Interview with Brittany

So I interviewed Brittany,A fellow Starbrighter. Brittany has quite a few cronic illnesses(that she talks about later in this).

1.What I you dream Job?: I've ALWAYS wanted to be an artist. I LOVED creating things. My dream gradually turned to a pilot, and finally came to wanting to be an aeronautical engineer. Or a national geographic photographer. That would TOTALLY rock :)

2. What is the Greatest challenges living with a chronic illness? There are several challenges, but the biggest I'd say is the lack of normality. We're in and out of the hospital and doctors offices while others are off hanging out at the movies. Some of us are dripping with tubes and tape while others are free from backpacks, oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, and medical extensions. While our friends are at school, we're at home trying to keep up with makeup work. People are uncomfortable around us and spend more time asking us how we are and saying they are sorry we have this illness than joking and talking about the latest and greatest. People hesitate when asking if we want to hang out. Some of us can't eat, excluding us from a HUGE part of social life-much of which revolves around food.

3. Advice for others with the same problem: Hang in there. Life isn't as bad as it seems in the moment. Look for all the good things in life and focus on lifting others around you, helping make their day better. And have fun with those around you. If you're in the hospital, you can still have fun. Just remember this: Life is as good as you let it be. You can still have fun whether you have tubes and tape or not.

4. How the illness affects me and my family: Well, these illnesses-GP, CIP, chronic line infections, pseudotumor, tendonitis, asthma, and allergies-have had a HUGE impact on my life and my family's life. I've been in the hospital more than out, thus rendering me unable to start collenge. I've already missed a year. I can't eat, thus changing what I do in the day. I don't have to worry about eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so my schedule and daily events are different. I don't usually go down with my family for dinner anymore, mainly because it makes me sick to my stomach. When I go to dinners or social gatherings, I have to bring my sketchbook to act as a distraction from the food around me so I'm not just staring at people while they eat. That can get very awkward and weird. People tend to blush when you stare at them chewing...so I draw. Essentially, my life has been turned upsidedown. Now, in regards to my family, they have learned more medical procedures and terminology than the medical students who come in to examine me. They have to put up with my being in the hospital so much. My little sister, 13, has to act like an 18 year old. She knows how to cook, do laundry, iron shirts, and keep things running smoothly at home while Mom is with me in the hossy. In a way, my illness has brought us closer. We spend a lot of time together. We also have learned how to live in two different modes: Home mode and Hospital mode. Hospital mode has taught us how to live in two places at once.