My name is Adriana. I was diagnosed when I was 27 years old with Nephrotic Syndrome caused by Minimal Change Disease. I was told it is very rare for adults to have this particular disease. I was told it was like I won a lottery, but clearly not a good one.

My older sister and aunt both suffered from the same condition. At that time, my family lived in Mexico, and due to poor medical care and lack of information about the disease, they both passed at a very young age. Currently, I’m in remission and have been for awhile. I can honestly tell you I had so many relapses that I stopped counting them. All I know is that stress is usually what triggers them, and therefore I tend to keep my body and mind busy with positivity.

At the beginning, I thought it was an allergic reaction, and then I was diagnosed and treated with Prednisone. My life completely changed. It has been some tough years of course, but I’m an adult, and I know it can be worse. After all the harsh treatments and hard work on my behalf, I learned to pick up the pieces and move on. I learned to cope and enjoy the little things, because I appreciate so much more than prior to this terrible illness.

I don’t think I can give any particular advice that hasn’t been given already. But what I can say is to live life to the fullest and be happy, when you or your child is is remission. Life is precious and should be treated accordingly.