Autoimmune Living
Research, News & First-hand Knowledge of Autoimmune Diseases
The three of us a year before my husband's dermatomyositis diagnosis
I’m the mother of an 11-year-old dancer/cupcake baker/Survivor buff and wife to an amazing college baseball coach who contracted dermatomyositis in the months leading up to our wedding in 2010.
He was hospitalized in April 2011, where he finally was correctly diagnosed. Initially, his rheumatologist thought it was lupus. At the time, my once-athletic husband was a few months shy of 40.
This site is my attempt to understand, and hopefully shed light, on what seems to be an increasingly prevalent problem in people of all ages.
Autoimmune Living 
YAY!!!!
Im your first comment person!!!!
Cute picture!!
❤ Devin
Posted by Devin | April 14, 2012, 12:00 pmVery nicely put. I look forward to reading your blog and learning more about autoimmune diseases, myositis diseases, in particular.
Posted by GaGa | April 14, 2012, 12:24 pmNicole you are an inspiration! I look forward to reading your blog and learning about other people’s stories. Thank you! XOXO
Posted by Mary Catherine McDonell | April 15, 2012, 12:23 pmWOW!!! You’ve been a busy bee!!! I certainly didn’t know that anyone could die from rheumatoid arthritis!! I’ve always known about arthritis, but hearing/learning about all these other ai diseases, is really a concern to me. It’s so alarming to see how many young people are affected
Posted by GaGa | April 16, 2012, 8:47 amIsn’t it alarming? Since it impacts many young people, I can’t help but think there’s an environmental component. Our air? Our water? Our food?
Posted by aieverywhere | April 16, 2012, 8:58 amMe, too. Have we suddenly just become more aware of these diseases? Surely ai diseases haven’t been hiding in the background all this time, except for arthritis, what is going on?!?!?!? Here’s a thought have previous generations abuse antibiotics too long and our immune systems are weaker because of it??????
Posted by GaGa | April 16, 2012, 1:20 pmNicole ~ This is a great idea and I am here to support you anyway I can! Amazing when we learn more ourselves about a disease that effects us, we become more aware of it around us. I look forward to continuing to learn more about auto immune diseases. I would certainly love to be able to help my brother as well! Thank you for all you do!
Posted by Erin Shine | April 16, 2012, 1:39 pmSuch a touching story about Taylor, so young and an athlete, too. Some of her symptoms and treatments seem similar to Pat’s. It really makes you wonder, do doctors actually know what their dealing with here?!?!?!?!?!
Posted by GaGa | April 17, 2012, 9:12 amStill finding your blog so interesting and informative. Really liked the article about the frustration people have in finding a doctor that will listen to them!!!
Posted by GaGa | April 30, 2012, 9:02 amThank you! I’m going to post more info on that topic, and also on coping physically and emotionally with a chronic illness like an autoimmune disease. I posted an article on that subject this morning.
Posted by Autoimmune Diseases Are Everywhere | April 30, 2012, 10:13 amNicole, after spending some time with your little family, i know you will do everything to reach your goal of good health for your husband. I look forward to your blog.
Posted by joan shanks | May 4, 2012, 6:03 pmThank you Joan. That means the world to me.
Posted by Autoimmune Diseases Are Everywhere | May 5, 2012, 7:18 amIt is remarkable what Marissa Tucker has accomplished. Certainly has to be encouraging for Pat. It’s such a shame that most of her childhood has been spent dealing with this disease.
Posted by GaGa | May 10, 2012, 8:46 amGreat article about imagining your symptoms!!! Very, very interesting.
Posted by GaGa | May 16, 2012, 9:16 amMy 4 yr old daughter also has drematomyositis, I will keep you in my prayers
Posted by Anonymous | May 24, 2012, 2:00 pmFour years old…my heart breaks for you. I’ll pray for your family as well. Next month, my husband and I are traveling to the Myositis Center at Johns Hopkins, in Baltimore (http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/myositis). I plan to post what I learn about the treatments available there, and hopefully I’ll discover something that might help your daughter.
Posted by Autoimmune Diseases Are Everywhere | May 24, 2012, 4:16 pmHi there! Very interesting articles.
Posted by onlykrish | July 23, 2012, 2:53 pm