Christina's journey with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) led her from patient to lifesaving nurse. Her story is a powerful reminder that while PI may change the course of your life, it can also inspire new purpose and incredible strength! We hope you enjoy learning more about Christina.
Please write a few sentences on your overall story living with PI.
When I went to college in 2012 as a pre-med student, I started getting multiple infections that sometimes took multiple medications to clear. It took a bit, but in 2014 I was diagnosed with CVID and eventually had to leave school. After years of IG therapy, numerous infections including sepsis, I was finally healthy enough to go back to school, but this time I decided to pursue nursing. I saw what the nurses were doing and how they were actually the ones with me most of the day. When I developed sepsis from a central line infection, it was my nurses who recognized it quickly and literally saved me life. I knew from there that’s where my heart was and I because a CNA in 2019 and an RN in 2022. I’ve worked adult CVICU but currently work in a pediatric CICU where I get the privilege of saving lives every day. I’m part of the quality and safety committee which helps reduce hospital and central line infections on my unit, which really brings my story full circle. Im so grateful for my weekly SCIG therapy as it usually keeps me healthy enough to do this job that I love and that I would’ve never really known about had I not been a patient first. I have a lot of unique empathy for my patients because I know what it’s like to be on the other end of the stethoscope!
How and when were you diagnosed? Which specific PI disease do you have?
I was diagnosed in 2014 after having 15 UTIs, five bronchitis infections, multiple sinus infections and pneumonia in the span of 1 year. I was diagnosed with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) as I had low IgG, no IgA, and didn’t make specific antibodies (during the vaccine challenge).
How has treatment impacted your life? How did you decide this was the correct treatment for you?
I originally started with IVIG but the side effects really took a toll on me so I was switched to subcutaneous IG therapy, SCIG, and have been doing that ever since.
Do you share your story with others online? If so, tell us what made you decide to do so.
Yes. I’m very open about my journey, especially because I have both the perspective of a patient and that of a nurse. I provide a lot of education in my community as well, from educating coworkers about the IVIG that we use to volunteering at plasma centers to both thank the plasma donors and help show the staff what a difference they’re making.