Turner Strong, Be You - My Life's Theme - by Kami Vermillion

My story begins at the age of 12 years old. My parents were concerned about my lack of growth. I was only 4’5. My mom was concerned I hadn’t started puberty. I am positive God put my pediatrician in my life for a reason. My pediatrician had just come back from a conference on genetic problems. She asked my parents if she could run my karyotype. Two weeks later, she called my parents at home. I thought a home call must be serious! I started to tear up as mom was holding back her tears as best as she could. Later that evening, my mom told me what was going on.

First, I had hypothyroidism and would be on a pill for that for the remainder of my life. Next, she explained that I had a genetic disorder called Turner syndrome (TS). I didn’t understand at first what that was. She explained I was mosaic, and that I would have to get tests done on my heart, kidneys, liver, and ovaries. She explained that I would most likely be unable to have children, and that I would also have to see a pediatric endocrinologist to start growth hormone shots.

All of this was done at Riley Hospital, so I was a Riley kid. The hardest part is that at 12 years, you feel odd enough and like you don’t belong as it is. All through school I was bullied, and now this. I went from being a happy kid to an introverted, withdrawn kid that wore black, dyed her hair black, whose world seemed to go black.

I didn’t want to change for gym class, because one time when I did, a girl next to me asked why my boobs hadn’t grown, and asked if I had a “weird problem”. She was one of my bullies. As I grew older and got more involved with my TS sisters, I got my strength from God, my TS sisters, and my family. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. “Be You” Turner Strong - my life’s theme.