It is May of 2017, and I am graduating high school. I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Disease, Hypothyroidism, and now Rheumatoid Arthritis. I would have to miss days of school to go the previous night to a hotel room with my mother in the great city of San Francisco to see a pediatric rheumatologist because there are none in the County of Sacramento. Earlier in 2020-2021 school year, I was also diagnosed with a scalp condition known as Alopecia areata to many doctors, but my adult rheumatologist didn’t tell me that I had this. Ever since these moments, I have switched to a better shampoo, I try my best every day to move all my joints around by stretching (whether it be dynamic or static), walking, or any other form of movement. I am a part-time student and a part-time cashier associate at the local Smart and Final grocery store. I have to now only take one or two courses per semester compared to three or more classes I was taking in the past because I was having severe stress, anxiety, and more medical issues than ever before. I also help take care of my 97-year-old grandma, who lives with my parents and I. Plus, I am currently getting my behind-the-wheel training completed, so that one day I can be able to drive myself to all of my appointments and classes. I am majoring in becoming a Dietitian, with an A.S. Degree in Food and Nutrition at Cosumnes River College before receiving my Bachelors degree in Nutrition from Sacramento State University. I plan on receiving my Master’s Degree from Montana State University of Bozeman, and have my hands-on training completed at Sacramento State University. I am currently retaking Chemistry 400, where the lectures will be online, and the labs are in person (Starting Tuesday, February 1, 2022). I receive guidance from multiple counselors at school, have support from my parents and family members, and multitude of support from all of my doctors. I receive help when needed at my job, and I am not afraid to contact any of my doctors when something happens that isn’t supposed to happen. For instance, when I started noticing scab wounds and hair falling out off of my scalp, I let my rheumatologist and primary care physician both know right away. I don’t remember which endocrinologist it was, but I had one endocrinologist tell me to let them know when I do start to lose quite a bit of my hair, and that is exactly what I did, except it was with my primary care physician and my rheumatologist. Since I had done this immediately after finding out that this was happening to me, I was able to immediately get seen by a dermatologist in the same medical platform as my primary care physician for treatment. I have since then been careful of how much dairy products I consume daily, and I drink at least 2 no more than 4 or 5 bottles of water every day, Unfortunately, though, I have to inject myself almost every Friday night because the injection form of methotrexate has been extremely helpful in keeping the inflammation and swelling down, with an occasional frozen fish oil pill for the pain I occasionally experience. I also have been trying to keep my body in shape by stretching, walking dancing, and any form of movement that I can. All of the managers at my job know about my arthritis, and are willing to accommodate because of this disability.

The year is 2016-2017 school year. I am in my Senior year of high school, and suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis in both knee joints and both wrist joints. I limp in pain when walking into school every morning during the fall and winter months. Fast forward today, I am in my fifth year of college, and in school to receive my Associates degree (science) in Food and Nutrition, so that I can one day become a Dietitian. I currently am a cashier at the local Smart and Final grocery store, and helping to take care of my 97-year-old grandma, while going to school. I have, since that school year, gone down from 25 mg dosage of Rasuvo (a form of methotrexate that is an injection) to 10 mg dosage of Rasuvo. I walk as much as I can, I do static and dynamic stretches to keep all of my joints lubricated, and I watch what I eat. I participated in the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run events almost every December after being diagnosed; being a part of the Arthritis Foundation’s talk with legislators and assembly members of the California state capital about reducing the cost for medications, like the one I am currently using; and have since helped a high school English teacher, who received a form of arthritis during a break in the school year. I recently took a Fitness class with my mother that was called Walking and Jogging through Cosumnes River College this past Fall semester (Fall 2021). I occasionally get a chance to see various National Parks and National Forests during the summer, except for last summer because of the Covid restrictions that were in place. I was fortunate to also see some historical landmarks, such as those in Montana and in Massachusetts.

I currently am taking care of my 97-year-old grandma, working part-time, and going to school part-time. Everything originally had changed back in my Senior year of high school. In Fall of 2016, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in my knees and my wrists, and had to see a pediatric rheumatologist in San Francisco (UCSF). I would have to limp in pain to get to class, wear wrist braces because my wrists would be in so much pain, and try various medications to lessen the swelling, pain, and inflammation. However, I was able to easily walk by the end of the year, and walk across the stage of the Golden 1 Center (in Sacramento, CA) to graduate from high school. I was friends with another high school student who had lost a relative, and I always be there to help and support her. Today, I am wanting to become a Dietician, starting off in a hospital environment before helping children and those who have arthritis like myself. I have been over the pandemic overcame new medical challenges. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata, which is a very serious scalp condition that happens when there are clumps of hair falling out and wounds start to form on certain parts of the scalp. I was able to immediately get it treated with multiple doctors help, including a dermatologist who put me on a steroidal cream to help my scalp heal and bring in more hair into the area of my scalp that was bald. This started in November of 2020, and went away completely by February of this year (2021). I have been diagnosed with two different types of thyroid issues in the past, and still see a specialist for this reason. I have Hashimotos Disease, and hypothyroidism. I have been stretching and walking everywhere. I work as a part-time cashier at the local Smart and Final grocery store, and I tend to stretch as often as I can, while working. I also drink plenty of water every day. I would definitely say that all of my doctors, my parents, my counselors, my grandma, and all of my professors have been a huge support network for me to utilize. I am also part of a program called MI CASA that is meant to help assist new and current Hispanic students like myself at Cosumnes River College. I feel like this helps tremendously, along with being part of Department of Rehabilitation, and DSPS (Disability support program for students).

Ever since July 17th of this year, I have been working at Smart and Final in the city of Elk Grove. I have helped those with disabilities or other complications to get their groceries into their vehicle. I have also helped numerous employees out with small favors they ask me to do. I have helped these employees out by sweeping up all the large pieces of certain produce items that are on the ground, taking out the women’s trash from the women’s restroom, taking phone calls, etc. I have even given carts to multiple people who either wanted one or needed one, and didn’t want to walk all the way over to the entrance area of the store to grab one. As a student attending courses at Cosumnes River College, and one who has a disability, I am kind, respectful, and very helpful to those that need the help the most. I have created a study group when I was in Statistics 300, and created a small study group to help another college student pass Math 120 for their last time. It was so helpful to hear that the student passed the class with a C after we did the small study group before taking the final. Generosity is a lifelong experience of getting and receiving help from others and oneself. It comes at any given moment to whoever needs it the most. As Chief Seattle would say “You must give to the river the kindness you would give to any brother.” This is so true for what generosity means to me as I come from two side of two different families (Colombian and Irish). No matter what my ethnicity, race, or even my disability is, I came from a long family history of helping out with any given task.

It was my senior year of high school, and just days before I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and had to go see a pediatric rheumatologist at UCSF Medical Center because they were the only ones who had any pediatric rheumatologist nearby the Sacramento County region. I first wanted to become a dental hygienist, but soon found out that I would have to stand and work in people’s mouths all day. Therefore, I decided to change my major to becoming a Dietitian. Ever since I took a year of a culinary class in high school, I loved to cook and bake different dishes, and to help others out. In my freshman year of college, I found a club that is called TOP club, which stands for Thrive on Plants, and helps everyone with different goals (everything from being vegan to medical/health concerns). Ever since then, I have been a member. Not only did I find this club, I also took Culinary Arts Management courses, Nutrition 300 course (2Xs), and a health science course. I am currently one of many people who are in the category of being obese, and took an introductory webinar (through Webex) to learn the different types of weight loss programs through Sutter Health, and found out that most of my weight loss obstacles are behavioral-related. I feel like once I obtain a registered dietitian to sit down and meet with me once a week, I might be able to lose weight better than before. In my biography, I write more relating to this topic. Some of the dishes that I was able to prepare in my high school culinary class were strawberry crepes, homemade hash browns, a pizza, and multiple types of dishes from around the world. I have created a fresh ginger-based salad dressing in the past to help with my arthritis, and I was even able to help a teacher that works at one of many high schools, here in Elk Grove, California. I also have lots of food and nutrition magazines stacked in a pile within my bedroom that I sometimes look at, too. In these magazines, there are recipes, tips for being healthy, and much more. I have a 96-year-old grandma who was a dietitian in a city of Montana that is called Helena. She lives with me, which I am living with my parents, while I attend community college, so that I can have less expenses for me to worry about, plus the pandemic hit. I was fortunate to help my mother find different fruits and vegetables for my grandma to try when my grandma first came to California to live with us. I still every once in a great while find something interesting.

It is 1999, and in a city named Hemet, that is next door to another city named San Jacinto. These cities are located in the county of Riverside, which is in Southern California. My father has Colombian blood, and my mother has Irish blood. Therefore, when I was born, I was a mix of the two, and now go by Latina. The city of San Jacinto was mostly dominated by either Hispanics or Latinos(-as). Fast forward to 2008-2009 school year. My parents, my dog, and I all moved to Elk Grove, located in the county of Sacramento. I was going into fourth grade, and did not know anyone. Once I was in class, though, everyone was kind, helpful, and fun to learn with. In the 2010-2011 school year, I graduated from elementary school, and went into middle school. I was going to have to make more friends. Ugh. However, by the time I graduated from middle school, I had made way more friends than I could count. I went into high school, and was lucky to get into an academy that the high school has that is called TDA (or, Technology and Digital Arts). Each year, it felt like I was in one ginormous family. After the 2016-2017 school year, I graduated and went into Cosumnes River College, and have been there ever since. I hope to one day become a dietitian, and not only get my degrees that I will need to become a dietitian, but, also, have an abundance of experience to help patients with various health problems in a hospital before going off and helping those with arthritis and those who are children. I am hopeful that I can have periodic chances to reflect on my past to see what I need to or can change for the better.

From preschool to the end of third grade, I lived in an area in the county of Riverside (Southern California) where the population was predominantly Latinos/Hispanics, not very much African Americans or whites. Before starting fourth grade, my parents, my black cocker spaniel and beagle mix, and I, all, moved to the Sacramento County, specifically to the city of Elk Grove. I had to start making friends all over again, had to get used to other ethnicities around me besides whites and Hispanics/Latinos, and get used to having a flip phone, while in middle school. Throughout middle school and high school, I would learn more history than ever learned in my life. Or, so I thought, until I started taking courses at Cosumnes River College. This semester I am currently taking an American Humanities course, an Advanced piano course, and a health science course. Some of the items that I have learned thus far in my humanities class are that native tribal individuals (I.e. Lakota, Cherokee, Sioux, et. al) would be forced into getting their children into boarding schools; African Americans having no say until after the civil war and the voting rights of 1965, yet they are still fighting for equality and justice today; and every song that related to the American life has a door, mirror, and a window written into the lyrics. I am lucky to have been born in the year 1999, see individuals of color get elected into a position of the House, Senate, and even possibly Congress, too. Yes, we still have a long road for justice and equity among individuals of color, no matter the race, the ethnicity, or the gender. I agree with my fellow classmates in the American Humanities class that the social science classes in K-12 schools are watered down and biased; etc. There is so much homelessness in the county of Sacramento alone, that people have had enough of the mayors and of the governor because it is spiraling out of control to the point where nobody can do anything to help others out, who desperately needs help. I have seen problematic issues with mental health among the county of Sacramento, in the state of Massachusetts, and even in Southern California. There are psychotic breaks in elderly individuals, people who have schizophrenia in homeless camps, and something simple as stress among college students just to name a few of these issues. There are so many kind individuals that want to help others out, but cannot because of something relating to the pandemic at this time. Overall, America means united as one family throughout struggles, lack of proper education in certain communities, and challenges that each member of the country’s society can improve on.

Back in my senior year of high school, I wanted to become a dental hygienist. The trouble was that days before becoming a senior, I had to go to the pediatric doctor because I felt pain in my wrists and finger joints, then it went into my knees. Every other month I would have to pack and drive up to San Francisco from the city of Elk Grove with my mother and stay over night at the St. Francis hotel to get to my pediatric rheumatology appointments on time. So, therefore, I had to change my major. I thought about it and thought about it. I finally found one that I can do, become a dietitian. I love food and I love to help individuals out. My grandmother has been a dietitian in the state of Montana until she had to move in with my parents and myself. She told me that it would be a perfect major for me to at least try out for college. And, without a doubt, it was. I even help out in a club that I accidentally found out while still a freshman in college. I have passed statistics 300, nutrition 300, chemistry 300, and I hope to pass Chemistry 400, too, in the fall semester of this year. I am also going to transfer to UC Davis in the fall of 2023, and get my bachelors degree in nutrition. I will also have a chance to do their 7-12 month didactic program. One night, while eating dinner, my grandmother told my parents and I that she had to retake statistics with an instructor that was difficult to pass any course from. This is when I knew that not only are the courses going to become challenging, but if I put in the effort of trying to pass, even if I have to retake courses, that eventually I will have the chance to become something similar to my grandmother, and live a longer life. Not only do I have a disability, I am living proof that with perseverance, hardworking attitude, kindness, passionate about the area of study, and an understanding of health, I will become an amazing dietitian, family, and friend. I have the hardworking attitude that a student needs to persevere through chemistry and biology courses. I have what it takes for someone to give back to any environment, and any community. I value my life, my health, and my education.