When the year started, all I could think about was this summer. I just turned 18 and I could not wait to graduate high school and make so many memories with my friends. There was so much to be excited about and proud of, I just needed to get through the first half of the year before the celebrations could begin.
I worked hard throughout my senior year and stuck to my routines. I had a big year ahead, so I tried not to think too much about the unusual symptoms I began to notice.
It started with large bruises on my legs in early 2026. They seemed easy enough to explain however, as I play tennis and would often hit my legs with the racket if I missed the ball. While I did my best to ignore the bruising, it was much harder to dismiss my extremely itchy skin. I could not sleep at night because all I did was scratch myself. I scratched my skin until I was bleeding and I still have scars on my legs and feet from it…