Page 54 of Buzzer Beater

“After you left…”

He cringed at my words. If he was getting upset about this part, I doubted he would last to the end.

“…I got sick.”

His eyes widened but I kept going.

“It was just a cold, but it lasted weeks. I think it had been over two months when I went in to see my doctor. It wasn’t anything terrible, just more annoying that I couldn't kick it. I was tired all the time and it made getting through my classes difficult. The doctor wasn’t sure why I wasn’t getting better, so he did a full blood workup.”

“You hate that.”

I smiled. “I passed out that first time. Now I’m used to it.”

“Really?” He was holding back a laugh.

I smacked his leg. “It was embarrassing, and the nurse didn’t even take the blood while I was out. I was so mad.”

He shook his head. “So, what did they find out?”

“That I have hypothyroidism.”

His forehead crinkled. “What’s that?”

“My thyroid is underactive. It was the cause of my fatigue.”

“So that’s it? What do you do to treat it?”

I smiled, wishing that was all it was. “I take a pill that replaces the hormones my thyroid isn’t making.”

“That’s good. I’m glad they helped you.”

I closed my eyes for a second. “That wasn’t the end, Colin. That was the very beginning.”

He sat back. “What do you mean?”

“I should have started to feel better, but I didn’t. My doctor spent the next year telling me my hormone levels were normal, so I should be feeling fine, but I wasn’t. I finally went to see a specialist, she told me I have Hashimoto’s.”

His eyes narrowed. “Hash what?”

“It’s an autoimmune disease, my antibodies are attacking my thyroid.”

He nodded. “So, what does that mean?”

“It’s been four years, and I’m still trying to figure that out. I’ve been on dozens of diets, seen holistic doctors, specialist, functional medicine doctors. Everyone tries their ideas, but nothing’s really changed or improved. My body keeps getting worse.”

“I’m so sorry.”

I tried to smile but failed. “I want to feel normal, but most of the time I’m so tired. I fake it as best I can, but all I ever want to do is sleep and it never feels like enough. Then there’s the weight gain. I can’t lose weight no matter what I’ve tried.”

I hated that part. It made me feel helpless and there was nothing in the world I loathed more than that feeling. I hated not being in control of my body.

“Two years ago, another specialist found something.”

“What?” He sounded hopeful.

“I also have PCOS.”

“I haven’t heard of that.”