As a medic who served in wartime, my experience with a veteran’s hospital was jaded. I’d heard horror stories about the lack of knowledge from civilian administrators.

I didn’t know what was going on with my body, but the doctors had to figure it out fast. I was three weeks away from my event. Traveling to Atlanta was going to take a miracle.

My mind, body and soul are tired. Living with a chronic illness, Neurosarcoidosis, forces me to think about my own mortality every day.