Battling Illnesses

Credit: Erin Patrice O'Brien

The Real Housewives Of New Jersey

Jacqueline Laurita: My Son Has Autism

Originally posted 08/22/2012 09:15AM

Jacqueline Laurita had tried for years to have another baby, so when she finally welcomed son Nicholas three years ago, the proud mom celebrated his every achievement.

But then, at around 18 months old, Nicholas began regressing with his speech and motor skills, then refusing to answer to his name or notice people enter a room.

"We had no idea what was going on," the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, who hid her son's medical issues from the reality cameras as she continued taping season 4 last year, tells PEOPLE exclusively.

After an agonizing wait to see multiple doctors, the Lauritas got a diagnosis: Nicholas is autistic.

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Filed Under: , Babies, Autism, The Real Housewives Of New Jersey, Battling Illnesses, Jacqueline Laurita

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Rosie O'Donnell's Fiancée Diagnosed with Rare Disease

Originally posted 08/03/2012 04:05PM

Rosie O'Donnell is known for cracking jokes, but the latest turn of events in her life is no laughing matter.

The funny lady, 50, announced on her blog Friday that her fiancée Michelle Rounds has been diagnosed with a rare disease.

"Again and again, her pain grew worse," O'Donnell writes. "It seemed impossible. No one knew what was wrong. Life changes in an instant."

The couple went through a "maze of medical mystery," according to the blog post, until Rounds was eventually diagnosed with desmoid tumors. O'Donnell calls it a "beyond rare" disease that isn't cancer but "acts cancerous" and only affects three out of every million people.