Last week, March 28th was Rare Disease Day. I have a rare disease called Antisynthetase Syndrome. It is diagnosed at about 1 in 100,000 people and affects more women than men. It is an immune-mediated disease that causes inflammation. It can effect a number of systems in the body. Most patients experience one of the inflammatory myopathies (muscle-wasting disease), polyarthritis, mechanic's hands (which is MUCH worse than it sounds), Renaud's syndrome, and interstitial lung disease. I have all of these autoimmune diseases (and more). Part of what's so difficult about having a rare disease is that 1) your doctor may not have any other patients with this disease and, 2) pharmaceutical companies are never going to research and create drugs for our disease. There may be university studies about our diseases or features of our diseases. However, it is rare to get much information about quality of life, life expectancy, and questions about how to live well with a rare disease. Rare Disease Day is here to raise awareness. As we talk about our rare disease others learn more about these uncommon illnesses. We can connect others to resources they may not know about. Do you have a rare disease? Tell us about it in the comments? We need to learn about what's impacting you! I'm Annette Leonard, speaker, coach, and sick person who believes that my illnesses do not define me. If health is the absence of disease and wellness is the presence of wholeness, then no matter what your disease status, we can work toward your wellness, your wholeness. Whether or not you are ever "healthy" on paper, you can be well. Join me and others on the path back to wholeness at AnnetteLeonard.com. Whether you are a person experiencing chronic illness or are someone who loves or serves people with chronic illness I have great resources here on this channel or on my website for you.