My health journey started in the 1990’s when I was first dx’d with Fibromyalgia with a trigger point test. After that I was a by the book Fibro patient going through the levels. I had aches, pain and fatigue for about 10 years before it got worse. When I was in my 30’s they suspected that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis which I was getting infusions for but nothing seemed to work. I struggled for some more years with joint pain specifically and then after a failed gastric bypass surgery in late 30’s my health steadily declined and the pain started. Real pain. And exhaustion. In my early 40’s I went to another Rheumatologist who dx’d my with RA again, Sjögren’s syndrome, Reynaud’s Disease, osteopenia, Chronic Pain Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My PCP dx’d me with Costochondritis. I had never been so ill and diagnosed with so many things! My life had totally changed and I became chronically ill. I was down and out and there were days when I didn’t think I was going to make it through and I was certain that I was dying. I also felt that no one doctor really had a handle on what was actually really wrong with me and I was sure that I wasn’t on the right treatment plan. Not much was working at this point and I was at an all new low. I was done. Mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically. There were days when I prayed to just die because I was sure I was dying anyway and couldn’t hold on. If it wasn’t for my husband, our boys, and our dogs I would have been. I decided to be my own advocate and look for answers everywhere. I went to another immunologist/rheumatologist who specializes in Sjögren’s, Dr. Ambrus who my other doctor called “The Guru”. I have been and am currently being tested for everything! I have more tests to go some in 6-8 months from now. I recently found out for sure that my Sjögren’s is running rampant through my body as well as Reynaud’s. I, however, do not have RA, even though two drs confirmed it! I am not sure what we are going to find but I do trust “The Guru” and he has assured me it will get better and I will feel better once we break everything down and examine it. I have to say that I am cautiously optimistic which is a place I wasn’t sure I would ever be again. I know this…my story isn’t finished, we have more work to do. I have to hang on. Hang on for my husband and my 13 HFA son. They fight my fight with me everyday. So for them, we will keep plugging along! Hopefully soon we will have all the answers or at least the majority of them and we can move forward from there.