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Bio

Sassy. Smart. Stubborn (or “persistent” if they are being nice). Passionate. Humanitarian hussy. Good cook. Native Texan whose home is in downtown DC. Lover of people, place, stories, travel. Wicked sense of humor. I miss my old life as an international economic development consultant, but am learning to enjoy the new aspects of writing again.

WordPress Origin Story

I have a friend from 1st grade (even studied in Europe together) who went on to become a medical researcher. (He had promised to cure my asthma when we were kids. I’m still waiting.) But when things were really grim in 2012-13, Kurt (who lives in New Zealand now) was always willing to help me decipher test results, make sense out of possible diagnoses, and point me toward areas of research (the biggest problem is just now starting to get more attention). In short, he helped keep me calm when times were scariest. When I started an amazing new biologic last year, which is having an almost miraculous impact on my condition, I promised to start to write about this on a blog or website or both, after being nagged by him for years about it (most of my doctors agreed with him).

There’s no cure. The damage is irreversible. We hope, but don’t know, that there won’t be further damage. The drug is dangerous, phenomenally expensive, and is a last resort. There are no other drugs if this stops working or I develop a reaction and have to stop it. But it’s slowly giving me a sense of myself again.

So this is saying thanks — to Kurt, for being such a good friend, when I really needed one. To my doctors for not giving up and saying this is too hard. For my family and friends, who stood by, and helped keep me going — literally. For President Obama and the Congressional members who stood up for Americans like me and demanded that we have a chance at survival and medical care. For the researchers, at NIH and the pharmaceutical companies, who despite the obscene pricing structures — over which they have no control — busted their asses to come up with a treatment that is giving me more life.

Everyone said WordPress was the best. Now you get to prove it.

  • Member Since: March 2nd, 2019
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Website: www.asthmaodyssey.com
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