My Story in the Paper

These days it’s pretty easy to get your story in the news, just go online and submit it and if they like it they will use it. 

It’s a little hard on the self conscious though. Do you really want everyone to know your true story? Will it be published correctly? Will they change it to suit? What will people think?

My Story

Recently, I was approached to tell my story. I was asked, I didn’t put it through my self. I had several telephone conversations with the lady and after she had written my story she read it back to me. I was happy, everything seemed just as I had told.

Then my story was published on the Daily Mail online and will be appearing in a woman’s magazine in print. There was no turning back now. It took me three days to tell anyone, even my husband. Then he posted it on Facebook.

My reaction was to cringe, at the headlines, at the photos. Even though I’d shared the photos before, the thought of more people seeing them made me squirm. The headline made me squirm too.

The Mother of Three that is turning into a ‘Human Statue.’

When the condition, Stiff Person Syndrome, was first discovered, it was found that a common feature was a stiffness that turned it’s sufferers into statues. This seems to have stuck throughout time, although most of us with Stiff Person Syndrome do not see it like this anymore. Many medications have been found that can prevent the condition from progressing to this stage, and some have even found their condition goes into remission. Still, it sounds dramatic doesn’t it?

Many people with Stiff Person Syndrome have spasms which can stiffen parts or all of their body. When I have a spasm I do go stiff, but it’s not board like, I often tend to curl up and I’m unable to straighten again until the spasm passes. This can last anything from a minute to 20 minutes. I also have smaller spasms that affect my feet, hands or legs, sending them stiff. But eventually they relax again.

I do have stiff muscles that never relax in my back, legs and feet. These are what contribute to my inability to walk.

I have to say though, they did manage to stick to the truth, the things I told them. There was a little sensationalism thanks to the highlighted headlines, not anything I’d not said.

The Reason for Sharing.

My main reason for sharing my story is to raise awareness. I’ve recently become part of a small group of Stiff Person Syndrome sufferers that are trying to make our condition more widely known. Very few doctors or medical professionals have heard of the condition. Even fewer general members of the public. With awareness comes better diagnosis and treatment. And maybe even one day a cure.

I’m doing a little research myself and I’ve already noticed that those with paroneoplastic Stiff Person Syndrome have responded to a particular chemotherapy drug. SPS can be a side effect of cancer, and when the cancer is treated, the symptoms of SPS are resolved too. Maybe, in the future, the drug could be tested on other SPS patients to see if it makes their symptoms go away too. It’s just my theory for now, but who knows what could happen. 

So, as cringy as I find it, my story needs to be told, as do many others. One day maybe lots of people will have heard of SPS and treatment will become readily available. 

Reactions to My Story

I was surprised at how little many of my friends knew about my story and my condition. I guess, I must not overshare as I’d originally thought (or was led to believe.) I don’t want sympathy, but what about my family? Maybe they deserve a little sympathy for what they are going through. I hate my children seeing me sick, I’ve become an expert at hiding my pain and my feelings. My husband is more observant and is constantly asking me how I am doing. It’s good to know that people care, but I also find it awkward. 

Now that I have been forced to look at the bigger picture though, my feelings have been put aside. Yes, I may feel embarrassed but if my story helps to raise awareness then I will continue to tell it for as long as I am able.

Maybe I should be more honest from now on. I was slated for it recently and it really made me hide back in my shell. But now I don’t care. So what if a few people decide to mock me or ignore me, there is a bigger picture here that I am part of. 

So, here goes, the link to the first article about me as it appears online.

Birmingham Woman is Turning Into a ‘Human Statue’