Welcome to Gaia! ::

I break out in rashes when I'm in the sun for too long. It only came up a few years ago when I started taking this other medication. But I've always been a little sensitive. lol Yes, too bright of a day can be quite blinding, even when I was a child.
Age... well, I'm still moving. And I only use the cane once in a while. But on a good day, I can still go rock climbing (although slowly). As far as more people having that problem recently, I've noticed it's getting more common. There weren't near as many people when I was younger with it. But there's also been more of these things diagnosed more often of late, where then it was mostly ignored, or they just didn't have the knowledge.

Yes. I noticed this when I was taking handfuls of prescription pain killer in high school just to get through gym and typing, and decided that it was going to be a long haul. And again when they told me that I'd be in a wheel chair by the time I was 40. But I'm still here, kicking a** and taking names later. 40's long gone, I've got a lot more junk to pile on top of that. But I just haven't got the time or patience to be sick today. lol

Oh, but I have. They look at my previous MRI's (boy was that last one bizarre), spinal taps, and whatever else, and can't figure out why I just walked in off the street like it was nothing. The specialists and other doctors just have me check in once in a while (yeah, like I can afford that trip). I think it's mostly to see what kind of freaky thing I've done this time, or what other diagnosis they can come up with to add to it. But as soon as I've got a handle on the treatments that work, I'm off and running (like a flaming heard of turtles) again. lol

Yeah. Now that they've figured it out, they don't know what to do with it.

lol It was almost kinda funny. When I went in with my first attack, and I got the first MRI, the doctor that signed the papers on that diagnosis was the same one that told me I was a hypochondriac a few years before when I told him my symptoms. I never even saw him when I was in ER, and haven't seen him since. I didn't even remember it was the same one until I looked at my previous medical records.

Though one problem that I have suffered with more than my bad health, was bad doctors. It took me over 27 years before I found a good doctor. The previous ones often screwed up, misdiagnosed, or blew off things instead of thinking. Then I find my current doctors and BAM! Within 2 years, they have figured out all sorts of things and I am all the more better for it.

Personally, I think that this is one of the biggest problems with our medical care system here. Sure, the treatment for the first 27 years was "cheaper," but on the other hand, if they were not screwing up, we could have spent the thousands then, figured this stuff out, and saved almost all of the "cheaper" treatment entirely.

Plus, diagnosing this closer to birth could have extended my lifespan a lot more. I am staring at probably dropping by 40, if I was diagnosed before the age of 5, I might be more likely to get to 60. 20 years is a lot to lose due to someone screwing up. Sorry, that seems harsh, but I get a bit emotional and frustrated when I talk about it.

I agree with both of you. It took me this long to find out that 90% of my problems could have been prevented when I was a kid. And that's I don't know how many doctors in 3 or 4 different states??? But now I think I've got most of it, and a fairly decent doctor.

Well, never mind. Let's ditch this drama llama club, and have another party!!!

Love this pic!