How your life changes after being diagnosed.

Today is my twentieth birthday, and I am writing about how my life was changed instead of celebrating. I was diagnosed at the age of fourteen, my freshman year in high school before I could even finish the first semester of school. I was and A-B honor roll student. I used to show up with my face painted on Friday's, I went to the varsity foot ball games. I supported my school, and I excelled in all my classes. I was out going, and had a lot of friends. Then life took me by surprise in December of 2010, I started feeling sick and getting bad headaches. I could't make it through a full day of school. Eventually, I ended up at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. They diagnosed me with Viral Meningitis, that was after being diagnosed wrong twice. You know how when your young and you get sick and you go without any treatment, it just gets worse and worse. That is exactly what happened, it started as a simple cold then became Viral Meningitis, which eventually put me in a coma and got me diagnosed with Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis. It's hard knowing you nearly died, and had your whole family standing by your bed side on Christmas Day. Christmas has never been the same since. Not only did that change my life, but it changed who I was. I started flunking out of school, I did every thing from home. Had many doctors appointments I struggled. April of 2011, I had a relapse, which is how I got diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. After being diagnosed, I got very depressed, I was only fourteen, and I didn't know what to do. I kept fighting, I eventually ended up graduating high school. I was supposed to graduate June of 2014, but instead I graduated August 2014. I skipped a lot of school, I got bullied, but I had amazing teachers that helped me, and amazing doctors who helped me. Life can change and did change for me, very drastically. It tore my family apart, and my dad spent three years in jail after my diagnosis. It just comes to show what can happen and what you can over come. Today I turned twenty and yesterday I spent the whole day in the doctors office getting my medicine infusion. My dad is now out of jail, and he was diagnosed with ALS. My mom is working hard to take care of me and my youngest brother. My older brother is getting married, and only has one semester of college left. My other younger brother is away at basic for the national guard. Me, I am surviving, I am happily in love, and I have a job interview on Saturday. Just cause your life changes, doesn't mean you should let it hold you back, because that is exactly what I did. I found my self, by finding what I needed. I found the support I need, the strength I have been searching for, and my happiness. I intend to excel at this job interview, and go back to being the out going girl I once was. I am not going to let having multiple sclerosis hold me back. As for you young one's out there who read this keep your head up and stay strong, cause it pays off in the end. Some times life changes drastically, but you can't let it hold you back, because you will regret it. I know I do.