Many people think you can’t be sick or disabled if you’re not in a wheelchair or if you don’t have the flu but the truth is far from that. I live my every moment in pain, real true all over physical pain. You see I suffer from something known as Fibromyalgia, which means I have all over pain, fatigue, and many other problems that go hand in hand with it. I am sick, I am badly sick but yet, to the naked eye I look like an average every day 21 year old. On my good days just by looking at me you would not know I have a walker, let alone a wheelchair. You would not know I spend the majority of my time going back and forth to the doctors. There are many more problems that come with fibromyalgia, depression for example I mean how would you feel if you had to live in pain?

This is Alyssa’s story with her endometriosis;

“I've struggled with endometriosis since I was 14. Endometriosis is more or less an invisible illness since it deals with something every female goes through and everybody thinks you're just lying, faking, or dramatic and just tell you to get over it, suck it up, or do what everyone else does to relieve symptoms of NORMAL menstruation. My case, I could go two weeks without adequate food/water intake, bled to the point I was almost anemic, serious migraines, unbearable pain, nothing but pain and nausea. Being irregular also meant I lived in fear of a normal body function and often had to change out clothes because of stains. It took me 3 nurse practitioners and 2 doctors to finally get effective treatment, and the doctor I have now is even willing to do surgery to confirm/eventually "fix" my condition. It's chronic, it's debilitating when not controlled, and can lead to cancer, cysts, fibroids, and infertility when left to wreak havoc. It damages other organs as well. On an end note, I recommend anyone else who struggles with debilitating periods to seek help until you find someone who knows what they're doing. And DO NOT go to an obstetrician as they will only care about your fertility and possible childbearing chances rather than your wellbeing. Coming from experience."

Life for us is NOT easy but we put on a brave face, push through it and hope for a better tomorrow.