My second 12 months {of professional} soccer began out nice. I labored laborious throughout coaching, and I obtained stronger and quicker every single day. Then one afternoon — out of the blue — a tsunami of fatigue washed over me. It was so unhealthy I couldn’t climb the steps to my second-floor condo with out stopping to relaxation.
There I used to be, knowledgeable athlete operating miles a day, and I might barely make it up the steps.
Nonetheless, I didn’t suppose it was something severe. “It’s mono,” I believed. I’d sleep it off and really feel higher in a couple of days. However the fatigue was relentless. By the following week, I might barely transfer. My legs have been so heavy they felt like they have been in quicksand. As I stood in the course of the apply subject, it hit me that there was one thing significantly mistaken with my physique.
The group coach instructed me to see a healthcare supplier instantly. That supplier ordered blood work, and it turned out, my white blood rely was actually low.
He referred me to an oncologist, which shook me to my core. I didn’t know a lot about most cancers however that thought hadn’t crossed my thoughts. Fortunately, once I noticed the oncologist the next day, he stated I didn’t have most cancers, however he needed me to see a rheumatologist.
I used to be fortunate to get an appointment for the next week, and I continued to play soccer although I used to be operating on fumes. Once I noticed the rheumatologist, he stated my liver enzymes have been actually excessive and he needed to do a Schirmer’s take a look at. In fact, I didn’t know what that was, however I stated sure. He took two innocent-looking strips of paper and caught them below my eyelids. It was the worst expertise ever. These 5 minutes felt like 5 years. When he lastly pulled the strips from my eyes, they have been utterly dry, which meant my tear glands weren’t producing fluid.
“You will have Sjögren’s,” he stated. He handed me some pamphlets and defined that I had an autoimmune illness that attacked moisture-producing glands in my physique and brought about dry eyes, dry mouth and bouts of fatigue. In my case, the fatigue was excessive.
And that was it. He just about despatched me on my means and made it sound like Sjögren’s disease wasn’t a giant deal. I’d simply should push by means of the tiredness till I felt higher.
However the whole lot obtained worse.
On prime of the heaviness and fatigue, I began having joint ache and muscle ache on a stage I’d by no means felt earlier than. As an athlete, I used to be very conscious of my physique and I knew what I used to be experiencing wasn’t regular. I puzzled if it may very well be related to Sjögren’s illness, however in 2002 there wasn’t a lot info on the market. The supplier gave me all of the sources (pamphlets) he had. Shortly after I used to be identified, I moved to a different metropolis and one other group, which is frequent in soccer and meant I needed to begin over with a brand new healthcare supplier each six months.
For years, I felt like the one particular person on this planet with Sjögren’s illness. I didn’t know anybody who had it, and I hid my signs from teammates and coaches as a result of I used to be afraid they might suppose I couldn’t play on the elite stage. This wasn’t simply paranoia — I instructed my first coach I had Sjögren’s illness proper after I used to be identified, and I went from beginning each recreation to mainly being benched. So I wasn’t taking any probabilities going ahead.
Though I attempted to maintain the illness a secret, there have been bodily signs I couldn’t disguise. Some video games, I used to be actually foaming on the mouth as a result of I don’t make sufficient saliva and I couldn’t simply break for water at any time when I needed.
The mysterious joint and muscle ache by no means stopped — and I by no means stopped making an attempt to determine why it was occurring. In 2008, I went to a brand new supplier who ordered some totally different checks. When the labs got here again, she identified me with lupus. She stated it made sense as a result of many individuals with Sjögren’s illness have extra autoimmune ailments, and lupus is a standard one.
I used to be shocked. Two ailments? How a lot can one particular person deal with? However I used to be additionally relieved. For years, I’d been in ache and having joint points and nobody knew why. Now I knew I used to be coping with one other illness, and I might sort out each head-on.
I instructed my household concerning the double prognosis, however nobody else. I continued to push by means of days I didn’t really feel good and performed unhealthy and couldn’t specific why. And there have been many days when the loneliness of maintaining all of it a secret harm greater than anything. I gained my second Olympic gold medal that 12 months, nevertheless it was one of many hardest occasions in my life.
In 2011, I began volunteering for the Lupus Basis, and I used to be so impressed by the analysis and rising neighborhood that I noticed I might use my platform to assist carry consciousness to each lupus and Sjögren’s illness.
I instructed my coaches first after which my teammates. Everybody stated the identical factor: “We had no clue.” And everybody was superb — it makes me emotional once I consider all of the kindness and help they gave me straight away. One night time at dinner, I used to be having a flare and the joint ache in my wrist and fingers was so unhealthy it was laborious for me to chop my steak. My teammate subsequent to me didn’t say a phrase — she simply grabbed my plate, minimize up the steak, positioned it again down in entrance of me and continued along with her dinner. Later that night time, I used to be struggling to step down from the bus when immediately I had teammates throughout me selecting me up and serving to me to the bottom. Nobody checked out me in a different way or handled me in a different way. I do know in my coronary heart that their help was the explanation I used to be capable of go on and play for thus lengthy.
2024
In 2012, I went public about dwelling with each ailments and gained my third (and remaining) Olympic gold medal. I retired in 2015 and began placing extra of my vitality into elevating consciousness about lupus and Sjögren’s illness.
At the moment the ailments have extra of an impression on my life than once I was taking part in professionally. My eyes are continually grainy and painful as a result of I don’t make sufficient fluid to maintain them moisturized and clear. I nonetheless have a variety of joint ache and, most days, I’m so drained I don’t actually bear in mind what it’s prefer to have a variety of vitality. That is my new regular. All of it takes a toll. However I’m grateful there’s a variety of help within the Sjögren’s neighborhood. I do know we’re all on the identical group, striving for developments in therapies that don’t simply assist us dwell our lives. A treatment is the purpose.
This instructional useful resource was created with help from Amgen, a HealthyWomen Company Advisory Council member.
From Your Web site Articles
Associated Articles Across the Net
