My poems help me through pain that I normally cannot explain. I chose to submit them because they describe how it feels to live with this kind of pain, provoked by a rare disease.
I was diagnosed in September/October 2018.
NMOSD came like a thief in the night. It took my life, my job, my freedom. From one day to another, the entire left side of my body became paralyzed and I lost 80% of my vision. Since I’ve got my diagnosis, after my first attack, my life has been a fight every day, just for the maintenance of my body. Today, I am retired and still learning how to deal with this disease. The Sumaira Foundation has given me a sense of purpose in life again and the feeling that I’m not alone in this fight against NMO.
NMOSD changed my whole life. I had to start everything over again. The most challenging thing was and still is, rediscovering myself and
accepting the person I am becoming.
It reflects moments of despair and grief that NMO can make you feel.