By April Mendez
On September 3, 2017, my life changed. My aunt had an incurable disease called Sarcoidosis. Her illness affected her and the people around her. No matter how much she wasn’t feeling well, my aunt always found a way to make us smile. She is my inspiration.
My aunt’s name was Michelle Ortiz. She was born October 16, 1979. My grandma always talks about when my aunt was younger. She described her as a caring, talkative, and loving young girl. When my aunt was little, she started to get sick. My aunt missed a lot of school and always had a cough that wouldn’t go away. She was always going to the hospital and the doctors would say, “We can’t find anything wrong with her.” My aunt went through her childhood and teen years feeling sick without knowing what was going on. When she was twenty-two years old, her doctor finally found out why she was always sick; she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease called Sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis is an incurable disease that affects your lungs and other organs. Also, this disease causes your cells to become inflamed. Most cases go away on its own according to the website Chest Foundation. But instead of my aunt’s disease going away and getting better, it was getting worse. There was an unknown reason what was causing the illness, but doctors thought that it could be caused by a certain bacteria, or that a person can be born with it and not get affected until later in life. Also according to Chest Foundation, rare cases are fatal.
My aunt tried to live her life the best she could without letting her disease get in the way of her spending time with family and living her everyday life. It was very difficult though because she was always in a lot of pain. Whenever we went out to eat, we had to go home early because she was unable to digest food properly and it caused her to have bad stomach pains. Her favorite place to go was Starbucks, and her favorite drink was a caramel macchiato. She loved rocky road ice cream, too. She also loved wearing red lipstick and pretty jewelry.
My aunt’s name was Michelle Ortiz. She was born October 16, 1979. My grandma always talks about when my aunt was younger. She described her as a caring, talkative, and loving young girl. When my aunt was little, she started to get sick. My aunt missed a lot of school and always had a cough that wouldn’t go away. She was always going to the hospital and the doctors would say, “We can’t find anything wrong with her.” My aunt went through her childhood and teen years feeling sick without knowing what was going on. When she was twenty-two years old, her doctor finally found out why she was always sick; she was diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease called Sarcoidosis.
Sarcoidosis is an incurable disease that affects your lungs and other organs. Also, this disease causes your cells to become inflamed. Most cases go away on its own according to the website Chest Foundation. But instead of my aunt’s disease going away and getting better, it was getting worse. There was an unknown reason what was causing the illness, but doctors thought that it could be caused by a certain bacteria, or that a person can be born with it and not get affected until later in life. Also according to Chest Foundation, rare cases are fatal.
My aunt tried to live her life the best she could without letting her disease get in the way of her spending time with family and living her everyday life. It was very difficult though because she was always in a lot of pain. Whenever we went out to eat, we had to go home early because she was unable to digest food properly and it caused her to have bad stomach pains. Her favorite place to go was Starbucks, and her favorite drink was a caramel macchiato. She loved rocky road ice cream, too. She also loved wearing red lipstick and pretty jewelry.
When my mother left me and my family, my aunt was always there when I needed her. She gave me hope that everything would eventually be okay. She never stopped giving me that hope. When my mom left, my aunt was like my mom. Whenever I would visit her in the hospital or go out places with her, people would always ask if i was her daughter because we look so alike. Sometimes my aunt would even say yes in such a proud way. I felt really happy when people asked too because she always said that I’m basically her daughter. A favorite memory with my aunt was when I got to spend her last months with her in the hospital all of last summer.
It recently has just been a year since my aunt got so sick she was basically living in the hospital. She spent the entire summer in the hospital, four months to be exact. She was in a hospital in Modesto. On September 3, 2017, my aunt passed away. I was in bed the morning when my cousin called me. She talked very quiet and I heard her sobbing. She then told me the bad news. After I put her on the phone with my dad, we went to my cousin’s and grandparent’s house. On our way, I felt the breeze of the warm, but cool air. The car ride seemed like it went by forever. I saw the view of darkish clouds and the beautiful reservoir. The air smelled fresh.
I never stop thinking about that day because that day changed my life. My aunt’s wish was for my family to all get along again one day. Also, she wanted Sarcoidosis to get cured so nobody would have to go through the pain she did. My cousin explained that day she felt really shocked. She also said she knew my aunt was sick when my cousin was 7 years old. Me and my family will never forget my aunt because of the impact she left on us all. My aunt’s death affected me more than I thought it would, but at the same time her death brought me and my older brother closer. Before, me and my brother haven’t seen each other for about two or three years. He is now really close to me and our family. I am forever thankful for my aunt.
It recently has just been a year since my aunt got so sick she was basically living in the hospital. She spent the entire summer in the hospital, four months to be exact. She was in a hospital in Modesto. On September 3, 2017, my aunt passed away. I was in bed the morning when my cousin called me. She talked very quiet and I heard her sobbing. She then told me the bad news. After I put her on the phone with my dad, we went to my cousin’s and grandparent’s house. On our way, I felt the breeze of the warm, but cool air. The car ride seemed like it went by forever. I saw the view of darkish clouds and the beautiful reservoir. The air smelled fresh.
I never stop thinking about that day because that day changed my life. My aunt’s wish was for my family to all get along again one day. Also, she wanted Sarcoidosis to get cured so nobody would have to go through the pain she did. My cousin explained that day she felt really shocked. She also said she knew my aunt was sick when my cousin was 7 years old. Me and my family will never forget my aunt because of the impact she left on us all. My aunt’s death affected me more than I thought it would, but at the same time her death brought me and my older brother closer. Before, me and my brother haven’t seen each other for about two or three years. He is now really close to me and our family. I am forever thankful for my aunt.