Living without fear
Toshia, living with GPP
For a while, GPP ran my life. I constantly dreaded the next flare-up and dealing with pain. No matter how many doctors I went to, no one had answers. Also, not many people in my life knew I had GPP. I thought staying quiet and just “dealing with it” alone was the best option. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t live in fear anymore. I needed to let go of my fears to regain control over my life.
This realization took time, but eventually, I got tired of being afraid. I was tired of pretending everything was okay when, in reality, it wasn’t.
I wasn’t conquering my GPP, and I was losing myself in the process. Once I recognized the path I was on, it became very clear to me the new direction I needed to take. I desired more in life. I wanted a life not dictated by fear nor consumed by GPP.
Slowly, I started making changes. I became more direct and said to my doctors, “This has to change.”
It was scary to be so vocal, but as I kept speaking up, the fears started to fade away.
Letting go of fear doesn’t mean I stopped feeling it. It just means I wasn’t going to let fear and pain overrule me. I deserved to feel better, be heard, and live a better quality of life. Over time, I started to feel more in control of my life and explore all my options to help my GPP.
Letting go of fear has been liberating for me, and I hope that by sharing my story, I might inspire others in the community to let go of fears and be empowered to live life on their terms. GPP and fear no longer hold me back in life, and I hope the same for all of you!