Before getting diagnosed with POTS, school was all Wiest knew. She had all her classes planned out, knew what she was doing.
Then, when she got sick, it all fell apart.
Wiest missed a large chunk of school in her freshman year from countless doctors appointments. COVID slithered in afterwards, and her schoolwork suffered even more as classes shifted completely online.
After her diagnosis, she had to reorganize her life to manage her illness. It felt like her identity had been taken over by POTS. Yet when she brought up her pain and struggles, other people “got weird” and avoided the subject. So she stayed quiet.
But one day, Wiest got tired of hiding POTS. She decided to become more assertive and speak out about disabilities, because “in general, only disabled people are the ones who advocate for disabled people.”
So she opened up Instagram, and started regularly posting about her daily life, featuring the challenges of POTS. She updated on starting new pain medications, repeatedly experiencing ableism, and finding confidence in her own body. And if some viewers get “weird” about it?
“It’s not my job to stay silent to make people more comfortable,” Wiest declares, eyes fierce. “If you talk to someone about stuff you’re going through, they’ll respond ‘oh my gosh, I’ve had something similar happen!’ So talking about stuff allows you to find community.”
If there’s one word that describes Wiest perfectly, it’s resilient. This unflinching persistence and passion is what Cameron admires the most about his girlfriend.
“Her going through the world and telling people what’s what when she has to deal with more problems than everybody else tends to, that makes her a really tough person,” Cameron says.
But, in a way, Wiest is just like any other everyday, high school teenager. Her interests range from abstract art to adorable cats, from jamming out at rock concerts to chillaxing in the park with her squad.
Yes, she uses mobility aids. She has a chronic illness. But being a POTS patient is only one, small aspect of who she is. And now, she’s not letting her disability stop her from reaching her full potential.
So what’s in store for the future Katie Wiest?
She’ll continue to raise awareness about and advocate for people with disabilities through regular Instagram posts. She’ll go off to college and enjoy herself. And, maybe, she’ll become a neurology or pain specialist, so she can help other people like her with true empathy.
Whatever happens, Wiest knows she’ll get through it.
“I had to refigure out my life. I went through the hardest thing I could imagine myself going through,” she smiles. “I know things are gonna be ok.”
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