Changing Hands

Chapter One: What Disease?

My name is Janiqua La'Shay and I am now twenty-one years old. I have Raynaud's Disease and I have had it since I was just three years old. All throughout my life, I tried to hide this. In fear of being different and abnormal.

I sat around and finally came to the conclusion that I will no longer let this disease keep me in the dark. I will not let it make me feel ashamed, scared, and helpless anymore. I will use my life story to create awareness for others who may or may not have this. From this day on, I take control. I decide what is next. There is a lot to tell you, so I will start from the beginning.

What Is Raynaud's Disease?

Raynaud's Disease is a condition that causes people's body parts (fingers, toes, feet, ears, etc.) to turn white, blue, yellow, or purple-blue when exposed to different conditions. The blood vessels constrict and limit proper blood flow to the area. There are also many different symptoms but that depends on the person. A big trigger is cold. Anything below a certain temperature (seventy degrees for me) will cause an attack. An attack is also known as a Vasospasm. Stress, being scared, or feeling any strong emotion is also liable to cause one. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease yet.

During an attack, the body part that experiences the Vasospasm turns color and loses feeling. For me, my hands and feet experience this the most. The "attack" causes loss of grip, numbness, open sores, bleeding, peeling of the skin, and skin discoloration. It can take from minutes to hours for the "attack" to go away. This disease is inherited most of the time and it is more common in women. Sometimes this condition is also developed. Smoking, changing temperatures too quickly, certain medicines, and stress are some of the things that worsen the condition. This disease can lead to amputation of the limbs and other serious diseases if not cared for properly.