====== Harmony Frederick ======

{{  community:harmony_frederick:arm_h_071.jpg?250| Harmony}}
My Personal Story\\
By: Harmony Frederick, Coarsegold, CA  \\ 
HIBM patient since 2005 \\
E-Commerce Manager \\
Married with a daughter and son born in 1998 and 2000. \\

"My joys are my children and my family!" \\

“Be strong and of good courage” \\
~Deut 31:6 \\
“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” \\
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr\\

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“At about the age of 26, I started having hip pain and felt that I was walking funny.  After a year of trying to figure out why I was having the pain, I decided to refer myself to a neurologist.  After many tests and many doctor visits, I finally had a symptomatic diagnosis of HIBM.  The doctor then referred me to ARM and HIBM Research Group (HRG) to get a DNA test to confirm the diagnosis.  The test came back positive.  It was so relieving to finally know what was happening.  Thanks to the support of ARM, I was able to get help in my quest to find an answer.

My disease has been a very challenging experience.  It is easy to get depressed when you can’t physically do the things you once could, but I have faith that I can make it through this challenge, and although I might have bad days, my good days still outnumber the bad.

Thanks to ARM I have been able to communicate with other patients and hear their stories, which has been invaluable.  I feel a sense of community with other patients, and knowing that I am not going through this alone is a real help during the struggles.  It is my hope that with the support of ARM we will find a cure for this debilitating disease.  With much hope and prayer, ARM will develop a cure soon enough so that I and others may never lose the ability to walk.” \\

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