Brief History: Breast augmentation at 19, diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases by 20, removed implants at 21, got life back the day I removed my implants.

Current Status: No longer disabled, working full-time as a special education teacher, continuing post-grad courses towards becoming an educational diagnostician, healthier than I’ve been in years!

I felt compelled to write to you all today. I took a “sick” day from work (how cool that I’m not having to save them for actually being sick anymore!) to have a fun day with my vacationing new fiance! One of my favorite things to do is to wake up early, when the rest of my world is sleeping, and study, check email, watch tv, you name it. Well, today I was checking emails and I noticed that there was an influx of emails from women who are feeling ill after getting their implants. This usually happens when a tv show I’ve done reruns (or it’s Christmas or Graduation season), so I decided to go online and check it out. I’m not sure if there was a show, or if it’s just a coincidence, but it hurt my heart to get so many emails from desparate women. I felt it was time to update you all on what is happening in my world.

When I seem to disappear for a while, it’s a GOOD THING! It means I’m feeling good and healthy, and my life’s taking off. I’m 25, and I feel like I’m just now getting a good start. I’m working full-time as a Special Education Inclusion/Resource teacher and can’t believe how lucky I am to have found the perfect job for my health and my mind right off the bat. I’ve worked at a middle school for an entire year now, and my health is to the point that not only can I work full-time, but I can also begin to take graduate courses at a university again! So my online course is dominating my computer time (I still have to limit myself due to arthritis in my hands), which is a major reason why I’m not posting as I would like.

Besides work and school, I recently became engaged to the wonderful man that has taken care of me throughout my sickness for going on 4 years now! It’s an exciting time in my life as I’m now able to share my healthier self with him. Danny’s only known me as being sick, and it killed me that he didn’t know the energetic, athletic, conquer-the-world me that I used to be.

I finally feel like the real “me” is back, and this is something that I dared not even hope for a few years ago. I didn’t even want to think of planning a wedding until I was confident that I could physically stand up and say “I do,” and enjoy the day like every other girl in the world. I can’t believe it’s finally here: that I’m finally to a point in my life where I’m feeling healthy and able to focus on the normal aspects of living again. I’m looking forward to an intimate beach-front wedding in June ‘09 (just me and my hubby-t0-be), and then celebrating back home in Texas with our closest family and friends.

Life is good and the little things in my life have had the opportunity to take priority again. I wish a healthy recovery to everyone who is suffering and I will continue to do what I can to share my experience of hope with others.

Until next time,

Kacey