Payton’s Story: Finding Strength Through Positivity

Authors: Anika Kumar

Editors: Katherine Lai

May 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM

        In Payton’s experience, positivity isn’t just important for mental wellbeing, but a vital aspect of maintaining her health. Instead of letting Addison’s disease define her through fear or sadness, she chooses to meet each day with humor and happiness. “You can laugh about things,” she says, reminding herself and others that illness does not have to erase joy. She believes that staying positive helps not only emotionally but also physically, since stress and low mood can make managing cortisol levels even more challenging. For Payton, laughter and optimism are essential to how she survives and thrives.

        As a child, Payton was extremely vulnerable to sickness. She got pneumonia several times and experienced severely high fevers. But by the time she was 17, the symptoms had become unusual. Her skin was significantly tanner even when she hadn’t been in the sun, and she frequently craved salt. She felt constantly exhausted and began losing weight during her adolescence. Her doctor attributed her symptoms to anxiety and stress, brushing them off as “normal teenage symptoms.” Then everything escalated into a medical emergency when her mother found her unresponsive in her bedroom. Months of unexplained symptoms had built up before suddenly resulting in a coma.

        The next day, after waking from her coma, her life changed forever when, at 17, an endocrinologist diagnosed her with Addison’s disease. Addison’s disease is also known as primary adrenal insufficiency. With Addison's disease, the adrenal glands produce too little of the hormone cortisol. Oftentimes, people with Addison’s disease also make too little of another hormone called aldosterone, a hormone that regulates sodium, leading to significant sodium loss triggering intense salt cravings and low blood pressure. 

        As she neared the end of high school, Payton’s new diagnosis of Addison’s caused her to miss a significant amount of class. But she lost more than just lessons and lectures. She was absent from senior sunrise, senior sunset, and the many other traditions that celebrate the end of high school. “It’s okay,” she says while laughing. These lost moments did not weigh her down. Instead, they became part of her journey– something she embraces with a positive outlook.

        She had to be careful to prevent adrenal crises, as there was little she could do once her body began to decline. Every day felt like walking a tightrope with her symptoms. She tried to avoid getting sick, stayed away from people who were coughing, and carefully adjusted her steroid dose when she felt unwell, knowing that too much could cause hypertension. School was especially challenging. Stress or even minor bumps in the hallway could trigger flares, and there were days she had to leave early to protect her health. Through it all, Payton learned to read her body, anticipate potential triggers, and respond quickly, developing strategies to navigate the unpredictability of her condition.

        Yet Payton never let these moments overshadow her memories of high school. When her teacher complained about her missing so many math classes, she lightheartedly replied, “I guess my body just hates math.”

        For most individuals, stress means sweaty palms or a racing heart. For Payton, stress could mean her body losing stability. What might be a small, forgettable stressor for someone else can leave her dizzy, nauseous, and ultimately needing to go home.

        Since Payton’s body cannot produce adequate cortisol, she is unable to experience a normal stress response. Cortisol is responsible for managing stress through mobilizing energy such as increasing glucose in the bloodstream to ensure muscles and the brain have enough energy to respond to the situation at hand. Without proper levels of cortisol, it can result in what she describes as her brain feeling fuzzy: feelings of extreme fatigue, fainting, muscle weakness, low blood pressure and nausea. 

        After graduating high school, things started to change for the better. Payton became more familiar with how to manage her disease and developed a daily routine, including a strict medication schedule with four doses spaced throughout the day and a high-sodium diet. She notes the difficulty of finding sodium-rich foods, even in everyday meals like canned soups, since many products have been reformulated to be low-sodium due to increased health consciousness. “Everything that's unhealthy is healthy for me,” she explains with a laugh. Rather than relying solely on processed foods, she often adds salt to home-cooked meals to maintain balance. Unlike athletes who salt their water for peak performance, Payton salts her food simply to feel well enough to live her daily life.

        Even blood tests, which steadily became a constant in Payton’s life, became smoother. The first several times she got her blood drawn to monitor deficiencies in adrenal hormones, she'd experienced nausea and feel sick on the drive home. It was her body’s reaction to this new procedure. Her hospital visits are now more bearable. In fact, her regular blood draws are what she looks forward to as they allow her to see her body’s progress and get explanations for any symptoms she has. As Addison’s disease requires ongoing management, worsening symptoms or new symptoms may arise if hormone levels are not adequately addressed by replacement hormones, such as increases in fatigue or feelings of depression. Payton now doesn’t leave the house without bringing candy and distracts herself by chatting with her nurse, turning what once felt overwhelming into something routine.

        Entering college marked another positive shift. She tailors her schedule to support her health, choosing courses thoughtfully and building breaks into her day to rest and refuel. Taking exams in a separate room reduces test anxiety and allows her to focus calmly. With these accommodations, she succeeds academically and works toward her dream of becoming a child life specialist.

        Growing up, she imagined becoming a teacher or a nurse, drawn to helping others in both education and medicine. But she knew those careers might be too physically demanding for her body due to Addison’s. Instead of being discouraged, she discovered that child life combined both teaching and medicine, describing it to others as being a “hospital teacher.” She remembered her experience of being newly diagnosed, overwhelmed, and trying to make sense of everything happening around her. Looking back, it seemed her healthcare journey had been shaped by an essential role – the child life specialist who sat her down and asked if she was feeling okay. While that question seemed simple, it shocked her. It was the first time someone seemed to care about her emotional state, not just her rare disease. Though others provided heaps of information, she felt more touched by the one who sat down next to her and asked if she needed anything at all. Payton talked of how she was heartbroken about missing her sister’s 14th birthday, and her child life specialist responded with compassion, putting together a small goodie bag filled with her sister’s favorite makeup and candy for Payton to give her when she returned home. It was a simple gesture, but it made her feel seen. Experiences like this helped Payton realize she wanted to be that source of comfort for other children, someone they could emotionally connect with in moments that feel frightening and uncertain.

        Inspired by her own experiences in the hospital, Payton was motivated to create an organization to support children facing medical challenges. What began as a school project has grown into Brave Baskets, a nonprofit that gives families the chance to choose toys they think their child would enjoy. Her charity has now become a resource for parents and care providers, helping children feel better after facing scary medical procedures, bringing small moments of joy in intimidating hospital environments, and finding creative ways to make their hospital experience a little brighter. Payton highlights how her time fixing toys and getting creative for ways to help the kids feel better have helped develop her skills and passion for her future career as a child life specialist. More than that, Brave Baskets reflects her belief in finding light in difficult moments. Just as she approaches her own diagnosis with optimism, she works to bring small moments of joy to children navigating hospital stays, reminding them that even in challenging environments, there is still room for comfort and positivity.

        Outside of her time in college and the hospital, Payton shares her experiences with Addison’s disease on Instagram (@my.addisons.story), a platform she started just four months after her diagnosis to help others understand the condition. Known as an invisible illness, Addison’s often has few visible signs, which can make everyday situations challenging. For example, she receives first-priority boarding on planes and notices people watching her as she waits for her ticket to be scanned. “I’m not in a wheelchair, I don’t have a service dog, and I’m walking totally fine,” she explains. She makes her content entertaining and accessible so anyone can follow along, even for individuals without Addison’s. Through her platform, she has connected with people around the world, building a supportive community for those navigating the illness. In turn, she provides guidance to those who reach out with questions about Addison’s, from lab tests to identifying symptoms. Although her diagnosis came immediately after a critical adrenal crisis, Payton knows that each person’s experience with Addison’s is different, and she has seen others face challenges that she does not, demonstrating how Addison's symptoms are unique to each individual.

        As Payton continues to visit the hospital as both a patient and advocate, she reflects on how much she learns from doctors and how much she teaches them in return. “I like to teach people about how it’s not that scary,” she says. Her experiences with Addison’s disease have shown her the importance of emotional support in healthcare, from pediatric rooms filled with toys and child life specialists to similar care in adult settings that feel more impersonal and less emotionally supportive. Through her nonprofit, Brave Baskets, and her online advocacy, Payton has turned her challenges into opportunities to comfort, educate, and inspire others. As a future child life specialist, she hopes to use her journey to make hospitals feel less overwhelming and more accommodating for all patients. She aims to encourage medical providers, families, and patients to prioritize empathy, share their experiences, and create a system where no one faces their situation alone. Payton's story goes beyond her own experience, and she continuously advocates for herself and others with positivity and strength.