A couple of months ago, I shared that I was diagnosed last year with a rare autoimmune disorder called CIDP—Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. Since May is CIDP Awareness Month, it feels like the right time to tell you more.
Before my diagnosis, I had never even heard of CIDP—and I worked in the medical field for over 30 years. It affects only 5–7 people per 100,000 in the U.S., and estimates suggest there are just 60,000 to 800,000 cases worldwide. (Makes you think I should be playing the lottery, right?)
CIDP causes the immune system to attack the protective covering of the peripheral nerves, disrupting nerve signals and leading to numbness and muscle weakness.
My symptoms began in March 2023—subtle at first, with numbness in my index, middle, and pinkie fingers. I brushed it off. But then the numbness spread to my lips and tongue, until my entire mouth was affected. By November, it had reached my hands and feet, and I began falling. During my second hospital stay, I finally got a diagnosis: CIDP.
I was started on lifelong IV infusions—there is no cure. Over the course of last year, I spent nearly three months in the hospital and inpatient rehab. A fall left me in a wheelchair. I also landed in the ICU with blood clots in both lungs.
Today, I’m in physical therapy and relearning how to walk. (I’m hoping to be back on my feet by early summer.) I now live with a disability and require a caregiver for daily tasks I once took for granted—like bathing, dressing, and even writing my name. But I’ve found creative ways to keep going.
This health journey mirrors the theme of my novel When Ericka Woke Up—about how easily we can lose sight of our dreams in the routine of life, until we’re forced to confront what truly matters.
As my health begins to trend upward, I’m reminded of the dreams I once had—and grateful for a second chance to chase them. I hope both my story and Ericka’s will encourage you to follow yours, too.
The Word says in John 9:4: “As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
To learn more about CIDP, visit www.gbs-cidp.org.