Autoimmune Manifesto
Defne Oztek
Portland, OR
Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, Lupus
| A satirical take on the Holstee Manifesto – my version of an autoimmune protocol. So many believe that the things listed here are optional – an option for living a healthy life. A choice. But what is a choice for so many, is a requirement for me. In order to be able to take care of my family, my job and myself. In order to be able to go on a weekend or day trip (I can’t even fathom a longer trip than that). Sometimes, it’s so I can be well enough to go to the grocery store or simply hold my baby boy – a gift that I thought would never come because of the dis-ease within my body. These aren’t just choices for me. They are my daily reminders of everything I need to do, everything I need to limit and prepare for my body, so that I can simply live. As a Marketing Director and SAHM, it has been a brutal dance to manage my life, my illness. And yet, even with the growing list of daily requirements, I have hope that somewhere between someday and today, I will find myself again. |