Terry Helbraun-Bathur
I came down with a flu in January of 1998. It seemed to never go away. My joints would swell and I would run high fevers almost daily. The fatigue was awful. One day my skin started hurting and my legs gave out. That's when I went to my primary doctor.
At first the doctor thought I had Lupus, but the results came back negative. Then due to my former profession, Lymes disease became a possibility. Again I tested negative for Lymes. All in all I have had five titers for Limes Disease.
My doctor referred me to a rheumatologist. The day I went to see him a rash was present all over my body. He called in his partner and it was determined then that I had Stills Disease. From there I was referred to the Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville and my disease was reaffirmed. In addition, I was placed on more medications that didn't agree with me and I developed pancreatitis. The rheumatologist that I had in Daytona was not sympathetic at all to my pain and I sought out another rheumatologist.
The rheumatologist I have now has been my doctor for a little over five years. He has been wonderful, kind and compassionate. For the first time I had a doctor who listened to me and he worked with me to get me physically comfortable. When I first started working with my present rheumatologist I was sleep deprived, unable to walk or work and had been reduced to a wheel chair and scooter. My doc helped me get on SSDI and I was approved on the first try.
Today I am a full time college student. I am able to walk and drive a vehicle. My Stills Disease has had brief periods of remission, but currently I have been experiencing flares. Even so, I am able to continue my studies, take care of my family and dogs. Living with Stills Disease can be hard, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Life is good.
Terry Helbraun-Bathurst
