The Healing Touch: How My Mother Took Away My Pain When Nothing Else Could
“That pain you had… For a mother to see a child with that kind of pain, is so terrible.” — My mom, Birthe Andersen I have had juvenile arthritis since I was four years old, which means this condition and I recently celebrated (?) 50 years together. For most of that time, there were no…
What It’s like Being Institutionalized As a Child Away from Your Parents
When I was 11 years old, I was sent to a rehab hospital on the coast, far away from home. At the time, there were no treatments for juvenile arthritis. Instead, they treated you with physiotherapy, aqua therapy, and occupational therapy. This was the only option in Denmark at the time. My parents had no…