I’m Issa, and I’m 20 years old. I study Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, and this is my story.
Like most people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), I spent many years searching for a correct diagnosis. From day one of my life I had situations that affected my health, starting because I was born prematurely. Later in my life, I had neurodevelopmental problems that affected my ability to speak and relate. I was then diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. I spent ten years in psychological therapy, and thanks to the wonderful therapies, together with my mother, I managed to get to university with one of the best high school averages.
At the age of 9, I had my menarche, and it was a watershed in my beginning of pain, which became highly disabling. At the age of 15, I started having problems with chronic fatigue and low blood pressure and I was diagnosed with dysautonomia. I was quickly diagnosed thanks to the fact that my mom also has dysautonomia. My dysautonomia has been controlled for a large part of my life, but pain is something that has always been a complaint. I went to many doctors and got many diagnoses ranging from fibromyalgia to juvenile idiopathic arthritis, etc.
A year and a half ago I was finally able to put a name to what was happening to me thanks to genetics, and with a neuropsychologist, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Asperger’s, along with the comorbidities mentioned above.
But who am I apart from all of that? Well, I am a person who loves and adores animals and it’s becoming my great passion. I have been a very active person in my life despite everything. At 16 years old I graduated with a technical degree in Professional Makeup, and I love to draw and do exercise.
