Don't Count Yourself Out; Don't Give Up, and Have Some Fun! - by Jessica Jefferies

Growing up, I was always different, but nobody understood what was going on with me. I wasn't growing. I struggled with math, fine motor skills, and was falling behind socially due to difficulty understanding social cues. I wasn't diagnosed with Turner syndrome (TS) until I was about 11 years old. My family moved and I was seen by a new pediatrician who noticed that everyone else in my family was tall. That led to getting a karyotype test done, which revealed my Turner syndrome.

I remember being really scared at first when I got the diagnosis. All I understood was that it would mean I would have to take shots every day and get all sorts of tests to check for other complications.

Getting diagnosed as a preteen was hard, and it took me a lot of time to process how that would impact my life. Thankfully, over time, my faith brought me out of that darkness, and I started accepting my condition as a part of who I am, not something to be scared or ashamed of.

Turner syndrome comes with its set of challenges for sure - learning to drive was a challenge but not impossible - but it’s never stopped me from doing what I love. I like to joke that I have too many hobbies, which includes knitting, participating in Bible studies, gaming with my friends, learning martial arts, and playing the violin.

I used to worry people would make fun of me because of my TS, but at 22 years old I have learned the right people will not only accept it but celebrate it with me. As my friends all know, I enjoy talking about TS and even joking about TS with them. I hope the same for everyone out there with TS. Don't count yourself out, don't give up, and have some fun!