I developed depression, too. But despite my challenges, I achieved good grades…