Archive 2008 - 2019

Kids Have Arthritis Too

by Alyssa Vanderbeek
4/29/2012

 My name is Alyssa Vanderbeek and I am currently a senior at Holliston High School, graduating in a few short weeks.

Upon first meeting me, I may not appear so different from other teenagers, but when I was thirteen years old I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, but different in the part of the joints that it affects. Because it is an autoimmune disease, my immune system basically thinks that my joints are a foreign disease, and attacks them like it would attack sickness. The main and most problematic symptoms are joint inflammation and fatigue, among others. Flare ups of my arthritis can be caused by not getting enough sleep, exerting myself in physical activities that aggravate the joints, and viruses as simple as a common cold.

 When I had my first acute flare-up, I had been dancing for ten years, since I was three years old. I was training seriously at the Dancing Arts Center here in Holliston, and as I spent over twenty hours a week attending classes and rehearsals, it was my whole life outside of school. I dreamed of being a professional dancer, and had never thought of becoming anything else. My diagnosis was truly devastating, to say the least. You see, arthritis is a dancer’s death sentence because it is not an injury; it is a chronic disease that I will struggle with for the rest of my life. The pain of the arthritis was terrible, but the pains of the emotional loss of being just a “normal” kid and of the knowledge that I might never dance again were even worse. Luckily, I have a great team of doctors at Children’s Hospital in Boston who have helped me reach a state of health that allows me to lead a nearly normal life. They have taught me ways and given me the means to manage my condition so that it impacts my life as little as possible, and these techniques and medications have made my life infinitely better.

 Despite this, it is hard to be different. I am seventeen years old now, and while I occupy myself with many of the things other kids my age occupy themselves with, I have to take into account all the things that affect my health and happiness. This includes getting at least eight hours of sleep per night, watching my diet, and exercising regularly, among other things. Without balancing my life properly, fatigue and pain can drastically affect my school work, the amount of time I can shop at the mall or spend out with friends, when to schedule in my doctor appointments in Boston so as not to conflict with other engagements, and whether the cold I am catching is going to cause a big flare or not. I would like to someday dance again without pain. I would like to not have to take the number of medications I do. I would like to not worry that college will be more of a difficult adjustment for me than for other kids. (Fortunately, I am attending Wheaton College in Norton, MA starting next fall, so I’ll be close to home and to my medical care.)

 I cannot deny that I am one of the luckier ones – my mother jumped right on the problem as soon as it started, and I began treatment before any damage to my joints occurred.

 I have met a young girl, only ten years old, with the same illness as I have, who is looking at a number of surgeries when she is done growing. She and I get together once in a while, and I think and hope she looks up to me. I feel good about this, about giving her hope, but I cannot help but want to do more.

 As a member of Holliston High School’s National Honor Society, I chose to head up a team for and help organize the Metro West Arthritis Walk as my leadership project, which takes place in Natick this coming Sunday, May 6th at Natick Town Common. My team is simply called Holliston High School because, you see, I don’t like to draw attention to myself or my arthritis. Yet, I can’t help but think of younger kids, like my little friend, Sarah, who deal with this too. There are thousands of us in the world. In fact, one out of 300 kids has some kind of arthritis.

 I know this is a tad late in coming, but I am writing this now to ask the community of Holliston to support our HHS NHS team, whether it is by joining our team for the walk, making a donation, or being a sponsor in some way. I dream of a time when there will be a cure for this disease, but in the meantime I can only hope that my efforts will help educate people and provide resources to advocate for more research and medical options for kids like me and Sarah.

I would especially love to have any interested businesses in town sponsor our walk in any way that they feel able.

Please feel free to contact me for further information at vanderbeeka94@gmail.com, or visit my team page for more information:

http://www.metrowestarthritiswalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=491815&lis=1&kntae491815=8177F797A3994A299026C0F115B13926&supId=290838787

 Thank you in advance for your support.

 Alyssa Vanderbeek