After 10 years, this past weekend is the FIRST time that i have ever typed anything in about alopecia in on the search engine. I have accepted the fact that I don't have hair…and basically just lived with it. My mom has done research about it, but I haven't bothered to do so myself. In my mind if the less i knew about it, the more "normal" id feel. I was diagnosed in August of 2004. I had tiny spots sporadically on my scalp with one spot that was about the size of 2 quarters smack in the middle. When i went into the dermatologist,i found out that i was diagnosed with alopecia. Man did i cry, and i couldn't help but to think "Im going to die" haha. Little did i know it was a disease that caused my hair to fall out.The Doctor insisted in giving me 10 steroid shots directly to the spot that was the biggest to prevent my hair from falling out. Being so young i was willing to do anything to keep my hair so i pleaded to my mom to let me do it and she agreed. This all happened in August and by October of 2004 ALL of my hair on my head was gone. Immediately there was a drastic change in my life; for me to start school off with hair and 2 months later wearing a bandana on my bare head, attracted a lot of attention to me. I lost a lot of friends and as I would walk around the campus with the little friends that did stick around  all i heard was people murmuring. This along with the drastic change of my appearance had a huge impact on my life. I came home crying to my parents begging to be home schooled so no one stare at me.At that point and time I found myself to hide in a shell, and my self esteem was low……ten years later i find my self married with two beautiful children, its been a long road but with the support of my family and having the gospel in my life I've taken this experience and learned a lot. Everything happens for a reason; and the lord wouldn't put us through anything  we can't handle !! I always doubted that i wouldn't ever find the one who'd love me because i thought i was hideous…but my husband insists that I'm the most beautiful person on earth to him. My parents have spent hundreds of dollars trying to find something that will help my hair grow back, and for that i am truly grateful ! Im blessed beyond measures and i know that i have it GREAT ! i may go day to day wishing that i blended in with everyone else in this world but the lord works in mysterious ways and he is a great god ! In my darkest days i look at my brightest days to keep me going, and i know that someone on this earth always has it worse than i ! I am who i am because of alopecia; and although i have wished that i didn't have to go through this experience when i was first diagnosed i am glad that it made me who i am today !