Arthritis Foundation's Upper Midwest Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Network Panel

Today, I was very fortunate to be invited and serve on a panel for kids with juvenile arthritis and their families. While I was initially hesitant to do this because of how crazy medical school has been, it was without a doubt a great reminder of why I wanted to be a doctor. I hope that it will fuel me through the coming difficult weeks of exams. I was really inspired and surprised to hear the commonality in each of the panelist four stories as three of us were around the same age and another one was a little younger. While treatments and medications have come a long way to treat RA, parents, kids, and families all go through the same struggles....not coping with the disease, being angry at the world, depression, refusing to take medications, and ultimately, the best part, acceptance and embracing RA. It was really great for me, to finally be around people who actually understood what I was talking about. How that disgusting color of methotrexate makes me physically nauseous and throw up, how alcohol swabs never remind us of good things, and how waking up in the middle of the night stiff and in pain is the worst because you know it will only mean the next day will be that much harder.

Within our four stories as panelist, you could tell that RA has really molded us into the people we are today: someone who is involved in legislature and advocacy, a radiographer who is passionate about working with kids at the JRA summer camp, a young adult who has undergone hip replacement surgery at such a young age and has dreams of becoming a genetic counselor, and then me, a small town kid with big dreams of becoming a doctor and an Ironman Athlete. RA has really been a positive thing and I'm not sure who I'd be without it? Thank you to the families and the Arthritis Foundation for putting on this event.

I also was able to talk with a representative (Megan) from the Arthritis Foundation, who said they will be bringing on an intern to help tell my journey with RA and the Ironman. They also told me about some other really exciting news regarding a sponsorship between myself, the Arthritis Foundation, as an honoree at the 2014 Jingle Bell Run in Madison, WI. I can't thank Megan enough for helping me tell my story and I hope it inspires just one person to pursue whatever it is that they never thought they could do, but always wanted to do.