Hypochondriac? I think not!

My name is Rachelle Ann Cardwell,. I am a young women who is struggling with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Unless you have an auto-immune illness, its almost impossible to understand what I go through. On the outside I appear perfectly normal, but inside, my body is attacking itself.

For years I seemed to be accused of being a hypochondriac.  I remember as a little girl feeling so weak and tired, almost flue like, and not being believed when I said I didn't feel good. I didn't have a fever so I wasn't sick. It wasn't fair  that no one believed me, but young kids don't hurt like that. Soon I started to believe I was making it up... but the pain never stopped. Was I a hypochondriac? No.... It has taken many years to find out the truth about my body. When I say I am hurting or I don't feel good, I mean it. Its hard not knowing if your going to wake up feeling normal or like a crippled 80 year old women.


I don't let this illness keep me down. I hope this blog will come as a comfort to those who have the Disease and anyone else who suffers in every day life.