Ilana Gruber is a 21 year old full time student living with Posterior Uveitis and Hashimoto's. She started seeing floaters and cobwebs, after being dismissed by two eye doctors, neither of which took any detailed imaging of her eyes, she was told to wait six months to see what happens and was referred to a neurologist. Ilana starts to worry after being dismissed so many times and being told things like "these things can happen sometimes at the time of the month" which as we all know is absolutely INSANE. Things began to get worse and she started seeing bright flashing lights like a strobe light and decide she could not wait any longer. She found a retina specialist two hours away and was shocked to find out she could get in almost immediately. The specialist told her if she hadn't come to see her and listened to those other doctors she could have potentially lost her vision completely. Posterior uveitis usually coexists with other autoimmune issues other than Hashimoto's so Ilana's specialist has told her she is essentially a ticking time bomb for another autoimmune disease. Ilana is being treated and though she has symptoms everyday she still remains to have 20/20 vision with glasses. ----------Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoon Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Selina is a 24 year old who is fighting Hidradenitis Suppurativa and PCOS. This episode was special for me because I have also struggled in silence with HS for a long time. We discuss the pain around flares, being dismissed by doctors and things getting progressively worse. We joke about being in our twenties and that we are not perfect. Selina is bubbly and has a good sense of humor, she refers to the first doctor who performed surgery on her as "Dr. Quack" and then later we learn "Dr. Homeboy" saved the day. I highly recommend you check out her instagram where she shares memes she makes herself about her dealing with flares, quacks, homeboys and everything in between dealing with chronic illness. SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT USE PURE TEA TREE OIL ON YOUR FACE! ----------------Find Selina on Insta: @hidradenitis.selinaInstagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Kyna Stys is a 34 year old living with Mixed connective tissue disease with overlapping Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. After bouncing around doctors without receiving any diagnosis, she finally found a doctor who told her that her symptoms were enough to make a diagnosis. She tells us her experience with treatments and being turned away from a catholic hospital and told she was a drug seeker. We joke the whole way through about the long process of diagnosis, lousy doctors and how autoimmune medications apparently treat everything. Kyna is also the co host of a podcast called The Historical AF Podcast, it's really funny and you should probably go check them out after!!! ---------- Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Kim McDowall is a 50 year old chronic illness warrior. In this episode we discuss her diagnosis of Hashimoto's and others along the way. We discuss doctors dismissing her and telling her she just needs to drink some milk, LOL. Within the last year and half she got a divorce and her mother passed away, but she remains to push through with a positive attitude. She tells us to not shame the grieving process and challenges societies stigmas against mental health. ---------- Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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At 3 Ariana was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Her finger got jammed and stayed swollen and when the swelling didn’t go away they knew something was wrong. After doctors shut down her kidneys with high doses of naproxen, they told her there was no more treatment options for her and that she would be in a wheelchair. At 7 years old she was in a wheelchair off and on, then a new issue started to arise. At 14 she was diagnosed with Lupus and then later on two blood disorders. We talk about what it’s like to grow up with chronic illness and Ariana tells us she now has a young son who is going through some of the same things. --------- Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Ednita Tavarez, a 27 year old full time student and mother shares all the details of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis. We discuss how she was dismissed at a young age after being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, treatments, being a mother and continuing to chase your dreams despite chronic illness. ---------- Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Ashley Anderson is a 27 year old LPN battling chronic illness everyday! In this episode we talk about fighting for a diagnosis and how important the language we use with doctors is. Ashley really opens up about finding comfort in knowing there are others out there like her. ----------Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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Aby Hughes, a 21 year old who is working full time and going to school, has been dealing with chronic illness for 10+ years. Listen to us talk about her experience with a decade of facing chronic illness head on! ---------- Instagram: @downtomylastspoonTwitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoonPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoonFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoonContact me: [email protected]

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This episode is sponsored by

· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/downtomylastspoon/support

Instagram: @downtomylastspoon

Twitter: @Dwn2MyLastSpoon Facebook: www.facebook.com/downtomylastspoon

Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/DowntoMyLastSpoon

Contact me: [email protected]

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This episode is sponsored by

· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/downtomylastspoon/support