Can I Have Your Opinion?

[Guest danceintheflames]

I feel pathetic even posting this, but I would love some feedback. I've only recently been diagnosed with Celiac Disease after years of "unexplained" pain and ER visits that made me start to feel insane. While searching through support groups, I found someone who had mentioned that a relative of theirs received a wish from Make-A-Wish due to having the disease. I'm seventeen years old, so I almost feel like I need to "grow up" and abandon the idea, but I secretly think it would be amazing to get away and just relax for some time. Here is what else has been going on for me health-wise:

At age five, I was diagnosed with petit maul seizures. No one has witnessed me having a seizure for nearly two years and my last EEG didn't catch any seizures, but my brain waves were still irregular, hinting at the presence of epilepsy.

I have two bulging discs in my lower back from a car accident when I was twelve.

I continually get sinus infections, to the point where surgery has been considered by my ENT doctor.

I have had repeated cases of mesenteric adenitis (a swelling of the lymph nodes in the abdomen). This mimics appendicitis in the location and severity of pain. I have had it three times so far this year. It is viral, and nothing can be done to treat or cure it, other than giving it time.

I frequently get migraines (associated with the epilepsy).

I have had several kidney stones, though this may be the fault of the Celiac.

Partially due to all the illnesses and absences from school/worrying about being a selfish person/worrying about being a failure/worrying about being a burden, I have clinical depression and an anxiety/panic disorder which require medication/a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

My question is: Is this enough to qualify my for a wish? I know that UNTREATED celiac is life threatening but would a doctor actually sign off on it, and if so, would the wish foundation consider me worthy? I feel like I have not suffered that much when compared to others. In fact, this whole situation makes me feel guilty, whiny, and selfish, but I wanted some input from others.

[kareng]

check their website:

Open Original Shared Link

Who is eligible?

A child with a life-threatening medical condition who has reached the age of 2

[GlutenFreeKate]

Not to sound like a downer, because you have had quite a rough time with your medical history, but I would think long and hard before applying for a Wish. The program, as I've understood it, is for children with fatal illnesses (usually cancer, leukemia, etc.) While Celiac IS a difficult lifestyle to adjust to, I would not place it even close to the ballpark of Make a Wish diseases. Having been diagnosed at age 11 and coping with Celiac for almost a decade, I can say that it does get easier, you do feel better, and things will seem brighter, without taking a Wish from a terminally ill patient.

[Guest danceintheflames]

  On 1/31/2011 at 1:21 AM, GlutenFreeKate said:

Not to sound like a downer, because you have had quite a rough time with your medical history, but I would think long and hard before applying for a Wish. The program, as I've understood it, is for children with fatal illnesses (usually cancer, leukemia, etc.) While Celiac IS a difficult lifestyle to adjust to, I would not place it even close to the ballpark of Make a Wish diseases. Having been diagnosed at age 11 and coping with Celiac for almost a decade, I can say that it does get easier, you do feel better, and things will seem brighter, without taking a Wish from a terminally ill patient.

I definitely understand what you are saying. In fact, the Celiac is not the actual reason I would present. It is more the epilepsy and other illnesses, not all of which were mentioned in the post. Also, by the time the celiac was diagnosed (a month ago) it had already been causing a lot of damage for seventeen years. Again, though, this was my main concern of not actually having suffered enough. Make A Wish is actually states that there are many people who go on to live long lives after wishes, because of the fact that their illness was life-threatening, but not terminal. Regardless, I would not, as you put it want to "take a wish away from a terminally ill patient", so the idea has mostly been abandoned.