WORLD CUP FANS WISH ALEX LAURETANO A SPEEDY RECOVERY

Just a few days ago, the very popular World Cup Star Alex Lauretano USA, posted an update on her Website which came as quite a shock to all who have followed and admired her extraordinary career to date. From Junior level up, she has set an astounding number of National, Collegiate, Region, Junior and State Records. Alex has also starred in our WORLD CUP Stops in Malaysia, Australia, China, and Indonesia. Our photo shows her typical determination to win at the World Championships in Chile in 2013. Little did we know that she was battling with serious pain at that time. Here is her own Blog on what happened :

In January I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and it has put my life at a complete standstill. I don’t mean to sound melodramatic or negative but as an athlete, eleven months later that is still how I describe it. Rheumatoid arthritis is much different from regular (osteo) arthritis and is not caused by years of skiing, but by your immune system attacking your joints. And like all autoimmune diseases no one knows how or why you get it.

I first started having symptoms while training for the World Championships in November 2013, but thought it was just from overtraining. When I arrived in Chile for the Worlds I kept waking up with such excruciating pain I didn’t think I could ski. After a few hours it would get a little better and I was able to ski. That is a common trait of RA but after discussing with our team doctor we thought it was tendonitis.

In a matter of weeks I went from competing at the World Championships to having such debilitating pain that I could not put my clothes on. I should have posted this months ago, but each drug I take, and each naturopathic treatment I receive, I have hope that I will be competing soon. I still have that hope, but it is just a slow and agonizing process. Thank you to everyone who has given me their well wishes. Hope to be back out there soon! xoxo.

ALEX – WE WISH YOU A VERY SPEEDY RECOVERY AND HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK WITH US IN OUR WORLD CUP SERIES VERY SOON.