05/23/2026
*Long winded post ahead*
I don’t usually talk about this so publicly but if you know me, and you remember the, “Girl Behind The Red Door”, years, then, I feel we’ve been together long enough for me to share this kind of news.
I am still the Girl Behind The Red Door but, in a different way. I still have my bouts with panic disorder and major depressive disorder but for different reasons now. Very shortly before I started this business, I woke up one day with unusual weakness, stiffness, fatigue, etc. I was 26 years old at the time. Due to my age, it took a little while to get a proper diagnosis.
It was evident at first that there was rheumatoid arthritis along with Raynaud’s Syndrome. Both bi-lateral. But, not being able to lift a gallon of milk or brush my hair one day, lead me to believe there was something else going on. It took 2.5 years and several specialists before I found a doctor who actually listened to what I had to say before I was diagnosed with dermatomyositis.
There are a few different forms but just to sum it up-
“Myositis is a general term describing chronic or acute inflammation of the muscles. It most often occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy muscle tissue. While there is no cure, various medical treatments and physical therapies can help manage the condition and improve strength. It affects approximately 14 to 21 people per 100,000, with an estimated 50,000 to 75,000 individuals living with the disease in the United States.”
With that being said, if you know me, you know I have a very hard time asking for help. I feel I should be able to do everything, all the time, by myself. Those who are close to me have been a great, supportive, & encouraging group of people who have truly kept Crane’s Creations running behind the scenes.
They are balloon tiers, ladder carriers, bus drivers, personal trainers, physical therapists, a shoulder to lean on when mine are too weak to raise above my head to secure a command hook, the list goes on and on and I could never be more thankful.
With May being one of (if not) my busiest seasons along with it being Myositis Awareness Month, I just wanted to use my platform to bring awareness to this condition.
I thank my clients for their patience and understanding when I cannot immediately reply or when a job takes a little longer than it should because I am moving a little slower than I should. I thank my family and loved ones for blowing up/tying balloons last minute because my wrists and all 10 fingers have lost range of motion or when I can’t just put a step ladder in my suburban. These all seem like very simple things but to me, are very difficult things. I am so thankful for those who immediately step up to the plate to help my dream stay alive.
And thank you to EVERYONE who believes in me. I will be doing this as long as the Good Lord allows. 💙