My MS Journey - The Pain Behind the Beauty
My name is Andrezza Haddaway and I have MS. In 1997 I had my real first relapse. I was 20 years old. After that episode my life was never the same. It took 10 long years pursuing the truth behind all these symptoms. My diagnosis finally came in March 2007. I treated my MS with Betaseron for 5 years and currently I'm on Tecfidera since 2013.
I decided to make this project as a way to express my struggles, fears and somehow bring awareness. MS affects people differently in many levels, some might identify and some may not.
This project is personal, It's part of my journey along the way and of what I had and still have to deal with. Some of the symptoms described here I no longer feel. I'm thankful for that, however It doesn't stop there. There are others that were left on the side and some new ones that appeared. That left me an open window to take on this project.
Now I'm 40 years old. A lot changed in my life for better. Some things didn't. I often have in mind that It always could be worse. I'm glad I'm alive. Glad for the simple things. Happy for family and friends that love me, encourage and inspire me. I'm especially grateful for my loving husband who helped me on this project and the dearest Shelby Cross for being my model and greatest contributor to make this images come to life. I'm happy that people let me take their portraits. That is a sensation I can't describe in words. It's a timeless gift. And thankful to be able to express myself through my photography which gives me an incredible sense of purpose in my life.