Lexi B.

Hi, my name is Lexi. I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at 15 months of age. I do not know any other life than the life I have now! I have so much support around me and I wouldn't want to have another life. I am faced a lot with "ew you have a disease", well as a matter of fact yes I do and you won't change that no matter how hard you try. I would always wonder to myself "why me, why not somebody else"? but I try to keep an open mind about it.  I look at myself in the mirror and think I am who I am and why live in sadness, it will get better!  To me, life is like a mountain, you go up and you think you’re great but I have to get back down then something bad happens again!  But you reach the top and you might be really good for a while! I do get upset when I see other kids doing something that I want to do, but I can't do it!  But I'm sure the kids that I'm jealous of, I do something that they don't get to experience! I am also very small for my age, so I get made fun of a lot for being petite!  But I learned to get "thick skin". Last year my mom showed me a magazine with Mrs. Georgia on the front with a caption that she has Rheumatoid Arthritis. I decided to send her an email!  She gave me great advice to not let what people say bother you. And I decided to take a stand and to let people know that what they say doesn't affect me and it might get to me but I don't let it show. My mom and my dad help me too when I need someone to talk to; I turn to my friends then my parents if my friends don't have advice for me!  I learn to move on in life and to not grieve over what has already happened! Every time something happens I think to myself "it can only get better" and it does!!