Junior Kaitlyn Rasmussen will graduate June 4 with the class of 2016 despite her newly diagnosed medical condition.

Rasmussen was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, which is a medical condition that causes widespread muscle pain throughout the body. She has taken anti-inflammatory medications along with others that cause her to not be able to focus. Most of her pain is in her back which caused her to quit her passion, color guard.

“Before being diagnosed, I was going to different doctors that all diagnosed me with different things and one doctor told me that the pain was ‘all in my head’, but actually having a solid diagnoses has taken some stress off of my shoulders,” Rasmussen said.

Since Rasmussen was not supposed to walk the stage in 2016 because she’s only a junior, she has been spending her days taking extra online classes, trying to maintain a social life, taking new medications and scheduling around new senior activities.

“I didn’t even know I was going to walk the stage until the beginning of May,” Rasmussen said. “Originally they were going to mail my diploma to my house, because my final for economics is the week of graduation.”

Rasmussen’s journey to graduate early has caused her stress. She has to leave behind best friends and has to keep pushing through her medical condition.

“I’ve only known her for a year, but I’m going to miss her a lot,” band freshman Adam Orr said.

Rasmussen has been involved in band ever since her freshman year and was on the color guard leadership team, and she has made lifelong friends within everything she is involved in. Even though some of her friends are heartbroken, majority of them understand why she has to go ahead and graduate early.

“I am sad that she is leaving, but it’s good, because it will give her a head start on college,” color guard sophomore Thomas Griffith said. “Overall, I’m happy for her and excited that she has such a great opportunity.”

Graduating early made Rasmussen get recognized during the band gala, gave her the opportunity to take senior pictures, and let her start on her career before the rest of the pack.

“I am sad that I’m graduating early, but I went to prom and I got to take senior pictures, and that was fun,” Rasmussen said.

Knowing that graduation is rapidly approaching, Rasmussen’s stress has strengthened, but her newly diagnosed medical condition has taken away from her focus to graduate early.

“I am constantly missing school for doctors appointments, and some days because I just can’t function.”

Rasmussen still pushes to do her best and to eventually reach her goal of being a child life specialist.

Post high school graduation, Rasmussen will attend Collin College and later transfer to a university after she finishes her basics.

“I plan to transfer to Texas A&M Commerce to get a masters in child and family studies,” Rasmussen said.