God's Brave Women - Rachel's Story

It was yellow. I had prayed for yellow.

Moving day was set, our boxes were packed. A new house, a new marriage, a new job. The future was looking bright.

And then it happened. Something didn’t feel quite right.

Over the next few weeks my energy faltered and my knees swelled to the size of cantaloupes. It hurt to stand, it hurt to walk, it hurt to move.

Severe fatigue, brain fog, night sweats, insomnia, incessant pain and inflammation suddenly took control of my life. Within two weeks I lost 25 pounds along with my ability to walk, confined to wheelchairs and motorized carts. Instead of waltzing into my 30’s, I hobbled my way through.

5 months, 15 doctors, dozens of lab tests and procedures later revealed my worst fear.

I was diagnosed with a progressive autoimmune disease. The answer felt more like a life sentence and less like good news.

And with no known cause, there could be no cure.

In one swooping moment, my thoughts went down the drain, sucking my emotions in with it. The familiar tape began to roll right on cue.