Today I want to introduce you to a young, vibrant, passionate and loving woman named Summer. She inspires me so much. As a young mom, battling a life-threatening illness, she never ceases to amaze me. She is always positive, even when life gives her lemons, she sure knows how to make lemonade.  She makes me smile and laugh and she is someone whose neck I desire to hug one day.

Without further adieu, meet Summer of Summer’s Story!

Tell us a little about yourself?

I am just a mommy and wife who is battling a life threatening disease and refuses to let it win!  I go above and beyond to still do all things with my family and friends.  I laugh a lot.  I have been told a gazillion times that I have a heart of gold.  A nickname of mine is “Sunshine”, given to me by all of my besties because they say I shine and bring them so much joy!  I love being a mommy and Kelcee is our miracle in every sense of the word.  You can hop over to my blog and read more about my story and my disease on my sidebars.

How long have you been blogging? How/Why did you start? 

I started blogging in July 2009.  My best friend and neighbor blogged and kept after me to blog.  Her daughter was diagnosed with RA the same time I was diagnosed with DM/RA and characteristics of Lupus, and she said it was an amazing outlet to meet others going through the same thing, as well as a great support system.  After my diagnosis in 2009, my brother watched a segment on the Ellen show which led me to inquire about a new clinic that just opened at John Hopkins a few months prior.  I immediately got a referral and Dr. C said that she was so glad I found her when I did or I may not have been here much longer.  My disease was bad. All the tests were brutal, a nightmare really.  I am in medical books, which I am not proud of, but if it helps to find a cure or help others, I’m all for it.

What is the purpose of your blog? 

The primary purpose of my blog is to document my journey with DM as well as raise awareness about this terrible disease, and to help others who may just have been diagnosed.  My purpose is to tell my story and if one person benefits from it then I have accomplished something!  Here is a link to my story.  Apart from telling my story, I use my blog to document all of our precious miracle baby’s milestones and to be a support for those who have battled infertility.  I want others to know that even when it’s pouring rain, you can still find the rainbow.

What do you most enjoy about blogging? 

I enjoy my little blog being an outlet for me.  I do not talk much about my disease in my everyday life but I do so on my blog and Facebook.  I don’t want to be known as the “sick girl”, but I want to raise awareness and find a cure at the same time, so it is hard to put them together without DM being my everyday subject.  It’s what I like least, so I don’t like talking about it.  I also enjoy all of the great friends that I have made through blogging that I don’t think I would have found if it wasn’t for my blog.  Some are so close to me that we consider each other family, sisters even, and I thank GOD for placing them in my life!  I have also been able to be an inspiration to mommies of children who are battling the JM form of DM.  I am able to help them answer questions, tell them what it feels like when there littles are too young to describe, etc.  I have become so close with some of these mommies and kids.  I have one in particular that is our little super hero and we send him super hero packages before his infusions.  It warms my heart that I can help in some way.  If I can make having this terrible disease turn into a bit of a rainbow, well that just makes me smile super big!

What are you passionate about. 

I am passionate about being a mommy! I love it.  I have dreamed of it since I was a little girl.  Then battling infertility for three years and two angel babies later to finally have our miracle from GOD, well that in itself is a big passion for me.  I am also passionate about getting into remission and raising awareness as I go.

Who or what inspires you? 

A little boy named Gary that I spoke of above who has JM inspires me like no other and so does his mother.  This kiddo has been through more in his five years here on earth than most people have in their lifetime.  He is always smiling, laughing and takes the hospital and infusion with a grain of salt. After I got my port and his mother saw how easy it was to access she decided to go ahead and get his.  It has been awesome for him, and that makes me smile that I had a little something to do with making it easier on him and no more sticky ladies.  That is what he calls the nurses with needles, I do too His mother, Erika, who has become a dear friend of mine inspires me so much.  She is such an advocate for her son as I would be for Kelcee and she is a big part of the Cure JM Foundation.  She runs marathons.  She ran one with my name on her leg and arm, she stomped DM in the mud for a fundraiser with mine and her son’s names on her arms and legs.  The pics are on my sidebar.  She is so inspiring to me.  A super mom, a super wife, a super hero!

Tell Us Something Random About yourself. 

I have a new celeb crush. Gasp…I haven’t mentioned it yet, only to my closest peeps, but yes Edward you may be getting replacedl.  I have two words and a picture — Channing Tatum!  Need I say more?

Will you share with us one of your favorite posts and what you love about it? 

A Day in My Shoes describes my daily battle.  It is my most popular post with over 1,000 hits and it is just one that makes me cry and smile when I read it.  It was so hard to write but I am so glad I did.  It shows how GOD works in my life, how laughter truly is the best medicine, and how I refuse to give up!  It is the raw edition of me.  It is something I can look back on when I am in remission and go “wow, I went through all of that!”  Just like the saying goes, “you never know how strong you are until strong is the only option you have!”  My favorite Bible verses also help me to make it through…“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit” (Proverbs 15:13) and “Fear not says the lord, I plan to prosper you not harm you, give you hope and a future!” (Jeremiah 29:11)  God is telling a story through me.  I am starting to understand some of the chapters.  I may not ever know the reason why, but I trust him!

I want to thank Barbie again for asking me to be her Inspired Blogger for December. What an honor.  I feel like I should do a speech, but I know I have already babbled enough! Thank you Barbie, this has truly been a blessing to me!

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Summer is wife to a caring and supportive husband, and a SAHM to their miracle daughter Kelcee.  She has a rare and life threatening auto-immune disease called Dermatamyositis and believes faith and laughter are her greatest weapons.  She is a lover of Matilda Jane Clothing, Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate, and loves watching movies with her family.  Her normal has changed a lot since her diagnosis, but she makes a point to find the sunshine in every day.  Be sure to visit her blog and say hello on Facebook.