Woman living with six medical conditions told she'd die by age 35
Hanna Hamm is a ticking medical time bomb — the 22-year-old will likely die before she reaches age 35.
The Claremont, California, resident suffers from six grim diagnoses, and her doctors are trying to figure out a seventh mystery illness.
At the age of eight, she was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes joint pain, an abnormal foot structure, elbow dislocations or bluish tints to the skin, according to the National Institutes of Health.
When she was 15, she was diagnosed with Hemophilia A, a genetic disorder that causes blood clot failures. For Hamm, it was particularly dangerous, as she was going through adolescence and experiencing menstrual cycles that would last for as long as 20 days.
Haemophilia A is a rare blood disorder that usually doesn't affect women (mediadrumimages/Hanna Hamm)The diagnosis for postural tachycardia syndrome came at 20 — POTS, as it is commonly referred to, causes drastic increases in patients' heart rates when they sit or stand up. The condition causes Hamm to faint as many as 10 times per day.
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At 21, lupus and Raynaud's phenomenon were added to her list of ailments.
The symptoms of lupus are many and can include muscle and joint pain, rashes, fevers, hair loss, chest pain, sun sensitivity, eye disease, anemia, fatigue or memory loss, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. It's often associated with Raynaud's phenomenon, which causes numbness in the fingers or toes, the Lupus Foundation of America says.
She also possibly has an aortic aneurism.
On top of all that, she started experiencing intense, long seizures this year at age 22, and the condition has baffled her doctors, who are scrambling to diagnose the issue.
Hamm's first diagnoses occurred when she was a young child (mediadrumimages/Hanna Hamm)For up to 20 minutes at a time, she'll lay prone on the floor, unable to move or communicate, staring blankly at the ceiling. Her husband, 28-year-old firefighter Zachary, will shake her and yell her name, but she won't wake up.
When she finally does, she's often left confused and asks her husband the same questions repeatedly.
Because of her many conditions, she said she spends the majority of her time at home with Zachary or her parents looking after her.
Her mother suffered from many of the same conditions as well, which is how Hamm might have come to be diagnosed with them.
She said she's often in immense pain and struggles to perform regular daily tasks like walking or driving.
She feels isolated, too — people have gawked at her, screamed at her and treated her poorly in public, she said, in nasty displays of ableism.
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Hamm's mystery seizure condition is baffling doctors (mediadrumimages/Hanna Hamm)"You would be insanely surprised how different people treat you when you're disabled," she said. "I've had people yell at my husband calling me drunk during my fainting spells. I've had someone step on me when I've fainted before. I have had people move my wheelchair out of the way so much more."
The bullying and her inability to perform simple tasks has paved the way toward severe anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. She said she often feels worthless.
"There are a lot of days I feel like giving up, that I’m a waste of space and someone as sick as me isn’t worth being around," she said. "I feel guilty staying at home sick while my husband is out saving lives."
Hamm used to be an EMT but lost her job when the fainting spells began — it was too dangerous, both for her and her patients, for her to be out trying to help people with her condition.
She had dreams of becoming a firefighter like her dad and husband.
People have bullied Hamm for her conditions (mediadrumimages/Hanna Hamm)“I miss being able to drive and work and have a normal life and I miss being able to walk around without pain or collapsing in a syncope," she said. "I feel like I don’t have a 'normal' life for someone my age, that I don’t get to do a lot of things people my age are doing."
Her average day now consists of her waking up every morning, taking loads of medications and drinking water. Then, she calls her parents, who pick her up and take her to their home.
She stays with her parents until the evening, and they take care of her during her episodes.
Back at home, she showers in her chair, then settles back in bed and takes more medication.
Oftentimes, she has to crawl the bathroom because her pain or episodes are so bad.
Hanna's Raynaud's Syndrome causes her problems mostly in the colder months (mediadrumimages/Hanna Hamm)To manage her conditions, Hamm eats lots of salt in her diet, which theoretically helps her minimise her seizures. She also uses mobility aids, gets IV transfusions and goes to physical therapy.
Because of her Hemophilia, she had the lining of her uterus cauterised to prevent excessive bleeding.
But amid the pain and chaos, Hamm has found happiness and has a positive outlook on life. She thoroughly enjoys going to Disneyland.
"I am a pass holder and Disney has a lot of great accommodations for disabled people and it’s fun to escape it all at the happiest place on Earth," she said. "When I spend most of my days at home extremely sick, it’s nice to get a break from it all at Disney."
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