Michelle Hanrahan

I have eosinophilic fasciitis.  It's almost as difficult to pronounce as it is to diagnose.  It's a painful, almost invisible, autoimmune disorder that is so rare it's been identified less than 300 times in the last 42 years.  On top of that, I'm one of 18% of those people who develop another autoimmune disorder that is more obvious and equally painful.  The doctors at Mayo regularly smile & shake their heads.  I have an awesomely caring & patient husband and daughters. Most of my adult life has been spent working in administrative work, but the most fulfilling was working with students at an elementary school.  I've always wanted to be a teacher, and twice in 2015, I had started the process of enrolling in college only to have my health issues get in the way.  In April 2015 I noticed some odd symptoms and was officially diagnosed with diffuse systemic sclerosis in October 2015.  Many blessings placed me in the right medical hands and in early February 2016 the diagnosis of scleroderma was determined incorrect and I was officially diagnosed with eosinophilic fasciitis, which makes me about 1 in 1.7 billion people.  I'm so special.  ;)