Ive spent the majority of my adult life living with an undiagnosed case of Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS).
For years, no doctor could tell me what was wrong with me.
Even after a proper diagnosis, however, the thought of seeing yet another specialist scared me.
God & Man
Years of outbreaks and scarring have made me a self-conscious person, you see.
Still, I knew I had to do it.
A million questions and concerns dominated my mind: Does this doctor have real experience with HS?
God & Man
Has she ever encountered symptoms like mine?
Is this going to end like every other doctors visit Ive had in the past?
The day of my visit, I was incredibly nervous.
Plus, I was dealing with a pretty bad flare-up, so I was physically uncomfortable.
First, a nurse entered the examination room.
I could tell from her reaction that this was her first time dealing with something like HS.
Immediately, my guard went up.
When the dermatologist finally entered, however, she was bubbly and kind.
My HS patients are some of the nicest people I know, she said, perhaps sensing my unease.
She asked me about my HS-related issues, and how Id been dealing with them.
She was very knowledgeable about my condition.
I am just a Mom and a wife, not a doctor.
But I recommend that everyone struggling with HS visit a doctor, regardless of how embarrassing it might be.
Living with this skin condition does not have to be such a bad thing.
