At 16-years-old, my life changed. While I was at the peak of my physical condition, I suddenly became sick. And fighting to stay awake became my only objective. It was as if anchors held my eyelids shut. Everyday after school, I would fall asleep. To make things worse, intense pain sprouted in my joints including my ankles, knees, shoulders, and elbows. Walking became uncomfortable, and my knee swelled to the size of a baseball. Feeling as though I could never get the right amount of sleep, and pain stabbing at my joints, I eventually saw my doctor.

My first destination was my general doctor, which included a test for mononucleosis. That test came back negative, which lead to more tests. Soon, I became a human pin-cushion, shuttled from lab to lab generating more questions than answers.

Time went on and the pain continued. Uncertainty and fear lurked. My general doctor directed me to someone called a rheumatologist.

For the next three months, there were more tests. But finally, after another trip to the rheumatologist, the uncertainty ended.

The doctor said, “I’m convinced it’s Rheumatoid Arthritis. It can't be anything else.”

Of course, I shot out question after question. So he explained to me in simple terms: “Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune disease, meaning your body attacks its own immune system causing the joints to swell up.”

The initial medication made me feel worse. I couldn't even do a push-up because of my inflamed joints, gruesomely causing me pain. I felt dizzy, light-headed and nauseous. I couldn’t play sports because I lost all my energy. It was like having the flu constantly and it took a toll on my school performance, my sports and my life as a whole.

This is a situation most 16-year-olds don’t endure and a situation that people don’t know about me. But despite the obstacles, I knew the most important thing I could do was be positive.

At the end of my junior year, my doctor introduced a new medicine to me, and I decided to try it. The scary part was that I would have to inject myself with a sharp pointy needle every two weeks. Although, Rheumatoid Arthritis cannot be cured, the new medicine has made me pain free.

With every obstacle or challenge in life, comes a valuable lesson. Being diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis has been my biggest challenge, but it has also taught me the most important lesson. I learned all challenges can be overcome. It has taught me to work hard when a difficult situation arises. Overall, my diagnosis has made me more mature and has given me a positive outlook on what my future holds.