I was a normal and happy kid for most that saw me always smiling you couldn't tell there was anything wrong with me.
I was always speaking to people and a person could not tell that there was an affliction ailing me. I want to ask you a question, how would you feel if you didn't know how to explain what was wrong with you, or how you were bleeding or skin was cracking for no reason?
I would love to know your answers, but my answer was I had to keep on going and try not to worry because God knows my mom did enough worrying for the both of us. You just try to live like a normal kid and not think you have a problem.
I go to the grocery store think I'm normal adults are staring at me, I think, Am I normal? I must be they think I'm cute. Some people would approach me or my mother and say wow!!! why did you stay in the sun so long, or to my poor mother why did you keep him in the sun so long. We both would give the same answer and say it's a rare skin condition. Some people would answer oh my brother has the same thing his skin get's dry in the summer, why don't you try this. God bless their hearts because they are trying to help.
However, for people that live with Ichthyosis they know not much helps it's all about controlling it and all about coping.
What if you don't want to cope anymore and are tired of being afflicted with the illness?
Well there is depression, was I depressed? I don't know, maybe there were times I was tired of being made fun of and just wanted to curl up in a hole and die. However, my way to cope was and still is push forward live like a normal person. I try not to pay attention what people say to me that could hurt me.
When a teacher told me in college that I'm going to need to fix my teeth, fix my nose, fix my hair and change my voice to make it in broadcasting, well I made it my plan to prove her wrong. Why would I change my self just for a job? Why would I change the body I hated when I was young? Why would I change me? For a Job? Never this body, skin and voice is me. Yes when I was younger I hated it I wanted the skin to go away, I wanted to stop being called "flakey" but as I am older that is me!!!! I can live with I have this affliction. I can live with people making fun of me. I can live with harsh criticism, because words cannot hurt me.
I know that I have to be happy, and I have to make myself happy.
Am I happy, yes I work full time, I do play-by-play and I am married. I have everything to be thankful for. I'm thankful that I am me, and
I would not change me for anyone else in the world!!!!!
