I’m determined to educate people about this illness

 

Not feeling alone is sometimes one of the most important parts of our PANS/PANDAS journey. I am so glad this brave 11th grader shared her story. Others see she has accomplished more than they thought; we have no doubt that she will continue to shine!

I was 11 at the time of my first flare, and I missed half of my grade six year due to debilitating tics before getting put on IVIG. When I was at the end of grade seven, they weened me off of the IVIG, and I had the biggest flare I’ve had to date. It left me incredibly traumatized and unable to go to school in grades 8 and 9. During this time, I found comfort in other people’s stories, and it led me to share mine. I’m now in grade 11 and getting IVIG every 3 weeks. I’m determined to educate people about this illness. I’m no longer ashamed of my tics, OCD, or decreased academic ability. I got farther than anyone thought was possible, and I will continue to grow and educate people on PANS.

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