I had pectus excavatum from a very young age. In my case, this was caused by Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue deformity which gives me issues with my back, joints, heart and eyes. As I grew and hit puberty, my chest sunk in further and further. By the age of 16, I had a few physical symptoms, but having a pectus deformity had a profound effect on me psychologically. My self-esteem was cripplingly low and I had no confidence. This massively affected my mental health, leading me to feel anxious and depressed. 

At age 16, everything changed and the problem got so much bigger. Every so often, I would feel my chest collapsing in. The pain in my sternum was immense and my breathing would become very strained, whilst my lungs adjusted to having less space to function. To begin with this was happening every 6 months or so, but by the time I was 22 this was happening every other month. Each time these episodes of collapse would happen I was in more pain, it was even harder to breathe, and my dip was deeper. 

Day to day, the effect this was having on my health was huge. Walking any distance, or even climbing the stairs too quickly would cause me to become completely breathless to the point where I experienced tachycardia. I had issues swallowing, overwhelming pain in my chest, and I felt completely hopeless. I struggled to attend my lectures as the 10-minute walk was on an incline; I couldn’t make the journey to the supermarket two streets away; I had tried and failed to hold down a part time job as my symptoms were too overwhelming. At 22, I was struggling just to care for my basic needs, let alone study for my Masters degree. I knew that once I’d finished university I wasn’t going to be able to work and that I’d have to move back home to be taken care of by my parents.